Solar Panel-based Visible Light Communication for Batteryless Systems
Abstract
This paper presents a batteryless wireless communication node for the Internet of Things, powered entirely by ambient light and capable of receiving data through visible light communication. A solar panel serves dual functions as an energy harvester and an optical antenna, capturing modulated signals from LED light sources. A lightweight analog front-end filters and digitizes the signals for an 8-bit low-power processor, which manages the system's operational states based on stored energy levels. The main processor is selectively activated to minimize energy consumption. Data reception is synchronized with the harvester's open-circuit phase, reducing interference and improving signal quality. The prototype reliably decodes 32-bit VLC frames at 800\,Herz, consuming less than 2.8\,mJ, and maintains sleep-mode power below 30\,uW.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2601.04190,
title = {Solar Panel-based Visible Light Communication for Batteryless Systems},
author = {Juan F. Gutierrez and Nhung Nguyen and Jesus M. Quintero and Andres Gomez},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.04190},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
This is an open-access, author-archived version of a manuscript published in ApplePies 2025 Conference