Biodegradable Sensor Mote for Soil IoT Degradation

Solution Overview

Problem

The recovery of large numbers of sensors deployed in soil, such as for IoT applications, can lead to soil contamination and is tedious and error-prone due to the need for manual retrieval.

Innovation Solution

The development of self-contained sensor motes that are biodegradable and can initiate degradation upon detection of a trigger event, such as a signal or timer expiration, allowing them to break down and eliminate the need for recovery, using chemical payloads and external substances to accelerate degradation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a large number of sensors are deployed in soil for IoT applications, then sensing coverage and data acquisition capability are improved, but soil contamination occurs and manual recovery becomes tedious and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensing coverageVSAvoidsensor recovery

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor mote is designed as a disposable device with biodegradable components including a biodegradable substrate, biodegradable encapsulation layer, and biodegradable antenna. After completing its sensing function, the entire device degrades naturally in the soil environment, eliminating the need for manual recovery and preventing long-term contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameters of the sensor components from non-biodegradable to biodegradable materials. This parameter change allows the sensor to function normally during its operational life while automatically degrading after use, resolving the contradiction between deployment effectiveness and recovery difficulty.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If sensors are left in soil after use, then no recovery operations are needed, but soil contamination increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecovery operationVSAvoidsoil contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor mote is designed as a disposable device with biodegradable components including a biodegradable substrate, biodegradable encapsulation layer, and biodegradable antenna. After completing its sensing function, the entire device degrades naturally in the soil environment, eliminating the need for manual recovery and preventing long-term contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of discarded sensors contaminating soil into a benefit by using biodegradable materials that naturally decompose. The harmful factor of permanent contamination is transformed into a beneficial automatic degradation process that returns the device to the environment harmlessly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Loss of substance

If manual recovery of sensors is performed, then sensor reuse is possible, but the process is tedious and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor materialVSAvoidrecovery process

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor mote is designed as a disposable device with biodegradable components including a biodegradable substrate, biodegradable encapsulation layer, and biodegradable antenna. After completing its sensing function, the entire device degrades naturally in the soil environment, eliminating the need for manual recovery and preventing long-term contamination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor performs its own disposal function through automatic biodegradation in the soil environment. The biodegradable materials naturally decompose without requiring external intervention for recovery, making the system self-service in terms of waste management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

This solution prevents soil contamination by ensuring that sensors degrade in place, reducing the complexity and error associated with their recovery, and allows for efficient deployment and operation without the need for manual retrieval.

Implementation Method 1

at least a portion of the sensor mote is biodegradable and the controller is to initiate degradation of the portion of the sensor mote

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBiodegradation: Decomposition (biological)

Data Source

PatentUS10190894B2Technologies for controlling degradation of sensing circuits

Publication Date: 2019.01.29 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Technologies for controlling degradation of a sensor mote including detecting a trigger event and initiating degradation of at least a portion of the sensor mote in response to the trigger event. The trigger event may be embodied as any type of event detectable by the sensor mote such as a trigger signal, particular sensed data, expiration of a reference time period, completion of a task, and so forth. The sensor mote may imitate the degradation by, for example, controlling a valve to release a chemical stored in the sensor mote or allow a substance into the sensor mote.