Terracell
Project Overview
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About
Terracell is a soil microbial fuel cell that generates renewable energy from microbes breaking down organic carbon in the soil, offering a sustainable power source for IoT sensors in remote and challenging environments. Its innovative design, with perpendicular electrodes and a vertical, waterproof cathode, enables operation in both dry and flooded soils, extending sensor runtime by 120%. All components, except carbon electrodes, are 3D-printable and locally sourced, making Terracell accessible and eco-friendly. It offers a groundbreaking solution to power IoT devices for environmental monitoring without relying on batteries or solar panels
Team
Bill Yen
Stanford University
Bill Yen is a Ph.D. student in the Stanford Smart Sensing Systems Lab working in the area of low-power Internet of Things (IoT) systems. He is an interdisciplinary maker and environmental scientist passionate about solving issues related to food, water, and energy using smart technologies. Yen's experience in industry (General Motors, CNH Industrial) and academic research (Northwestern, Stanford) cultivated his interest in designing self-powered computing devices that boost system efficiency while lowering the environmental impact of existing processes. His work has been featured by The Independent, Fast Company, MIT Technology Review China, Hackster.io, and more.
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