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A Multifunctional Battery-Free Bluetooth Low Energy Wireless Sensor Node Remotely Powered by Electromagnetic Wireless
Alassane Sidibe1, Gaël Loubet1, Alexandru Takacs1
1Laboratoire d'Analyse et d'Architecture des Systèmes du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (LAAS-CNRS), Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National des Sciences Appliqués de Toulouse (INSA) de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse III (UPS), 31400 Toulouse, France.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 10, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a battery-free wireless sensing node for monitoring reinforced concrete. The autonomous node harvests energy wirelessly and transmits sensor data using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), enabling continuous structural health monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Civil Engineering
Background:
- Structural health monitoring of reinforced concrete is crucial for infrastructure longevity.
- Traditional sensing nodes require batteries, limiting their operational lifespan and maintenance feasibility.
- Wireless power transmission and energy harvesting offer a sustainable solution for autonomous sensing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a multifunctional, battery-free wireless sensing node (SN) for embedded monitoring of reinforced concrete.
- To enable autonomous operation through wireless power transmission and energy harvesting.
- To facilitate real-time data acquisition of physical parameters like temperature, humidity, and resistivity.
Main Methods:
- Design and implementation of an energy harvesting system utilizing RF-to-DC converters (rectifiers) optimized for low input power.
- Integration of power management units (PMUs) to manage harvested energy and power active components.
- Utilizing a low-power digital sensor (HD2080) for temperature and humidity, and a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transceiver (QN9080 SoC) for wireless data transmission.
- Configuring the SN in broadcasting mode for low power consumption and deep-sleep functionality.
Main Results:
- The wireless sensing node successfully harvests energy from RF sources, enabling autonomous operation.
- Demonstrated efficient energy harvesting using a voltage doubler topology with SMS7630-005LF Schottky diode and optimized PMUs for different ISM bands (868 MHz and 2.45 GHz).
- Achieved a first charging time of 48 seconds and a recharge duration of 27 seconds for a complete measurement and data transmission cycle in far-field measurements.
Conclusions:
- The developed battery-free wireless sensing node offers a viable solution for long-term, autonomous monitoring of reinforced concrete structures.
- The system's energy harvesting capabilities and low-power wireless communication ensure continuous data collection with minimal maintenance.
- This technology has the potential to significantly enhance the safety and management of critical infrastructure through advanced structural health monitoring.
Keywords:
Bluetooth low energy (BLE)Internet of Things (IoT)power management unit (PMU)structural health monitoring (SHM)wireless communicationswireless power transmission (WPT)wireless sensor nodeMore Related Videos
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