An Energy-Autonomous and Battery-Free Resistive Sensor using a Time-Domain to Digital Conversion with Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity

TL;DR

This paper presents a self-powered wireless resistive sensor node that uses ambient light for energy, TDDC for measurement, and BLE for communication, enabling maintenance-free operation in power-limited environments.

Contribution

It introduces a novel energy-autonomous sensor node combining ambient light harvesting, TDDC measurement, and BLE communication, eliminating batteries for long-term deployment.

Findings

Linear relationship between resistance and clock pulses

Successful wireless data transmission via BLE

Operation powered solely by ambient light

Abstract

This paper introduces an innovative Energy-Autonomous Wireless Sensing Node (EAWSN) that addresses power constraints by harnessing ambient light for energy. It combines this energy harvesting capability with the Time Domain to Digital Conversion (TDDC) technique for efficient and accurate measurements of resistive sensors. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication ensures data can be transmitted wirelessly to a base station, providing a promising solution for various applications, particularly in environments with limited access to wired power sources, enabling long-term, maintenance-free operation by eliminating batteries. Experimental results showed a linear relationship between the test resistance R_m and the measured number of clock pulses N_m within the sensor's operating range.