Development Platform for UHF RFID-Based Wireless Sensors

The use of RFID technology for sensor data acquisition enables sensors to operate entirely without a wired or battery-based power supply. This allows sensors to be permanently and hermetically encapsulated for deployment in challenging environments, such as embedded in masonry, behind or beneath structural components, or inside medical devices that require regular sterilization. By employing UHF RFID technology, communication ranges of several meters can be achieved.

Currently, commercially available UHF RFID sensors are limited to relatively simple sensing tasks, such as temperature and humidity monitoring. Leveraging our expertise in RFID technology, we can provide industrial customers with customized wireless sensor solutions for significantly more demanding applications, including pressure, vibration, acceleration, and other physical quantities.

The objective of this project is to develop a platform for the wireless readout of passive sensors that operate without batteries. An initial approach based on HF RFID/NFC is already being investigated within the CommUnity lighthouse project. However, this technology is limited to communication distances of only a few centimeters. This project therefore focuses on exploiting UHF RFID technology to enable wireless sensing over distances of several meters.

The project will identify, evaluate, and prototype commercially available UHF RFID transponder chips as communication interfaces in combination with a range of physical sensors. The resulting hardware and software platform - including optimized transponder designs, suitable RFID chips, and evaluation software - will enable the rapid implementation of customized wireless sensing solutions tailored to industrial customer requirements.

Ziele

• Establish a publicly accessible RFID sensor portfolio with standardized evaluation methodologies.
• Lower the barrier to market entry for SMEs and start-ups by providing access to customized wireless sensor solutions.
• Develop an easily configurable RFID interface to facilitate the transfer of in-house sensor technologies into industrial applications.