Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online
A new solar-powered radio sensor chip could help you keep your heating bills down by letting you know if you left your window open, and keep you safe by alerting you if someone attempts to break into your house.
The sensor was developed by researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS in Duisburg, Germany. It is roughly the same size as a fingernail and is mounted on the aluminum profile separating a window’s two panes of glass. It also features a solar coating that allows it to generate its own power.
Currently available systems used to monitor window status require sensors to be attached via cable to a central alarm located within the home or building, the developers claim. The new chip has no such limitations, however, and is pretty much maintenance free, they added.
Once installed, the solar cell receives enough light (even in winter) to function, and a magnet and acceleration sensors embedded in the unit register if the window is opened a crack or all the way. It can transmit a radio signal to the base station if the window remains open for too long.
One chip to rule them all
The researchers, who demonstrated their radio sensor chip at the BAU trade fair in Munich in late January, believe that it has several potential applications, including reminding homeowners to ventilate their houses or warning if they leave a window open when leaving the house.
Furthermore, it can offer protection from intruders by detecting the difference between different types of fluctuations. For instance, they explain that it can tell the difference between a ball that hits against the windowpane and a crowbar being used by a burger to force open the frame. The developers claim that it can make this distinction within one-tenth of a second.
Its power consumption is so low that it can store enough power to operate in up to 30 hours without light, and it could be the first step towards products that could function in up to 14 days of total darkness.
Since both the processor and the chip are extremely tiny, they are relatively inexpensive, and the switches it uses consume little energy, according to the developers. The chip automatically enters sleep mode, and can be set by users to wake up and take a measurement at regular intervals. The production costs because the solar coating is part of the actual production process of the chips.
“As you can see, there are a lot of application areas,” explained engineer Dr. Gerd vom Bögel, who co-led the team along with physicist Dr Andreas Goehlich. “Only a handful of additional production steps are needed so that manufacturing can also be accomplished in high quantities.”
—–
Follow redOrbit on Twitter, Facebook, href=”http://instagram.com/redorbitdotcom”>Instagram and href=”http://www.pinterest.com/redorbit/” target=”_blank”>Pinterest a>.
Comments