Research > Faculty Projects

Ultra-Low Cost Micro-Scale Wireless Monitoring of Chemical Processes

Principal Investigator
Brian Otis, Babak Amirparviz

Sponsor(s)
Center for Process Analytical Chemistry

Award Period
10/01/2007 - 09/30/2008

Abstract
This work focuses on the design of a fundamentally new, inexpensive RFID tag. Unlike "barcode scanner" tags that only provide a hard-coded identification number; our goal is to provide environmental parameters for chemical monitoring such as temperature and liquid conductivity. To reduce the cost of the tags, single-crystal silicon active devices will be self-assembled onto various substrates. This technique offers a flexible and extremely inexpensive wireless sensor that will enable a completely new way of monitoring industrial chemical processes.

This proposal addresses a preliminary study to investigate ultra-low cost micro-scale chemical monitors that can autonomously operate and wirelessly transmit the measurements performed in their local environment via a radio link to the outside world. Our micro-analytical reporters are referred to in the proposal as MAWERIC (pronounced "maverick", Micro-scale Autonomous Wireless Electrochemical Radio Interrogation and Check) units.

Updates or corrections to this page should be sent to gheaton@u.washington.edu.