The new Powerfoyle Shield is based on Exeger's same resilient and flexible photovoltaic (PV) cell material already used successfully in headphones and remote controls. Ideal for product development, Powerfoyle can deliver light energy harvesting of indoor or outdoor light without the need for direct sunlight. For the Swedish company behind the revolutionary solar cell technology this collaboration with Norwegian-based Nordic Semiconductor will contribute to increasing recognition of the full Powerfoyle potential among the development community.
The Powerfoyle Solar Shield becomes a powerful out of the box add-on for Nordic Semiconductor’s Thingy:91 cellular connected platform and associated development boards. It provides developers with the possibility to explore the endless possibilities with solar powered connected products and applications. The add-on incorporates Exeger's resilient and flexible photovoltaic cell material, conveniently integrated with a current sensor to measure the current going into the battery.
Delivering further value, Nordic's nRF Cloud software supports data capture from the Powerfoyle Solar Shield, allowing charge data to be readily available from a dashboard during prototyping. Once collected, this data can be used to determine the power management profile of the device. Leveraging data means that power management performance can be optimized, based on constantly changing light conditions and battery power. This makes the combination an ideal prototyping platform for self-charging electronics design.
"The Powerfoyle add-on is the result of a long-term strategic partnership between Nordic and Exeger to bring sustainable thinking into product design, and ultimately replacing the costly and wasteful need of replacing batteries and battery anxiety," says Thomas Holmberg, Regional Sales Director – EMEA, Nordic Semiconductor.
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. Depending on the application and the energy consumption budget the device is programmed to achieve, the Thingy:91 with the Powerfoyle Shield enables designs to be completely self-sufficient, with no need to be charged through conventional means.
"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," adds 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."
A limited-edition bundle of the Thingy:91 with add-on shield is manufactured by Exeger and dispatched by Avnet Silica. It’s intended for a selection of partner recipients, with the potential for broader commercial distribution as part of Nordic's offering. Inquiries can be sent to Lars Lindström, Avnet Silica by email or by calling +46 70746025.
www.exeger.com | www.powerfoyle.com
www.nordicsemi.com
