Micro Energy Harvesting in Traffic Infrastructure, and as a Chance in Automobile Applications (Energy Harvesting and Storage Europe 2013)

Dr. Michael Kröner studied Engineering Physics at Münster University of Applied Sciences. He wrote his diploma thesis at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technologies (ISiT) in 2004. Since then he worked at the Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) in Freiburg on his doctorate thesis about biplanar micro ion traps, graduating in 2010. Currently he works as a group leader at the "Laboratory for Design of Microsystems" on the topic "Micro Energy Harvesting", with a research focus on thermomechanical, piezoelectric, and thermoelectric generators and materials.

The Department of Microsystems Technology (IMTEK) at the University of Freiburg is unique in Europe. With 23 professors and over 350 research and technical staff, its scientific scope encompasses nearly all technical fields relevant to the highly interdisciplinary world of microsystems technology. Through the depth and range of our activities, we are one of the internationally leading academic research departments in this dynamic and innovative field. New technologies for distributed embedded systems are developed in the DFG funded research training group "Micro Energy Harvesting" that enable sensor nodes to operate autonomously without batteries or cables.