Power peripherals
Contents
Projects & Details
Voltage Regulator
We're hoping to develop a voltage and current regulating power peripheral that connects directly to the power connector on the XO and allows different off the grid power options, whether they may be solar, human, animal, wind or some other renewable energy source, to the XO without damaging the laptop.
Tasks
- Develop basic voltage regulator that limits voltage and current to XO
- Redesign voltage regulator to produce variable outputs
- Redesign version 2 of regular to all it to charge multiple XOs
- Possible mechanical design of voltage regulator housing (need to evaluate later)
- Thermal analysis of regulator (need to evaluate later)
Bicycle Powered Generator
This system consists of an inexpensive alternator attached to a bicycle and connected to a storage battery to allow an XO to be charged with just 30 minutes of pedaling or less.
Tasks
- Review of literature
- Development of bicycle powered generator design
- Building generator
Power Deployment Guide
We're working on a basic guide of different power generation options aimed and people who are interested in providing off the grid power to a group of laptops and don't know where to start.
Tasks
- Summarize wiki information and commentary on OLPC mailing lists related to power
- Put information in easy-to-read guide on power deployment options
- Make guide widely available
Solar Setup Testing
We're working on refining solar testing methodologies to be more useful for testing XO solar setups and testing some of the panels currently used in XO deployments.
Tasks
- Develop testing methodologies for evaluating a XO solar setup
- Testing solar setup & publish findings
Thermoelectric Power Generation
Exploring potential for using thermoelectrics for powering XOs
Milestones
- Basic voltage regulator built (6/25- DONE)
- Design of Bicycle Generator (7/15)
- More versatile voltage regulator built (7/18)
- Revisit milestone schedule (7/18)
- Testing plan for solar testing (7/18)
- Acquire materials for bicycle generator (7/22)
- Draft Deployment Guide (7/25)
- Bicycle Generator built (7/31)
- Visit to Factor E Farm for testing solar setup (8/1)
- Generator documentation (8/8)
- Final Deployment guide (8/15)
- Final solar testing data report (8/15)
