Chapter 1
SLAU273C – January 2009 – Revised May 2010
eZ430-RF2500-SEH Overview
1.1
Solar Energy Harvesting
The eZ430-RF2500-SEH is a complete Solar Energy Harvesting development kit to help create a
perpetually powered wireless sensor network based on the ultra-low-power MSP430 microcontroller.
The Solar Energy Harvesting module includes a high-efficiency solar (2.25 in x 2.25 in) panel optimized for
operating indoors under low-intensity florescent lights, which provides enough power to run a wireless
sensor application with no additional batteries. Inputs are also available for external energy harvesters
such as thermal, piezoelectric, or another solar panel.
The system also manages and stores additional energy in a pair of thin-film rechargeable EnerChips
which are capable of delivering enough power for 400+ transmissions. The EnerChips act as an energy
buffer that stores the energy while the application is sleeping and has light available to harvest. The
batteries are environmentally friendly and can be recharged thousands of times. They also have a very
low self discharge, which is vital for a no-power, energy harvesting system.
The eZ430-RF2500 is used to run the energy harvesting application. It is a complete USB-based MSP430
wireless development tool and provides all the hardware and software necessary to use the
MSP430F2274 microcontroller and CC2500 2.4-GHz wireless transceiver. It includes a USB debugging
interface that allows for real-time, in-system debugging and programming for the MSP430, and it is also
the interface to transfer data to a PC from the wireless system.
The integrated temperature and RF signal strength indicators can be used to monitor the environment,
and many external sensors can be used to collect additional data.
eZ430-RF2500-SEH Features
•
Efficient solar energy harvesting module for the eZ430-RF2500
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Battery-less operation
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Works in low ambient light
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400+ transmissions in dark
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Adaptable to any RF network or sensor input
•
Inputs available for external harvesters (thermal, piezo, etc.)
•
USB debugging and programming interface with an application backchannel to the PC
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18 available analog and communications input/output pins
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Highly integrated, ultra-low-power MSP430 MCU with 16-MHz performance
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Two green and red LEDs for visual feedback
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Interruptible push button for user feedback
7
SLAU273C – January 2009 – Revised May 2010
eZ430-RF2500-SEH Overview
Copyright © 2009–2010, Texas Instruments Incorporated
