Hybrid smart watch applications in most cases require user-charging every 1 to 10 days. As this offers an unpleasant user-experience there is a clear need to improve lifetime. Traditionally the approach has been to reduce power consumption. With Nowi’s new energy harvesting technology there is a second method of battery life extension.

The Nowi energy harvesting PMIC has a greatly reduced PCB footprint and BOM and as a result it can easily fit in the form factor of a watch. Furthermore, it’s MPPT can find the maximum power point within 1 second whereas alternatives typically require 12-16 seconds. As the user changes the angle of its wrist the output from the PV cell will change. The PMIC needs to search to find the maximum power point to reach the maximum efficiency again. In the meantime the efficiency will drop to 20-30%. Speed to maximum power point is therefore key in wearable products as the source is almost continuously changing in these use-cases.