Miniaturisation Breakthrough Could Have Big Impact on Wireless Sensors

US firm Potomac Photonics has demonstrated the feasibility of wireless sensor node miniaturisation. To fulfill a National Science Foundation Phase I SBIR contract related to energy storage, electrical distribution and packaging for wireless sensor networks, the company succeeded in reducing the volume of the current wireless sensor package by a factor of ten. To accomplish this, the firm developed new embedded-component 3-D packaging techniques and incorporated an advanced battery. The breakthrough to demonstrate the potential of developing sugar-cube-sized sensing nodes with high-density energy storage.

The technology can produce nodes of almost arbitrary shape and reportedly could revolutionise the manner in which wireless sensors are manufactured. The company will work with sensing systems developers to incorporate the new technology into their future designs. By addressing critical needs such as size reduction, shape customisation and time to market, the company’s technology could play a role in the development of next-generation wireless sensors for healthcare and other applications. The technology is suitable for use in medical devices that are implanted or worn on the body. It also could benefit a range of other applications, including minimally invasive surgery, hearing aids, insulin monitors and pumps and smart catheters.

Tags: Potomac Photonics, wireless sensor