Powering tomorrow's sensor: a review of technologies – Part 1

Purpose This paper aims to provide a technical review of new and emerging power sources and their application to sensors. Design/methodology/approach This paper comprises two parts. Following an introduction, this first part considers research and recent developments in battery, betavoltaic and supercapacitor technologies. Findings It is shown that these technologies are the topic of a major research effort. This aims to improve many operational features, including faster recharge times, increased power and energy densities and enhanced cycling performance. Supercapacitors offer prospects to replace rechargeable batteries in certain applications. Originality/value This paper provides a technical insight into the latest power source developments with relevance to sensors.