Ultra-Thin Environmental Sensor Assembly for Event Logging
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a small, long-lived environmental event sensor with miniaturized components that can record and display events above or below set parameters, suitable for various industries such as transportation, storage, and manufacturing, providing local and wireless access to sensor data.
Innovation Solution
A nickel-sized, ultra-thin circuit assembly with a compact array of environmental and physical sensors, featuring BTLE and LoRa connectivity, and an electronic ink display for real-time data capture and logging, allowing transmission to smartphones or tablets, and local scrolling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the sensor size is reduced to nickel-sized ultra-thin circuit assembly, then the sensor portability and integration are improved, but the component layout and wiring complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensors (temperature, humidity, pressure, acceleration, light, sound) are merged into a single integrated circuit assembly, allowing them to share common components such as the microcontroller unit, power management unit, and wireless transceiver. This consolidation reduces overall size while managing complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor device incorporates multiple sensing functions within a single device, enabling it to detect various environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, pressure, acceleration, light, sound) simultaneously. This multi-functionality approach allows one device to replace multiple separate sensors, reducing the number of components needed.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor operates continuously to capture real-time data, then the data accuracy and responsiveness are improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device employs periodic sampling of environmental parameters instead of continuous monitoring. The microcontroller unit periodically activates sensors to capture data at predetermined time intervals, allowing the device to enter low-power states between measurements. This approach maintains data accuracy for tracking changes while significantly reducing average power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses feedback mechanisms to dynamically adjust its operation based on detected changes. When environmental parameters remain within normal ranges, the sensor operates in a low-power mode with reduced sampling frequency. Upon detecting significant changes or threshold violations, the device increases sampling rate and activates additional sensors, ensuring data accuracy is maintained when needed while conserving energy during stable conditions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensors are integrated into a compact array, then the functionality and versatility are improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is divided into distinct functional modules or segments, each responsible for specific sensing functions (temperature sensing module, humidity sensing module, pressure sensing module, etc.). This segmentation allows for standardized manufacturing of individual modules that can be precisely positioned and interconnected, reducing the overall manufacturing precision requirements compared to integrating all functions into a single monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The design employs a nested arrangement where smaller sensor components are positioned within or around larger structural elements of the circuit assembly. This nesting approach optimizes space utilization in the compact form factor while maintaining proper spacing and alignment, thereby managing manufacturing precision requirements through geometric constraints and standardized mounting patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
The TIC environmental event sensor is a nickel-sized, ultra-thin circuit assembly, containing an extremely compact array of both environmental sensors and physical sensors, along with local and wireless access to all the sensor data, including BTLE & LoRa, as well as an electronic ink display for limited field access to sensor events in real time. The TIC is designed to capture changes in the sensor data in real time, and then log it for future examination. The most recent change will remain on the device's display. The changes can then be transmitted to a smart phone or tablet via BTLE, networked as an asset via LoRa, or locally scrolled at the device. The TIC is Ideal for tracking any variations in the surrounding conditions of an asset's travel, storage or use.