Sensor Tips » Wireless Sensors

Sensing in Home Monitoring and Control

Randy Frank — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:32:34 +0000

Joyce Warrington of Ingersoll Rand Residential Solutions explains the sensing that can be incorporated in a home monitoring system at the 2012 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. The control and monitoring is made possible by Nexia Home Intelligence (formerly Schlage LiNK) based on Z-Wave technology.

To watch the video, click here.

For more information about:

Nexia Home Intelligence, click here, and

Z-Wave, wireless remote control technology, click here.

Paper and Carbon Nanotubes Combined to Detect Explosive Devices

Randy Frank — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:25:15 +0000

Targeting the detection of explosives, such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), researchers at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have developed a prototype sensor that uses carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for the sensing element. The wireless component, a resonant lightweight antenna, is printed on paper or paper-like material using standard inkjet technology. Researchers think the low-cost sensors could be deployed in large numbers to alert authorities to the presence of IEDs and other explosives.

The newest CNT sensor possesses significantly improved sensitivity to minute ammonia concentrations that should enable the first practical applications to detect trace amounts of hazardous gases in challenging operational environments using inkjet-printed devices.

For more information about GTRI’s prototype wireless sensor, click here.

Make Multiple Wireless Temperature Measurements

Randy Frank — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:16:15 +0000

Using wireless technology, engineers can measure critical data in remote locations within a manufacturing environment without running wires. With Yokogawa’s YTMX580 multi-input temperature transmitter, they can make several measurements. The battery-powered unit has eight analog
input channels, each configurable for thermocouple, resistive temperature detector (RTD), DC voltage and 4-20 mA measurements.

Operating within a frequency range of 2400-2483.5 MHz and a temperature range of -40 to 85°C, the transmitter accepts Pt100, Pt200, Pt500 (IEC751) RTD probes in 2-, 3- and 4-wire configurations. In addition, it can handle B, E, J, K, N, R, S and T (IEC584) thermocouples as well as DC voltages from -10 to 100 mV or -0.01 to 1V.

For more information about the Yokogawa YTMX580 multi-input temperature transmitter, click here.

Developing Wireless Sensor Nodes

Randy Frank — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:49:01 +0000

At Embedded Systems Chicago, held in conjunction with Sensors Expo 2011, Rob Ostafia from Microchip Technology explains the company’s development kits for wireless
systems including the ZENA wireless adapter.

For more information about Microchip Technology wireless development kits, click here.

To watch the video, click here.

MicroStrain Launches SensorCloud™

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 15:10:21 +0000

MicroStrain announces the release of SensorCloud™, a unique sensor data storage, visualization, and remote management platform that leverages powerful cloud computing technologies to provide excellent data scalability, rapid graphing, and user programmable online analytics. Originally designed to support long-term deployments of MicroStrain wireless sensors, SensorCloud now supports any web-connected third party device, sensor, or sensor network through a simple OpenData API.

Core SensorCloud™ features include:

Data in the Cloud: Virtually unlimited data storage with triple-redundant reliability, ideal for collecting and preserving long-term sensor data streams
OpenData API: Allows users to securely upload sensor data from any web-connected source or platform, and download selected or entire sets of data
FastGraph: Time series visualization & graphing tool with exceptionally fast response allows viewers to navigate through massive amounts of data, and quickly zero in on points of interest
Custom Alerts: Flexible SMS and email alert scripting features helps users to create meaningful and actionable alerts
LiveConnect: Allows remote configuration, viewing, and record high speed data streams from any wireless sensor cluster on your Ethernet network in real-time
MathEngine: Enables users to quickly develop and deploy data processing and analysis apps that live alongside their data in the cloud

According to Steve Arms, CEO of MicroStrain, “We have now expanded our offerings from sensors and sensor networks to information management and analysis, and have implemented SensorCloud™ to provide sensor information when, where and how our customers require it. This is truly ground-breaking technology and I am proud to lead such an innovative team of engineers who have thought outside of the box to make this a reality.”

Unlike previous web-based sensor data aggregation platforms, MicroStrain’s SensorCloud™ is unique in that it leverages several new cloud computing technologies to make it easier to work with extremely large data sets using a new high-performance web data visualization tool that typically generates plots in under a second, and allows users to quickly navigate through gigabyte, terabyte, and even petabyte sized data sets. In addition, SensorCloud™ is, to our knowledge, the first web-based sensor data aggregation platform that provides a flexible online analytics tool supporting user-developed apps. Users can either upload their code or use an online editor to develop a wide range of data processing apps, from simple one-time scripts for filtering and statistical analysis, to advanced, continuously-running online algorithms for health monitoring and prognostics.

MicroStrain
www.microstrain.com

Secure Wireless Data Communication Module for Sensors

Randy Frank — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:02:27 +0000

Based on the IPv6 Internet protocol, ZMD AG (ZMDI)developed a secure and easy-to-integrate low-power wireless data communication module for sensors and other space critical applications. The ZWIR4512 operates in the 868/915MHz frequency band and provides simplicity for network management, mesh routing with self-healing capability, data encryption and authentication, as well as multiple interfaces to support all types of sensors.

Data encryption and authentication are provided by the Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) protocol suite.

The 28 by 16.5 by 3.5 mm module includes an antenna connector and consumes 3.5 µA in sleep mode and 18.5 mA when transmitting data at 0dBm output power.

For more information on ZMDI’s ZWIR4512 wireless data communication module, click here.

Sensing in the AR.Drone Quadricopter

Randy Frank — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:11:45 +0000

Controlled by a cell phone (iPhone/iPod, Touch/iPad and others), Parrot’s AR.Drone quadricopter uses pressure sensors (for altitude) and camera sensors for its control. At the 2011 International CES in Las Vegas, Yoni Benatar, project manager for Parrot explains the sensors in the wirelessly-controlled aerial robot to Sensor Tips senior editor Randy Frank. The AR.Drone employs sensor fusion to take advantage of multiple sensors. While the background chatter is high, this video provides a real good example of the environment at CES.

To watch the video, click here.

For more information about the AR.Drone quadricopter, click here.

Touch Sensing in a Remote Keyless Entry System

Randy Frank — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:14:41 +0000

At Convergence 2010, Atmel’s Toby Prescott demonstrates touch sensing in a remote keyless entry system. The capacitive touch sensing capability is provided by the ATA6617, a LIN system in package solution. Atmel’s QTouch Library enables a number of touch applications.

Convergence has been the premier automotive electronics event since 1974. This year’s Convergence had a strong focus on consumer electronics in the vehicle but also brought out the latest products and challenges for future powertrain, safety and other vehicle systems

For more information on Atmel Touch Sensing, click here.

To watch the video, click here.

Embedded Pressure Sensor Addresses Variable Air Volume (VAV) in Wireless System

Randy Frank — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 20:54:41 +0000

Here is an interesting application of pressure sensors in a wireless environment. CAN2GO’s Variable Air Volume (VAV) building automation controller has an on-board pressure sensor and is capable of bidirectional communication with EnOcean and wired end-devices. EnOcean is rapidly becoming the defacto standard for wireless building automation.

The controller features an embedded EnOcean transceiver and EnOcean-to-BACnet gateway, allowing total wireless control of energy harvesting end-devices within an end-to-end BACnet system. Extending the reach of centralized building automation systems, the VAV controller is a fully-programmable device. The pressure sensor is used as a delta-P flow sensor. It has a measurement range of -500 to 500 Pa (-2 to +2 inch H₂O) and an accuracy of 3% m.v. The CAN2GO controller can act either as a stand-alone product or be integrated into a larger BACnet system.

For more information on the CAN2GO VAV building automation controller click here.

Send Critical Health Sensing Data to Your Mobile Phone

Randy Frank — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:42:09 +0000

Imec and Holst Centre, together with TASS software professionals have developed a mobile heart monitoring system that allows electrocardiogram data to be displayed on an Android mobile phone. Wireless sensor nodes that continuously monitor physical and vital parameters comprise a Body Area Networks (BAN). Getting the processed sensor data in such health measurements as cardiac performance (ECG), brain activity (EEG), muscle activity (EMG), and more requires a low-power interface that transmits signals from a wireless ECG (electrocardiogram or heart monitoring)-sensor system to the mobile phone.

The newly-developed low-power interface wirelessly transmits bio-signals retrieved by imec and Holst Centre’s Human++ BAN sensor nodes to an Android mobile phone where the data are collected, stored, processed, and sent over the internet to make them available for authorized users such as a physician. The interface is based on a standard Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) interface on Android mobile phones to avoid disclosing personal heath data. Additional available sensor data includes GPS to track user location.

For more information about the mobile heart monitoring system, click here.

To see a video of the system in action, click here.