Title :
Progress Towards the First Wireless Sensor Networks Consisting of Inkjet-Printed, Paper-Based RFID-Enabled Sensor Tags
Author :
Lakafosis, Vasileios ; Rida, Amin ; Vyas, Rushi ; Yang, Li ; Nikolaou, Symeon ; Tentzeris, Manos M.
Author_Institution :
Sch. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Georgia Inst. of Technol., Atlanta, GA, USA
Abstract :
This paper discusses the evolution towards the first integrated radio-frequency identification (RFID)-enabled wireless sensor network infrastructure using ultra-high frequency/radio frequency (UHF/RF) RFID-enabled sensor nodes and inkjet-printed electronics technologies on flexible and paper substrates for the first time ever. The first sections highlight the unique capabilities of inkjet printed electronics as well as the benefits of using paper as the ultra-low-cost, conformal and environmentally friendly substrate for the mass-scale ubiquitous implementation of the first RFID-enabled wireless sensing applications. Various inkjet-printed antenna configurations are presented for enhanced-range compact RFID-enabled sensing platforms in “rugged” environments up to 7 GHz, followed by the discussion of their 2-D integration with integrated circuit (IC) and sensors on paper. This integration is extended to a power-scavenging “smart-shoe” batteryless integrated RFID module on paper that could be used for autonomous wearable sensing applications with enhanced range. The paper concludes discussing the details for establishing for the first time an asynchronous wireless link between the aforementioned RFID-tags and a widely used commercial wireless sensor network (WSN) mote using a simplified protocol; a paramount step that could potentially create ubiquitous ultra-low-cost sensor networks and large-scale RFID implementations eliminating the need of expensive RFID reader infrastructure and linking RFIDs to the mature level of WSNs.
Keywords :
microstrip antennas; microwave integrated circuits; microwave links; radiofrequency identification; wireless sensor networks; asynchronous wireless link; autonomous wearable sensing application; frequency 7 GHz; inkjet-printed antenna configuration; integrated circuit; integrated radiofrequency identification; mass-scale ubiquitous implementation; paper-based RFID-enabled sensor tag; power-scavenging batteryless integrated RFID module; ultra-low-cost sensor networks; wireless sensor networks; Chemical technology; Joining processes; Large-scale systems; Nonhomogeneous media; Radio frequency; Radiofrequency identification; Space technology; Wearable sensors; Wireless application protocol; Wireless sensor networks; “Green” electronics; inkjet-printed electronics; low-cost radio frequency (RF) module; multilayer RF modules; organic substrate; paper substrate; power scavenging; radio-frequency identification (RFID); sensor integration; ultra-high frequency (UHF); wireless sensor mote; wireless sensor network (WSN);
Journal_Title :
Proceedings of the IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/JPROC.2010.2049622
