A modular, compostable sensing platform for environments where sensors can be placed but never retrieved.
MykoVolt is an open platform for building ephemeral sensors — devices that:
- Deploy at high density (target: €0.01/node at scale)
- Operate where Li-ion can't go (inside compost, concrete, landfills, tissue)
- Leave no trace after mission completion (compostable power, future compostable substrate)
This repo contains the DevKit v0.1 — the first instantiation of the platform: a 30×20mm NFC data logger with a fungal or Mg-Air battery. It's a tool for researchers to experiment with biodegradable sensing, understand the constraints, and build the next generation of vanishing electronics.
APPLICATIONS
DevKit (now) → Compost Monitor → Concrete Embed → Your App?
COMMUNICATION
NFC (v0.1) → BLE (future) → Passive RF (long-term)
COMPUTE
ARM Cortex-M0+ + FRAM + RTC + Energy Manager
SENSING
Capacitive (now) → Temp/Chem (future — you build it)
POWER
Fungal MFC (primary) + Mg-Air (fallback)
MANUFACTURING
PCB Generator + Design Rules + CI/CD
Each layer is documented in the platform architecture.
| Directory | Content |
|---|---|
hardware/kicad/ |
PCB design (DevKit v0.1: 30×20mm, 4-layer, 57 components) |
firmware/ |
STM32L011 firmware (C, ARM GCC, zero warnings) |
simulation/ |
11-level simulation pipeline (Bayesian optimization, degradation, BOM) |
tests/ |
175 pytest tests (simulation, hardware, firmware, DRC, CLI) |
mykovolt/ |
Python CLI package (fetch, parse, calibrate, export, plot) |
tools/ |
CI/CD, Gerber validation, parametric sweep, test fixture generator |
platform/ |
Platform architecture and research roadmap |
applications/ |
Application-specific designs (e.g. DevKit) |
protocols/ |
Lab protocols (e.g. Empa replication) |
papers/ |
Our scientific publications (preprints, LaTeX) |
research/ |
Literature corpus (125 papers, auto-updated via arXiv/OpenAlex) |
docs/strategy/ |
Business strategy, paradigm, pitch materials |
docs/technical/ |
Engineering specs (sensor board, biology, compliance) |
docs/lab/ |
SOHO Lab pipeline — 15 experiments for Pi 5 + Hailo + 3D printers |
docs/outreach/ |
Fundraising, recruitment, cofounder search |
docs/plans/ |
Development plans and design specs |
This platform exists because of a fundamental problem: Li-ion batteries are disqualified from environments where biodegradability, biocompatibility, or food safety are required. The fungal MFC solves that — but it comes with tradeoffs:
| Constraint | Current Limit | Path to Improvement |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 25 µW (7 days) | Better strain + formulation → 50 µW/cm² target (Phase-E-Ziel)¹ |
| O₂ requirement | Can't bury >5cm without air chimney | Mg-Air fallback, surface deployment |
| NFC range | 2-5 cm | BLE add-on (more power budget needed) |
| Board substrate | FR-4 (not biodegradable) | Cellulose PCB research (TRL 2-3) |
The DevKit works today within these constraints. The platform is designed to evolve as each layer improves.
MykoVolt maintains an auto-updated MFC literature corpus in research/:
- 125 papers on fungal bioelectrochemistry, discovered via arXiv, CrossRef, EuropePMC, and OpenAlex
- Auto-validated pipeline (
research/scripts/validate_papers.py) - Deep-dive review for our species selection: MFC Literature Review
- Update anytime:
cd research && python3 scripts/fetch/fetch_other_sources.py
We've evaluated 6 fungal species for compatibility with the DevKit's power requirements (BQ25570 energy harvester: 0.33–5 V input, FDC1004 capacitance sensor, ST25DV04K NFC) and MykoVolt's use cases. The table below ranks them by technical suitability, power output, and ease of integration with the existing hardware design.
| Species | Eignung für MykoVolt | Primäre Anwendungen | Stromausbeute | Lebensdauer | Substrat | Verfügbarkeit | Kosten (pro Kultur) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trametes versicolor (Schmetterlingstramete) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | DevKit, Soil Moisture Sensor, Compost Monitor, Smart Packaging | 100–200 µW/cm² | 3–4 Wochen | Lignin (Holzspäne, Agrarreste) | Hoch (DSMZ, ATCC, Pilzzüchter) | €15–25 |
| Neurospora crassa | ⭐⭐ (explorativ) | Research-Whitespace, Carbon Monitoring | 2–3 Wochen | Glucose (Vogel’s Medium) | Mittel (FGSC, DSMZ) | €20–30 | |
| Aspergillus niger | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Mg-Air-Hybrid-Systeme (Permafrost, Landfill), Smart City Infrastructure | 4–6 Wochen | Industrielle Abfälle (Pektin, Zellulose) | Sehr hoch | €10–20 | |
| Pleurotus ostreatus (Austernpilz) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Passive NFC DevKit, Edu Kit, Living Art (günstig & einfach) | 2 Wochen | Stroh, Kaffeesatz, Cellulose | Sehr hoch (lokal, Supermarkt) | €5–15 | |
| Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) | ⭐⭐ | Smart Wound Dressing (medizinisch, biocompatibel) | 3–4 Wochen | Cellulose (Wundauflagen), Holz | Hoch | €25–40 | |
| Pestalotiopsis microspora | ⭐⭐ | Bioelektronik (Graphen-Produktion), Future Research | 4–6 Wochen | Lignocellulose | Mittel | €30–50 |
¹ Evidence-Audit 2026-08: Spezifische µW/cm²-Werte stammten aus nicht verifizierbaren Quellen und wurden zurückgezogen (Gap-Analyse). 50 µW/cm² ist ein Ziel, nicht bewährt — einzige geprüfte µW-Zahl: Trametes 12,5 µW/cm² (Empa-Baseline). Neu-Positionierung: Mg-Air ist das funktionierende MVP (50–500 µW, €0,08); der Pilzpressling ist ein Phase-E-Upgrade. Siehe MVP-Rethink.
| Use Case | Recommended Species | Why |
|---|---|---|
| DevKit v0.1 (NFC, Capacitive Sensing) | Pleurotus ostreatus | Low cost, easy to source, sufficient for passive NFC (1–5 µW) |
| Soil Moisture Sensor, Compost Monitor | Trametes versicolor | High laccase activity, compatible with BQ25570, lignin substrates available |
| High-Performance Research (50 µW/cm² target) | Saccharomyces cerevisiae (PPy-modifiziert) | Genau verifiziert: Polypyrrol-modifizierte Hefen zeigen echte MFC-Leistung; Elektroden-Geometrie direkt übertragbar auf unsere 2-cm²-Elektroden |
| Mg-Air Hybrid Systems (Permafrost, Landfill) | Aspergillus niger | Industrial robustness, works with metallic electrodes (Mg) |
| Medical/Biocompatible Applications | Ganoderma lucidum | Biocompatible, low power needs (0.5–5 µW) |
# Clone
git clone https://github.com/tobias-weiss-ai-xr/mykovolt
cd mykovolt
# Build firmware
cd firmware && mkdir build && cd build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=../cmake/arm-gcc-toolchain.cmake
make -j4
# Validate PCB
kicad-cli pcb drc hardware/kicad/mykovolt_devkit.kicad_pcb
# Run all tests
python3 -m pytest tests/
# Generate everything from scratch
python3 hardware/kicad/generate_kicad.py
# Validate Gerbers for JLCPCB
python3 tools/validate_gerbers.py --thermal --bom- Hardware: CERN-OHL-P v2
- Firmware & Software: MIT
- Documentation: CC-BY 4.0
Built with curiosity for a planet that doesn't need more toxic waste in the ground.