The kit includes a modular development board populated with the PIC24F16KA102 microcontroller - featuring eXtreme Low Power - and the capability to add PICtail daughter boards for the rapid evaluation of a wide variety of system functions, including ZigBee and proprietary wireless connectivity, and SD memory cards. The PIC microcontroller's eXtreme Low Power technology allows users to gain the longest possible operation from the included Cymbet EnerChip EH Eval-08 Energy Harvesting Board, which harvests solar energy that is then stored in the EnerChip solid-state, rechargeable energy-storage devices.

Power condition and capacity are monitored by energy-conscious software algorithms developed by Microchip and Cymbet. The monitored information can be reported to a PC user interface via a USB connection. Complete energy harvesting application firmware can be fully developed using the included PICkit 3 programmer/debugger.

The XLP 16-bit Energy Harvesting Kit provides a customizable development platform for designers to build and test their solar energy harvesting applications, without having to design any hardware. Example applications for this technology include portable consumer electronics, remote sensor networks, utility meters and portable medical devices.

"Until now, energy harvesting kits were limited to demonstration," said Mitch Obolsky, vice president of Microchip's Advanced Microcontroller Architecture Division. "This new kit offers true application development capability, and pairs Microchip's industry-leading eXtreme Low Power PIC microcontrollers with Cymbet's innovative energy harvesting technology, for the longest and most efficient solar-power operation."

Availability and Pricing

The XLP 16-bit Energy Harvesting Kit is available for 195 US Dollars. Currently, the kit is available exclusively through Digi-Key at www.microchip.com/get/FKAT.

Related link: www.microchip.com