Current Progress towards the Integration of Thermocouple and Chipless RFID Technologies and the Sensing of a Dynamic Stimulus

Abstract

To date, no printable chipless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor-related publications in the current literature discuss the possibility of thermocouple integration, particularly for the use in extreme environments. Furthermore, the effects of a time-dependent stimulus on the scattering parameters of a chipless RFID have never been discussed in the known literature. This work includes a review of possible methods to achieve this goal and the design and characterization of a Barium Strontium Titanate (BST) based VHF/UHF voltage sensing circuit. Proof-of-concept thermocouple integration was attempted, and subsequent testing was performed using a signal generator. These subsequent tests involved applying ramp and sinusoid voltage waveforms to the circuit and the characteristics of these signals are largely extracted from the scattering response. Overall conclusions of this paper are that thermocouple integration into chipless RFID technology is still a significant challenge and further work is needed to identify methods of thermocouple integration. With that being said, the developed circuit shows promise as being capable of being configured into a conventional chipless RFID DC voltage sensor.

Proof of Concept Novel Configurable Chipless RFID Strain Sensor

“…Likewise, this work does not explore the response of this tag using different various reader types or explore the response of the sensor to the effects of vibration. The effects of a dynamic stimulus have been discussed in [ 42 ] and more general response characterization from time-domain based readers can be found in [ 43 ] by Babaeian and Karmakar and by Kalansuriya et al in [ 44 ].…”

A low-cost and highly efficient method of reducing coolant leakage for direct metal printed injection mold with cooling channels using optimum heat treatment process procedures

“…The low-pressure injection molding process parameters involve injection pressure of 0.06 MPa and wax melting temperature of 99 °C. To evaluate the cooling performance of the injection mold with and without CCC, a system composed of a temperature controller [12] (JCM-33A, Shinko Inc.) and a thermo-electric cooler (TEC12706AJ, Caijia Inc.) and a temperature controller (JCM-33A, Shinko Inc.), and three k-type thermocouples [13] (C071009-079, Cheng Tay Inc.) was developed. Figure 9 shows the experimental setup for investigating the cooling performance of the injection mold with and without CCC.…”

Use of Chipless RFID as a Passive, Printable Sensor Technology for Aerospace Strain and Temperature Monitoring

“…Existing Chipless RFID Temperature Sensor Designs Existing chipless RFID temperature sensor designs have been compared by the authors in [3] in 2018 and more recently in works such as that by Gilch et al in [34]. Attempts at thermocouple integration into chipless RFIDs have also been performed by the authors in [35], but barium strontium titanate (BST) exhibits significant ambient temperature dependencies, which dominate over the effects of the weak millivolt DC input. Under more controlled test settings, subsequent testing revealed that the device exhibits sensitivities on the order of 13 kHz/mV, which is very low and requires careful control of the ambient temperature in order for the millivolt-level sensitivity to be detected.…”