EnOcean ESK 300 starter kit - the easy way to get started with batteryless wireless technology

Using the kit, EnOcean OEM partners will be able to break into new application areas for energy harvesting technology — ranging from building automation through smart homes and smart metering to industry and logistics. EnOcean is presenting the ESK 300 at the embedded world 2012 (Nuremberg/Germany, February 28 through March 1) at the joint booth of HY-LINE Computer Components in hall 1/1-160. The starter kit is already available for OEM partners priced at € 79 (suggested retail price).

EnOcean’s batteryless wireless technology harvests energy directly from its surroundings — from light, differences in temperature or motion. This means that all products enabled by this technology are entirely maintenance-free, requiring no wiring or cabling, and are particularly flexible in implementation. The ESK 300 starter kit includes a mechanical energy converter and a wireless module with integrated solar mini-cell. Sensors and wireless solutions developed using the starter kit will therefore be powered by the energy produced by pressing a button or through a light source.

The kit consists of a switch module (PTM 200) for building services, components for different switch applications (PTM 330, ECO 200), a temperature sensor module (STM 330), a USB gateway (USB 300), PC software for visualisation (DolphinView Basic) and a sample case for industrial switching solutions.

With the PTM 200 it is possible to implement energy-autonomous wall mounted switches or handheld transmitters. Combining the PTM 330 wireless module with the ECO 200 mechanical energy converter is a basis for a variety of maintenance-free wireless switches in an industrial environment. The solar-powered STM 330 sensor can measure temperature in a room or on machinery, for example. This module is characterised by its extremely low power consumption plus high reliability. If a measured value is transmitted every 15 minutes for instance, 3.6 hours of charging in daytime and 200 lux are adequate for uninterrupted operation. With its energy storage mechanism fully charged, the module is fully functional for four days in complete darkness. The USB 300 bidirectional gateway transfers both measured data and switch commands to a PC. Data is received over the DolphinView Basic software, which visualises all information on the computer, giving the user a real time view of all that is happening.

Varied, fast and flexible

This complete set enables virtually all application variations of energy harvesting wireless technology. Using the ESK 300 components users can implement switches and interior temperature sensors plus a variety of industrial switches, such as wireless position switches, solutions to control gates or for condition monitoring. Additionally, the USB 300 opens the door to smart home and smart metering solutions for software developers.

“The ESK 300 starter kit offers developers a perfect package – at an attractive price they can implement a whole variety of products enabled by energy harvesting wireless technology quickly and flexibly – and all it takes is expertise in mechanical product integration. The kit comes ready with all the necessary components for EnOcean solutions to help them start straight away”, says Andreas Schneider, chief marketing officer and co-founder of EnOcean. “In addition, of course, our partners receive every kind of support throughout the design and development cycle.”