A wireless interrogator - passive sensor approach for deeply embedded sensing applications

This work presents the design and preliminary results for a new class of wireless sensors designed for deeply embedded sensing applications. Such applications include structural health monitoring, where sensors may be embedded in concrete or soils, and require long system life and thus extremely passive sensor designs. The design is detailed in three parts. First, a diamagnetically-levitated accelerometer that serves as an inertial sensor is discussed. Second, a harmonic transceiver and a 3-D conformal antenna are demonstrated. Finally, an interrogator design that not only provides energy to activate the sensor but also characterizes its frequency response to extract the environments state is presented.