This study presents the design and installation of a solar-powered motion-activated camera aimed at enhancing security while promoting energy efficiency and sustainability. Using a PIR sensor, the system activates only upon detecting motion, reducing unnecessary power usage and data storage. It operates using solar energy, making it suitable for remote areas. With the help of a photovoltaic panel and a rechargeable battery, the system runs only on solar energy, ensuring continuous operation even in isolated or off-grid areas without access to conventional power sources. A microcontroller platform, such the Raspberry Pi or Arduino, is essential to the design because it controls power distribution, enables communication between the different hardware parts, and synchronizes sensor and camera functions. Together with the camera module, these parts create a cohesive system that can be scaled and adjusted for various uses. The setup integrates components like a microcontroller (Raspberry Pi/Arduino), solar panel, battery, and camera. The architecture of the system, including hardware design, power management, and workflow procedures, is thoroughly covered in this report. It also discusses how each component contributes to the system's overall performance. While addressing real-world applications ranging from residential and commercial security to deployment in remote rural or industrial sites, it also emphasizes the system's practical advantages, such as lower maintenance costs, autonomous operation, and sustainable energy usage. The results demonstrate how ecologically conscious engineering solutions may successfully address contemporary security concerns and highlight the significance of integrating intelligent, renewable energy-based technology in the creation of next-generation surveillance systems.

Keywords - Solar-powered, Motion-activated camera Security, Energy efficiency, Sustainability, PIR sensor, Microcontroller

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1.  Kumar R, Singh A. Design and implementation of solar powered security system using IoT. Int J Innov Res Sci Eng Technol. 2022;9(4):1215- 20.
2. Sharma ML. Renewable energy powered wireless surveillance systems. Int J Adv Res Electr Electron Instrum Eng. 2021;7(5):2259-65.
3. Verma A, Rana PS. Design of motion detection based surveillance system using PIR sensor and Arduino. Int J Comput Appl. 2019;182(24):10-4.
4. Dey S, Joshi M. Smart energy-efficient camera system for rural surveillance. In: Proc Int Conf Power Control Embedded Syst (ICPCES). IEEE; 2020.
5. Patel V, Chavda N. Implementation of solar powered intelligent surveillance system. Int J Sci Res. 2020;8(11):1634- 8.
6. Motion activated surveillance using PIR and Raspberry Pi. Electronics For You. 2021 Mar.
7.  Designing a solar powered embedded system. All About Circuits. 2022 Jan.
8. Low power motion sensing in security cameras. EDN Netw. 2020 Jul;62(7).
9. Combining renewable energy with IoT for smart security. TechRepublic. 2021 Dec.
10. Integrating AI and energy efficiency in next-gen camera systems. IEEE Spectrum Tech Briefs. 2023;57.
11. Tiwari GN. Solar energy: fundamentals, design, modelling and applications. New Delhi: Narosa Publishing House; 2002.
12. Scherz P, Monk S. Practical electronics for inventors. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2016.
13. Margolis M. Arduino cookbook. 2nd ed. Sebastopol (CA): O’Reilly Media; 2011.
14. Islam MN, Rahman MM, Ahmed TT. Design and implementation of a motion detection and surveillance system using Arduino. Int J Eng Res Appl. 2018;8(7):45-50.
15. Priyanka S, Kumar S, Niveditha KL. Photovoltaic-based security surveillance system with IoT application. Int J Innov Res Comput Commun Eng. 2021;9(3):1123-7.
16. Patel RG, Deshmukh A. A review of solar powered wireless surveillance systems. Int J Adv Res Electr Electron Instrum Eng. 2020;9(2):184-9.
17. Mazidi MA, Naimi S, Naimi S. The AVR microcontroller and embedded systems: using assembly and C. 2nd ed. Pearson Education; 2013.
18. Abutarboush HF, Antoniades MA, Nikolaou S. Solar powered wireless camera node for outdoor security systems. In: Proc IEEE Int Symp Antennas Propag (APSURSI). Memphis (TN); 2014. p. 1150-1.
19. Chouhan SD, Kumar A, Thakur N. Motion detection surveillance system using PIR sensor and GSM module. In: Proc Int Conf Comput Commun Electron (Comptelix). Jaipur; 2017. p. 1-4.
20. Li Y, Zhang X, Chen Z. Design of a smart solar surveillance system using IoT. In: Proc IEEE Int Conf Smart Cloud (SmartCloud). Tokyo; 2018. p. 168-73.

This study presents the design and installation of a solar-powered motion-activated camera aimed at enhancing security while promoting energy efficiency and sustainability. Using a PIR sensor, the system activates only upon detecting motion, reducing unnecessary power usage and data storage. It operates using solar energy, making it suitable for remote areas. With the help of a photovoltaic panel and a rechargeable battery, the system runs only on solar energy, ensuring continuous operation even in isolated or off-grid areas without access to conventional power sources. A microcontroller platform, such the Raspberry Pi or Arduino, is essential to the design because it controls power distribution, enables communication between the different hardware parts, and synchronizes sensor and camera functions. Together with the camera module, these parts create a cohesive system that can be scaled and adjusted for various uses. The setup integrates components like a microcontroller (Raspberry Pi/Arduino), solar panel, battery, and camera. The architecture of the system, including hardware design, power management, and workflow procedures, is thoroughly covered in this report. It also discusses how each component contributes to the system's overall performance. While addressing real-world applications ranging from residential and commercial security to deployment in remote rural or industrial sites, it also emphasizes the system's practical advantages, such as lower maintenance costs, autonomous operation, and sustainable energy usage. The results demonstrate how ecologically conscious engineering solutions may successfully address contemporary security concerns and highlight the significance of integrating intelligent, renewable energy-based technology in the creation of next-generation surveillance systems.

Keywords - Solar-powered, Motion-activated camera Security, Energy efficiency, Sustainability, PIR sensor, Microcontroller

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1.  Kumar R, Singh A. Design and implementation of solar powered security system using IoT. Int J Innov Res Sci Eng Technol. 2022;9(4):1215- 20.
2. Sharma ML. Renewable energy powered wireless surveillance systems. Int J Adv Res Electr Electron Instrum Eng. 2021;7(5):2259-65.
3. Verma A, Rana PS. Design of motion detection based surveillance system using PIR sensor and Arduino. Int J Comput Appl. 2019;182(24):10-4.
4. Dey S, Joshi M. Smart energy-efficient camera system for rural surveillance. In: Proc Int Conf Power Control Embedded Syst (ICPCES). IEEE; 2020.
5. Patel V, Chavda N. Implementation of solar powered intelligent surveillance system. Int J Sci Res. 2020;8(11):1634- 8.
6. Motion activated surveillance using PIR and Raspberry Pi. Electronics For You. 2021 Mar.
7.  Designing a solar powered embedded system. All About Circuits. 2022 Jan.
8. Low power motion sensing in security cameras. EDN Netw. 2020 Jul;62(7).
9. Combining renewable energy with IoT for smart security. TechRepublic. 2021 Dec.
10. Integrating AI and energy efficiency in next-gen camera systems. IEEE Spectrum Tech Briefs. 2023;57.
11. Tiwari GN. Solar energy: fundamentals, design, modelling and applications. New Delhi: Narosa Publishing House; 2002.
12. Scherz P, Monk S. Practical electronics for inventors. 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2016.
13. Margolis M. Arduino cookbook. 2nd ed. Sebastopol (CA): O’Reilly Media; 2011.
14. Islam MN, Rahman MM, Ahmed TT. Design and implementation of a motion detection and surveillance system using Arduino. Int J Eng Res Appl. 2018;8(7):45-50.
15. Priyanka S, Kumar S, Niveditha KL. Photovoltaic-based security surveillance system with IoT application. Int J Innov Res Comput Commun Eng. 2021;9(3):1123-7.
16. Patel RG, Deshmukh A. A review of solar powered wireless surveillance systems. Int J Adv Res Electr Electron Instrum Eng. 2020;9(2):184-9.
17. Mazidi MA, Naimi S, Naimi S. The AVR microcontroller and embedded systems: using assembly and C. 2nd ed. Pearson Education; 2013.
18. Abutarboush HF, Antoniades MA, Nikolaou S. Solar powered wireless camera node for outdoor security systems. In: Proc IEEE Int Symp Antennas Propag (APSURSI). Memphis (TN); 2014. p. 1150-1.
19. Chouhan SD, Kumar A, Thakur N. Motion detection surveillance system using PIR sensor and GSM module. In: Proc Int Conf Comput Commun Electron (Comptelix). Jaipur; 2017. p. 1-4.
20. Li Y, Zhang X, Chen Z. Design of a smart solar surveillance system using IoT. In: Proc IEEE Int Conf Smart Cloud (SmartCloud). Tokyo; 2018. p. 168-73.