STTR Phase II: Zero-Power Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Sensing Tags

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II research project focuses on developing a smart sensor network integrated with Zero-Power Radio Frequency Identification - Sensing Tags (RFID-ST) that combines the technology of a digital Microelectronic Mechanical System (MEMS) switch and a Radio Frequency (RF) antenna for a wide variety of distributed sensor applications. While micro sensor technologies appear very promising, most existing sensors are energy hungry and have a very short battery life. The RFID-ST, however, requires no dedicated power source; rather, after selective detection of special agents of interest, this tiny, low cost sensor reports back the signal when it is interrogated by an RF reader/transducer. During this project, a zero-power RFID sensor tag will be developed with temperature sensors for blood supply applications. The resulting tag will improve transfusion safety by identifying each blood product, virtually eliminating the possibility of mix-up. The tag will also be equipped with a temperature sensor to enable continuous monitoring of the cooling chain. The broader impacts of this research will allow the resulting wireless sensors to be strategically deployed virtually anywhere: blood supply, cooling chain products, homeland security, border and transportation security efforts, various toxic gases, biological threat agents, explosives, and environmental pathogens. Environmental and regulatory uses exist in the detection of chemical leaks, contaminants, and illegal storage of hazardous materials; and RFID-ST technology would allow industrial users to monitor chemical storage and processing systems.