Wireless Ultra-Low-Power Sensor Platform for Environmental Monitoring

This paper presents an open, modular sensor platform based on wireless energy and data transmission. The platform is powered by the carrier signal of a transceiver and transmits the measured sensor data using backscatter modulation. Through the use of modular ready-to-buy components, the sensor platform can be flexibly adapted to different applications and is therefore suitable for both building automation systems and industrial automation tasks. Energy storage, power management, and modulation are designed so that the overall energy demand of the platform is mainly determined by the sensor in use. The performance of the system was verified with a demonstrator measuring underfloor temperature and humidity. The demonstrator operates at a carrier frequency of 868 MHz, an output power of 27 dBm EIRP at the transceiver antenna, and an antenna gain of 0 dBi at the receiver antenna. A transmission range of more than 3 m has been achieved. The platform provides an input sensitivity of −15 dBm. Its open design enables a straightforward scaling from prototype to small- and medium-volume production.