Title: Compact Chipless RFID Sensor for Frozen Food Monitoring
Authors: Cong Danh Bui, Aidan Quinn, Daniela Iacopino, and Adam Narbudowicz
Journal: IEEE Sensor Journal
Link to full paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10478257/
What is this paper all about?
RFID tags are commonly categorized as chipped or chipless RFID tags. As the name suggests, a chipped RFID tag has a dedicated on-chip to read and transmit the stored information. There have been many sensors investigated to monitor the integrity of the cold storage. For example, a temperature sensor using a dual-chip requency tag was suggested. The design was made from shape-memory alloys, which is a temperature-sensitive material, to operate at low (0 ◦C) and high (80 ◦C). On the other hand, an RFID reader was used to record the received signal strength indicator to monitor the frozen meat temperature in an uncontrolled environment. Alternatively, a failure of the cold chain during transportation can be informed by modifying the RFID tag with infused with a few molecules of copper. The mechanism is based on the irreversible melting of the copper-doped liquid (8 ◦C) leading to the RFID tag state’s transition. However, for simplicity and environmental footprint, many researchers focus on the chipless solution, which can significantly reduce the fabrication process and cost, despite the fact it often leads to reduced performance. For instance, a chipless pH-sensor design was suggested to detect meat freshness based on changes in frequency using pH-sensitive material on the resonant structure. On the other hand, other work investigated the and theirs complex performance of the unique composition of oil over a wide frequency bandwidth (3–5 GHz).
What have you discovered?
A simple, compact, and low-cost chipless RFID sensor can be designed for frozen food monitoring. The system consists of an to exhibit electromagnetic wave, and a chipless RFID sensor tag inside a flat container that contains a small quantity of ice. When receiving power from the interrogator antenna, the sensor alters the frequency of the reflected signal if the ice melts. One of three states of the material in the container can be detected, i.e., ice, water, and air (empty container). The peak of the frequency response exhibits distinctively narrow bandwidth, allowing multiple sensors to operate simultaneously within limited bandwidth and space; peak center is observed at two distinctive frequencies, for ice and air, with no peak present for water. The system is simulated, analyzed, and verified by measuring in free open space in a realistic environment. The measurement for ice melting over time is also measured and shown that frequencies of the peaks are slowly decreasing during the first 10 min after defrost and completely disappears after 15 min. The resonant peak reappears at 826 MHz after the tag is completely dry. A good tolerance to the background is also found when complex dielectric material is placed next to the sensor.
The proposed design (a) Flow chart (b) Measurement setup (c) Operating principle (d) Measurement results over time
So What?
AROUND 17% amount of food is wasted in 2021 in household, food service, and retail and 14% of food production in the world is estimated to be lost during the supply chain, according to rogram report in 2021. Frozen food is a part of daily meals for millions of people around the world, especially in developing countries. Frozen food is convenient, easily accessible, has long best-before date and thus, reduce food waste around the world. Before reaching the intended customer, frozen food has to go through a chain of cold chain logistics and low temperature is one of the most important factors to extend the food’s long shelf life as it prevents the bacteria from growing and spoiling the food.
Sensors are necessary to provide information about the quality of the food as well as environmental changes. Therefore, designing an efficient sensor for frozen food has been a focus of recent research. However, recent work on sensors did not address the challenges in the food industry, which are size reduction, low fabrication cost, and sensor robustness. With wireless communication having become an essential part of modern technology, RFID sensors, which are tags from RFID technology, emerge as a promising candidate.
Link to full paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10478257/
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