Tiny Temperature Sensor Needs No Battery

One of the things that researchers and designers hope to achieve are sensors that can gather power from their environment rather than needing a battery. Batteries eventually run down requiring replacement and limiting usefulness over time. A group of Dutch researchers have created an interesting sensor solution that needs no battery for power.

The tiny sensor is two square millimeters and is a wireless temperature sensor. The sensor is able to gather power from radio waves that make up its own wireless network. The need to use wireless signals from a router means that for now it has to be very close to that router, no more than an inch away.

The researchers are currently working on extending that range to around ten feet within a year. The ultimate goal is to extend the range to about 16-feet from the router. If this works, we could see a new generation of sensors that use networks for power.

One of the big things about this tech is that it allows the production of very cheap sensors costing around 20 cents each. For now, there is no word on when commercialization might happen and a product using the tech might come to market. Until the range issues can be fixed, the sensors aren't very viable outside the lab.

SOURCE: Engadget