Devices for the Internet-of-Things (IoT) are often placed in remote locations or are embedded in vehicles or machines and thus need to be fully wireless, lightweight, and energy-autonomous. The project FOXES aims to provide a clean, compact, low-cost and scalable high energy density solution for powering IoT devices such as wireless sensor nodes. The energy supply system developed by FOXES is constituted by the combination of a lead-free perovskite solid cell and a multilayer relaxor thin film capacitor with high energy density. Coupling these two devices allows solar energy surplus to be stored in the capacitor and being used for periods of time when solar light is not available. The energy balance (intake/discharge) is regulated by an electronic circuit, ensuring a positive energy balance for powering the sensor node. The FOXES system is constituted by: -Fully lead-free perovskite solar cell with > 10% efficiency. -Lead-free perovskite multilayer thin film capacitor with high energy density (> 50 J/cm3). -Graphene and metal-oxide based electronics for energy management circuit. These components will be fully 3D monolithically integrated using low-cost and sustainable processes (e.g. spin coating, spray pyrolysis) minimising the use of harmful chemicals or critical raw materials. This will also improve recycling and end-of-life disposability of the FOXES system. The targeted energy generation of the FOXES system is > 250 mJ/day. The developed system will be then coupled with low-power light-activated gas sensors (as use case) – giving less than 3 mJ/day energy consumption – and the necessary ASIC/data transmission devices for sensor operation. For the latter, commercial low-power solutions will be adopted, so that a positive energy balance will be maintained. The combined energy supply – sensor system will be tested in the lab against gas mixtures during variable irradiation conditions. A roadmap for scaling up the FOXES technology will be also defined.

Biosensors possess recognition elements that bind to target molecules which lead to detectable signals; they are made of two basic components: (i) a bioreceptor or biorecognition element; and (ii) a transducer element. The bioreceptor system interacts with the target analyte and this interaction is monitored by the transducer, which converts the information into a measurable effect such as an electrical, optical or mass-sensitive signal. This project proposes the development of an autonomous electrochemical biosensor that is lightweight, disposable and low cost by using an outstanding innovative approach: hosting synergistically the bioreceptor element inside a passive direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). Such approach will provide an electrically independent, very simple, miniaturized, autonomous electrical biosensor. The electrical dependency is eliminated by coupling the biosensor to an electrochemical transducer that is capable of autonomous energy production, the fuel cell. This work proposes a merge between electrical biosensors and fuel cells, combining the advantages of both areas of research in a single synergetic device. In this envisaged innovative device, the electrical signal obtained from the DMFC is directly related to the concentration of the cancer biomarker in the sample analyzed. The proposed electrochemical biosensor will be completely autonomous operating at room temperature and using the oxygen present in the air, thereby allowing diagnosis everywhere.