Deuk Heo, assistant professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University College of Engineering and Architecture, received a National Science Foundation CAREER grant to develop a new generation of battery-free wireless sensors that will be powered by renewable energy sources.

The energy-efficient sensors could be used for a wide variety of purposes, from biomedical applications to environmental or infrastructure monitoring and homeland security. Most wireless sensors are currently powered by batteries, which can be problematic when they are in a marine environment, for instance. The circuitry for sensors is bulky and wasteful, says Heo, so that much of the energy from the battery goes to powering the sensor rather than transmitting data. As a result, many sensors are limited in the amount of data they can transmit or how far they can send it.

With the five-year, $400,000 award, Heo and his research group are working to improve the overall energy efficiency of such wireless sensors. The researchers will also be developing reconfigurable sensors that can use a variety of energy sources to power their sensors. So, for example, a monitor located on a bridge might be able to use the energy created by cars passing overhead, while another monitor might use solar energy. Still others could use the waste heat created by a running engine. The result is that the sensors be more environmentally-friendly, avoiding battery waste, and they will also be able to be used in a wider variety of environments where batteries are not optimal. As part of the project,

Heo will be working in an inter- disciplinary team that includes Haluk Beyenal and Su Ha, assistant professors in the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering. Heo has been involved in earlier work with Beyenal to develop microbial fuel cells to power submersed electronic devices. The researchers deployed a microbial fuel cell test platform in 2007 and were able to wirelessly transmit electrical current and potential data. Ha’s research is in the area of biofuel cells.

The CAREER award will also support outreach efforts to increase interest in science and engineering, particularly among underrepresented groups. In particular, Heo will be working with teachers at Pullman High School to recruit high school students for summer internships on the project. The researchers will also be working to bring the students’ work to the Palouse Discovery Science Center, where it will be used as a portable exhibition in outreach efforts. Additionally, Heo will provide research opportunities for undergraduates on the project, both through the school’s senior design projects and through summer research experiences.

As part of the project, a senior-level course in sustainable wireless sensors will also be developed. The course will focus on providing an interdisciplinary approach based on student teamwork, hands-on activities, and problem solving. The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program offers the NSF’s most prestigious awards for junior faculty for outstanding research and integrated education and research efforts.

Heo holds a bachelor’s degree from Kyoung-puk National University in Korea, a master’s degree from Po-hang University of Science and Technology (Korea), and a doctoral degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.