An indoor power line based magnetic field energy harvester for self-powered wireless sensors in smart home applications

In smart home systems, various IoT sensors are used for monitoring. However, these sensors depend on batteries. Herein, we present an indoor power line based magnetic field energy harvester (IPLEH) as a sustainable power supply for self-powered wireless monitoring sensors. The IPLEH harvests energy from the magnetic field of a current-carrying conductor without electrical contact, using a ferrite split-core that can be easily installed on existing power lines.

• Development of an indoor power line based magnetic field energy harvester (IPLEH).
• Non-contact energy harvesting from current-carrying conductors.
• Easy installation using a ferrite split-core design.
• Demonstration of powering various wireless sensors for smart home applications.

The IPLEH uses a ferrite split-core to harvest energy from the magnetic field of indoor power lines. Its performance was evaluated by measuring power output and by using it to drive various sensors like temperature, humidity, and motion sensors.

The IPLEH delivers an average power density of 14.67 mWcm⁻³ (105.24 mW average power). It successfully powered temperature, humidity, human motion, and plant health sensors, demonstrating its practical applicability for self-powered wireless monitoring systems.