Researchers from the University of Toronto, including Roshan Nepal, Brandon Brown, Shishangbo Yu, Roozbeh Abbasi, Norman Zhou, and George Shaker, have developed a novel water leak detection system that operates without batteries or local gateways, potentially offering a sustainable and scalable solution for smart infrastructure monitoring.
The system is designed to communicate directly over LTE-M (Cat-M1), a low-power wide-area network technology tailored for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. It harnesses energy from water flow through a hydroelectric mechanism, eliminating the need for conventional batteries. This energy is then managed and stored efficiently using a dedicated power management subsystem, which includes a boost converter, supercapacitor-based energy storage, and a hysteresis-controlled load isolation circuit. This design allows the system to meet the stringent power requirements of LTE-M transceivers, enabling autonomous and direct-to-cloud data transmission without relying on local networking infrastructure.
The researchers have demonstrated the system’s capability through experimental results, showing consistent LTE-M beacon transmissions triggered by water-induced energy generation. This indicates that the system can function sustainably and maintenance-free, making it a promising solution for global IoT leak detection applications. The system’s ability to operate without batteries or gateways simplifies deployment and reduces maintenance costs, making it an attractive option for various industries, including water management, agriculture, and smart building management.
The research was published in the IEEE Internet of Things Journal, a reputable source for advancements in IoT technology. The practical applications of this technology are vast, particularly in the energy sector, where water leak detection is crucial for conserving resources and preventing damage to infrastructure. By integrating this system into existing smart infrastructure, energy companies can enhance their monitoring capabilities, reduce operational costs, and contribute to more sustainable water management practices.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.