Batteryless Smart Label for Humidity Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional humidity indicator test cards rely on human visual inspection, which is inefficient and costly, especially when transitioning to electronic monitoring systems, as existing battery-powered solutions are expensive and not suitable for low-cost applications.
Innovation Solution
A batteryless smart label with a light emitter, substrate, and photodetector that uses energy harvesting and near-field communication to wirelessly transmit data on humidity levels, leveraging chemical color change technology integrated with printed electronics for cost-effective monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional battery-powered electronic monitoring systems are used, then automation and measurement precision are improved, but cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the battery component from the electronic monitoring system, creating a batteryless architecture that uses energy harvesting circuits to power the microcontroller, sensor, and communication modules temporarily when activated by a reader device
Solution Approach 2:
The NFC reader device serves multiple functions: it provides wireless communication for data transmission, supplies energy through electromagnetic coupling to activate the smart label, and triggers the sensing operation, eliminating the need for a dedicated battery
2Measurement precision
If conventional battery-powered electronic monitoring systems are used, then measurement precision and automation are improved, but cost increases making it unsuitable for low-cost applications
Solution Approach 1:
The smart label is designed as a low-cost, disposable device that uses inexpensive materials including paper-based substrates for the sensitive ink, and integrates sensing circuits that can be manufactured using printed electronics techniques, making it suitable for single-use applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational mode from continuous powered operation to event-triggered operation, where the device remains dormant and is activated only when a reader device comes into proximity, changing the power consumption parameters from continuous to intermittent
3Device complexity
If human visual inspection is used, then device complexity is kept simple, but productivity and time efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical system of human visual inspection with an electronic sensing system that uses a photodetector to detect color changes of the sensitive ink and converts them into electrical signals for automated processing and wireless transmission
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables automated, low-cost monitoring of humidity and other environmental characteristics, reducing human intervention and operational costs while maintaining accuracy and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
The sensitive ink changes color if the humidity within the bag exceeds or exceeded a certain threshold
Implementation Method 2
a light emitter, a substrate, and a photodetector
Implementation Method 3
the photodetector senses light emitted from the light emitter that passes through the sensitive area of the substrate and outputs a current proportional to a light intensity level of the sensed light
Implementation Method 4
uses energy harvesting and near-field communication to wirelessly transmit data on humidity levels
Data Source
AI summary
Recent progress related to energy harvesting solutions and printed electronics is opening the opportunity for a smart label to combine chemical/physical color change technology with an electronic based reader architecture, which can be achieved with printed electronics technologies and can be suitable for monitoring applications that are very cost sensitive. The smart label provides an innovative product architecture to achieve a very low cost solution to monitor packaged items during storage and shipment. Exemplary applications of the smart label include, but are not limited to, cold chain monitoring, food monitoring, and in-package control of sensitive devices, such as electronic components.