Inkjet-Printed Wireless Powered Circuits for Sensing and Identification.

Informations projet

iREACT

N° de convention de subvention: 661621

DOI

10.3030/661621

Projet clôturé le 28 Novembre 2017

Date de signature de la CE 9 Avril 2015

Date de début 11 Février 2016

Date de fin 10 Février 2019

Financé au titre de

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Coût total

€ 269 857,80

Contribution de l’UE

€ 257 191,20

Coordonné par

HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - iREACT (Inkjet-Printed Wireless Powered Circuits for Sensing and Identification.)

Période du rapport: 2016-02-11 au 2018-02-10

Résumé du contexte et des objectifs généraux du projet

The project establishes the application of inkjet printing as a key technology for the implementation of batteryless and wireless sensor and communication circuits based on wireless power transfer and energy harvesting, enabling the realization of the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT concept place a strong emphasis on low power wireless sensing and communication circuits. The World Wide Research Forum (WWRF) estimates that 7 trillion wireless devices will be serving 7 billion people by 2017. Batteryless, passive RFID systems with sensing functionality are a fundamental technology for realizing a network of interconnected devices, which represents the vision of IoT2. Inkjet printing technology presents an ideal candidate for implementing circuits and systems for IoT applications by permitting a large volume production, good resolution, and enabling the use of a variety of low cost and flexible substrate materials such as paper, wood, textiles, Kapton and PET.
The research outcomes of the project focus in two goals, 1) demonstrate low profile,conformal, inkjet printed RF energy harvesters and autonomous wireless sensor and communication circuits, and 2) establish inkjet printing in millimeter wave frequencies.
The results of this proposal have a direct impact towards the implementation of low cost, large volume, autonomous sensors for IoT solutions. The fields of energy harvesting and wireless power transfer combined with a promising fabrication technique such as inkjet printing allow for the realization of a multitude of new applications in fields such as i) health, ii) real time location systems, iii) smart buildings, iv) security.

Travail effectué depuis le début du projet jusqu’à la fin de la période considérée dans le rapport et principaux résultats atteints jusqu’à présent

"A great deal of the research training involved hands-on-training in all aspects of inkjet printing which included: a) materials and substrates selection and preparation for inkjet printing fabrication, b) characterization and measurements related to inkjet-printed fabricated circuits, c) investigation of new multilayer/multimaterial inkjet printing approaches, d) investigation of inkjet-printed catalyst-based approaches for the development of truly ""green"" RF sensors and modules f) antenna and circuit electromagnetic measurements (network analyzer, radiation patterns)."

Progrès au-delà de l’état des connaissances et impact potentiel prévu (y compris l’impact socio-économique et les conséquences sociétales plus larges du projet jusqu’à présent)

The results from the project contribute significantly in extending the State-of-the-Art in the fields of energy harvesting and wireless power transmission, inkjet and 3D printing, energy autonomous sensors, backscatter communications, millimetre wave communications.

The scientific and technological quality of the results is evidenced both by the large number of publications (1 book, 10 peer reviewed journal papers (1 invited), 12 international conference papers (1 invited), see Section 2 for more details) and also by the nature of publications which includes top peer reviewed IEEE journals and conferences, a submission to a nature publications, and invited and plenary presentations.

The project has strongly enhanced the background of the researcher in highly innovative fields of inkjet and 3D printed and flexible electronics and packaging and the project results are already establishing the researcher in terms of the state-of-the-art in emerging topics such as ambient backscatter communications, and low power millimetre wave GBit communication systems

The research that has been performed enhances innovation capacity in the booming IoT area. Inkjet printable electronics up to the mm-wave frequencies deliver a clear benefit in terms of strengthening the competitiveness and growth of companies as these technologies bring opportunities to reduce development cycles and manufacturing costs while also enabling new application domains in conformable electronics and sensors. Notably, the technology that has been the focus of this project open pathways for paper and other organic materials to substitute plastics and other non-sustainable technologies that represent the current practice. To this end, the project contributes to environmental sustainability and sustainable growth.

24 GHz inkjet-printed dipole rectenna on paper

24 GHz inkjet-printed series fed dipole array rectenna on paper

24 GHz 3D printed bifocal lens antennas enabling dual focus lenses

Inkjet-printed decade band rectifier (photo courtesy J. Kimionis, Georgia Tech)

24 GHz inkjet-printed retro-directive array on paper

Inkjet printed UHF wideband rectifier on paper substrate

Millimeter wave backscatter tag enabling GBPS communication (photo courtesy J. Kimionis, Georgia Tec

Solar-electromagnetic energy harvester assisted wireless sensor with 3D printed package