At MEMSYS, we talk about innovation, collaboration and pushing the limits. None of that happens without the incredible minds and energy driving it all forward. So, we are doing a series of interviews and handing the mic to our team.
These interviews are a window into the people behind the projects – their passions, perspectives and what fuels them everyday at MEMSYS.
Get ready to meet the talent and see why teamwork makes the dreamwork !
Today the floor is to Mathijs Van Binnendijk, Embedded Engineer at MEMSYS
Hi Mathijs! Tell us a bit about yourself
Sure! I grew up in Wassenaar, near The Hague. As a kid, I was passionate about computer games, especially Minecraft, and I spent a lot of time building my own PCs. I think that’s what sparked my interest in electronic hardware. I pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at Delft University of Technology. Since I’m fascinated by both hardware and software, I decided to continue with a Master’s in Embedded Systems.
What’s drawn you so much to electronics?
To me, electronics feel like a bit of magic. It’s invisible and somewhat intangible, but once you discover the incredible things you can do with it, it’s easy to get excited! Ever since I was a child, I remember looking at all sorts of circuit boards and wondering how anyone could understand them well enough to create their own. From that moment, this became my goal.
What do you do at MEMSYS?
I’m currently developing circuitry with the goal of maximizing the energy extracted from the harvester. This involves evaluating various designs to understand the key attributes that make certain extraction circuits more effective than others.
What interests you particularly about Energy Harvesting?
I like the concept of producing energy out of “nothing”, rather than from chemical storage. It feels like an extremely logical, and also very efficient thing to do: to draw energy from the surroundings of a device, energy that is present anyway and would otherwise remain unused. I like that this gives my job purpose.
What do you like about being part of MEMSYS?
I enjoy knowing that my work has a direct impact on the company’s mission and contributes to the bigger goal of transitioning away from batteries. The significance of what I do, combined with my passion for it, gives me the motivation to push through technical challenges.
What role will Energy Harvesting play in future?
Significant progress has been made in the energy transition at the megawatt level (e.g., solar and wind power). However, there’s still a lot of work to be done at the microwatt level: globally, we need to do a better job of sustainably powering wireless devices. Energy harvesting will play a major role in addressing this challenge.
