Nordic Thingy:91 add-on shield delivers energy harvesting capabilities

Swedish solar cell technology company Exeger has developed an add-on ‘shield’ for Nordic Semiconductor’s Thingy:91 cellular IoT prototyping platform and associated development boards. The shield provides users with plug-and-play light energy harvesting capabilities for their product design project.

The ‘Powerfoyle Shield’ is based on Exeger’s resilient and flexible photovoltaic (PV) cell material, Powerfoyle, which can deliver light energy harvesting of indoor or outdoor light without the need for direct sunlight.

Data-driven power management optimization

Data captured from the shield can be used to determine the power management profile of the device, and for optimizing power management performance based on constantly changing light conditions and battery level. This power management profile enables developers using the Nordic Thingy:91 and compatible development boards to extend the power budget of their product and build a smarter and more sustainable solution. 

Empowering app development

Exeger also offers a Powerfoyle Software Development Kit (SDK) to its customers and partners, meaning they can build native apps to show the gain and drain of their solar-powered device under varying light conditions.

“The Powerfoyle Shield is the result of a long term strategic partnership between Nordic and Exeger to bring sustainable thinking to product design, removing ‘battery anxiety’, and ultimately replacing the costly and wasteful need to replace batteries,” says Thomas Holmberg, Regional Sales Director – EMEA, Nordic Semiconductor.

Self-sufficient designs with Thingy:91

Depending on the application and the energy consumption budget the device is programmed to achieve, the Thingy:91 and Powerfoyle Shield enables designs to be completely self-sufficient, with no need to be charged through conventional means or by battery replacement.

“This is a partnership about a greener and smarter future, and both our companies share a similar vision when it comes to sustainability, power efficiency, and a connected world,” says Oscar Hemberg, Chief Product Integration Officer, Exeger. “Nordic was an ideal partner for this initiative combining low power connectivity with our unique Powerfoyle solar cell technology and getting it into the hands of developers building on the successful Nordic Thingy platform.”

• About Exeger
• About Powerfoyle Shield
• About Nordic Thingy:91
• About Nordic Semiconductor