The energy harvesting device sounded like the most interesting out of the brainstorm I made at the ranch. Probably the most useful one would have been the alert for the horse trough overflowing, considering that multiple times we created a lake in their pasture. Too specific to that individual house though, and I wouldn't necessarily learn anything while making it!

Initial ideas about what the energy harvesting device will look like:

It would be useful for it to take the form of a clip, so that it is easy to mount across something with a temperature differential. The piezo element will have to have some specific mechanical configuration as well in order for the device to be mounted such that the vibration or movement is captured. The solar needs the least amount of mechanical consideration, but the connector will need to be something that is useful for easily connecting to solar cells.

Items to work on:

-Calculations of how much energy harvested from heat, piezo and solar

-What type of battery would it be useful to charge and how big

-Buy off the shelf power circuitry (easier, more practical), or design myself (more educational?)