There are hundreds of potential wireless smart RFID tag sensor applications at NASA across a wide spectrum including sensing temperature, pressure, inertial vectors, corrosion, tampering, chemical environments and electromagnetic field vectors. We meet these requirements important to NASA: 1. We design for the temperature range -40 to +85degC and operating voltage 2.0 to 3.6V with standard off the shelf components. 2. The RFID sensor tags we propose utilize mass produced CMOS, capacitors, resistors, diodes, GaAs switches all available from highly respected and qualified manufacturers including Texas Instruments, NXP, EM-Microelectronic and CEL-Renesas. 3. Most manufacturers will provide these components with full harsh environment spec including a -40 to +125degC range which is preferred by NASA for many applications. 4. The proposed RFID sensor tags proposed by NJM can be retrofitted or designed into new systems where the many new nanopower sensors with an SPI or I2C databus are available. 5. These wireless sensors can be installed, moved, and replaced easily making systems test and reconfigurations much easier. 6. A single portable or stationary RFID reader interrogator can be linked into an IEEE 802 xxxx network servicing up to thousands of RFID sensor tags. 7.Phase1 tag delivery will provide sensor tags with maximum energy harvesting capability and nominal volume. During Phase2 we propose delivering a family of RFID sensor tags with volumes of less than 1cm3.
There are many applications outside NASA for RFID sensor tags with reduced cost of ownership and improved performance. The proposed RFID sensor tags make possible significant improvements in RFID sensors in addition to opening up entirely new areas of application. In many cases the sensors proposed for this NASA work will retrofit into existing systems. The proposed sensor tags are compatible with Gen2C1 readers currently monitoring the 2B UHF RFID tags are deployed in the world today. Some key application areas are: 1.Monitoring goods in transit without data logging. Many commodities including flowers, medical supplies including pharmaceuticals, and the general apps with FedEx and UPS. 2.Monitoring goods in transit with data monitoring: Monitoring shipments especially pharmaceuticals, food, certain products that are spoiled by either freezing or higher temperatures. Monitoring for mechanical shock and drops. 3.Monitoring farm animals and pets: Includes monitoring animal movement, temperature, location, time at specific locations, activity levels 4.Industrial process monitoring: Lower power requirements, longer life, harsh environment operations, and lower cost makes possible new apps for pressure, temperature, fluid and gas flow, and chemical sensing. 5.Agricultural cropland and irrigation management: Remote applications for monitoring and control of soil conditions and water supply equipment. 6.Retail stores: Environmental sensing
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