The development of some forms of solar power information technology appears to be cutting-edge and beneficial to numerous areas of residential, educational and work activity. Indigenous peoples in remote locales can be educated using solar powered computers and other devices (such as the “I-Slate”). Environmental and wildlife biological monitoring may also benefit from this new technology.
Education and Residential Solar Power
The advantages of solar powered laptops and computers should be clear when it comes to education in remote areas. The Orang Asli people of Malaysia are a marginalized people cut off from “the outside world”. They have no power grid. Indeed, solar powered laptops have come to the aid of their education. Also, Google HQ Campus famously began the switch to solar in 2006.
Networking with Solar Power
Sensor networks are one high-tech way of monitoring our environment and physical changes in the environment over time. Some of these networks are powered by batteries – which have tradeoffs like; self-discharge, efficiency and net power usage. The Network and Embedded Systems Lab have addressed this with their study on integrating solar panel power into these systems. They have found it to be a viable approach and more energy efficient.
Biological Monitoring of Solar Power
Princeton’s Departments of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology undertook a study to evaluate the potential of solar power in tracking and monitoring wildlife. In this case, the group was studying wild zebra populations, their bioactivity and interactions. The ZebraNet network developed by the group was a peer-to-peer and history mobile network using low power solar energy source to supply energy to the network in the study. This study made a significant contribution to the development.
Gadgets in Solar Power
ITP Physical Computing might just be the primary source of solar power for a variety of computing devices. Some of these devices include Arduinos (a microcontroller – or interface – hardware/software device for electronics, robotics and more). Other devices include breadboards – a prototype circuit board. Their “Sparkfun” Solar Cells are a unique way to use solar energy to power these devices. These solar cells can be easily connected to these devices and used for power outdoors or even indoors.
How Does Solar Power Work
The blackboard slate used for school lessons by Indian schoolchildren is being replaced by a technology that appears to be truly revolutionary, sophisticated and inspired. The new development was developed using “microfinance”, PCMOS (‘probabilistic chips’) and an educational initiative. It’s basically a lap-sized, solar powered screen with the same size and function as the old blackboard slate. These low-energy, solar-powered ‘I-Slates’ seem somewhat familiar – could this new solar power information technology compete with the I-Phone and the I-Pad?
References:
“Design Considerations for Solar Energy Harvesting Wireless Embedded Systems” by Vijay Ragunathan, et al; IEEE Conference on Local Computer Networks
Dyson, Hendriks & Grant; "Information Technology and Indigenous People;" 2007
“Indian Schools to Benefit from New Computer Chips” by Jade Boyd; Rice University, March 2009
“Solar Energy System for Google Headquarters”; Alternative Energy News, October 17th, 2006
Jennifer Terry - Jennifer Terry has worked to promote self-determination and consumer education for 10 years. She has been writing since 2004 and has been ...
