Sensors

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 159 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond

by Luciano Tarricone and Jasmin Grosinger

Sensors 2020, 20(4), 987; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20040987 - 12 Feb 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2638

Abstract

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is one of the crucial enabling technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT). This is leading to a continuous augmentation of RFID technologies, in terms of sensing capabilities, energetic autonomy, usability, and cost affordability, and this special issue proposes [...] Read more.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is one of the crucial enabling technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT). This is leading to a continuous augmentation of RFID technologies, in terms of sensing capabilities, energetic autonomy, usability, and cost affordability, and this special issue proposes an overview on such a challenging scenario. The proposed results, in terms of cost reduction, miniaturization, and compatibility with complex systems and technologies, as well as the identification of the relevant criticalities, also pave the way to future steps being taken that go beyond the current IoT. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

19 pages, 5081 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Secure Partial RFID Ownership Transfer Protocol with Multi-Owners

by Jia-Ning Luo and Ming-Hour Yang

Sensors 2020, 20(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20010022 - 19 Dec 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2395

Abstract

Mobile radio frequency identification (RFID) has been extensively applied in a wide range of fields. In supply chain management, RFID is used to more efficiently manage the ownership transfer of cargo. The transfer of a group of tags belonging to multiple owners is [...] Read more.

Mobile radio frequency identification (RFID) has been extensively applied in a wide range of fields. In supply chain management, RFID is used to more efficiently manage the ownership transfer of cargo. The transfer of a group of tags belonging to multiple owners is often required at the front end of a supply chain. This study, therefore, proposes a secure, high-performance threshold multi-owner partial tag ownership transfer protocol that supports a mobile RFID environment and features the capabilities and security required for supporting existing ownership transfer environments (e.g., application for different authorities, designation of the transfer target, and ownership transfer of a group of tags). Moreover, the proposed protocol can resist against most of the known attacks on RFID. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 5498 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Smart RFID Sensors Embedded in Building Structures for Early Damage Detection and Long-Term Monitoring

by Christoph Strangfeld, Sergej Johann and Matthias Bartholmai

Sensors 2019, 19(24), 5514; https://doi.org/10.3390/s19245514 - 13 Dec 2019

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 6660

Abstract

In civil engineering, many structures are made of reinforced concrete. Most degradation processes relevant to this material, e.g., corrosion, are related to an increased level of material moisture. Therefore, moisture monitoring in reinforced concrete is regarded as a crucial method for structural health [...] Read more.

In civil engineering, many structures are made of reinforced concrete. Most degradation processes relevant to this material, e.g., corrosion, are related to an increased level of material moisture. Therefore, moisture monitoring in reinforced concrete is regarded as a crucial method for structural health monitoring. In this study, passive radio frequency identification (RFID)-based sensors are embedded into the concrete. They are well suited for long-term operation over decades and are well protected against harsh environmental conditions. The energy supply and the data transfer of the humidity sensors are provided by RFID. The sensor casing materials are optimised to withstand the high alkaline environment in concrete, having pH values of more than 12. Membrane materials are also investigated to identify materials capable of enabling water vapour transport from the porous cement matrix to the embedded humidity sensor. By measuring the corresponding relative humidity with embedded passive RFID-based sensors, the cement hydration is monitored for 170 days. Moreover, long-term moisture monitoring is performed for more than 1000 days. The experiments show that embedded passive RFID-based sensors are highly suitable for long-term structural health monitoring in civil engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2170 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Longest-Range UHF RFID Sensor Tag Antenna for IoT Applied for Metal and Non-Metal Objects

by Franck Kimetya Byondi and Youchung Chung

Sensors 2019, 19(24), 5460; https://doi.org/10.3390/s19245460 - 11 Dec 2019

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 7320

Abstract

This paper presents a passive cavity type Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag antenna having the longest read-range, and compares it with existing long-range UHF RFID tag antenna. The study also demonstrates mathematically and experimentally that our proposed longest-range UHF [...] Read more.

This paper presents a passive cavity type Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag antenna having the longest read-range, and compares it with existing long-range UHF RFID tag antenna. The study also demonstrates mathematically and experimentally that our proposed longest-range UHF RFID cavity type tag antenna has a longer read-range than existing passive tag antennas. Our tag antenna was designed with 140 × 60 × 10 mm³ size, and reached 26 m measured read-range and 36.3 m mathematically calculated read-range. This UHF tag antenna can be applied to metal and non-metal objects. By adding a further sensing capability, it can have a great benefit for the Internet of Things (IoT) and wireless sensor networks (WSN). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 8329 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Channel Real-Time Condition Monitoring System Based on Wideband Vibration Analysis of Motor Shafts Using SAW RFID Tags Coupled with Sensors

by Pau Caldero and Dominik Zoeke

Sensors 2019, 19(24), 5398; https://doi.org/10.3390/s19245398 - 07 Dec 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4270

Abstract

While there is a wide range of approaches to monitor industrial machinery through their static components, rotating components are usually harder to monitor, since sensors are difficult to be mounted on them and continuously read during operation. However, the characteristics of rotating components [...] Read more.

While there is a wide range of approaches to monitor industrial machinery through their static components, rotating components are usually harder to monitor, since sensors are difficult to be mounted on them and continuously read during operation. However, the characteristics of rotating components may provide useful information about the machine condition to be included in monitoring algorithms, specially for long-term data analysis. In this work, wireless vibration monitoring of rotating machine parts is investigated using surface acoustic wave (SAW) radio frequency identification (RFID) tags coupled with sensors. The proposed augmented transponder solution, combined with low-latency interrogation and signal processing, enables real-time identification and wideband vibration sensing. On top of that, a multi-channel interrogation approach is used to compensate motion effects. This approach enhances the signal-to-noise ratio of low-power high-frequency components present on the vibration signatures and enables discriminant information extraction from rotating machine parts. Final feasibility is evaluated with induction motors and vibration measurements on rotating shafts are verified. In addition, a condition classification algorithm is implemented in an experimental setup based on different motor states. The results of this work open the possibility to feed predictive maintenance algorithms using new features extracted in real-time from wideband vibration measurements on rotating components. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 3435 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Super-Wide Impedance Bandwidth Planar Antenna for Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Applications

by Mohammad Alibakhshikenari, Bal Singh Virdee, Chan H. See, Raed A. Abd-Alhameed, Francisco Falcone and Ernesto Limiti

Sensors 2019, 19(10), 2306; https://doi.org/10.3390/s19102306 - 19 May 2019

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 5797

Abstract

A feasibility study of a novel configuration for a super-wide impedance planar antenna is presented based on a 2 × 2 microstrip patch antenna (MPA) using CST Microwave Studio. The antenna comprises a symmetrical arrangement of four-square patches that are interconnected to each [...] Read more.

A feasibility study of a novel configuration for a super-wide impedance planar antenna is presented based on a 2 × 2 microstrip patch antenna (MPA) using CST Microwave Studio. The antenna comprises a symmetrical arrangement of four-square patches that are interconnected to each other with cross-shaped high impedance microstrip lines. The antenna array is excited through a single feedline connected to one of the patches. The proposed antenna array configuration overcomes the main drawback of conventional MPA with a narrow bandwidth that is typically <5%. The antenna exhibits a super-wide frequency bandwidth from 20 GHz to 120 GHz for S11 < −15 dB, which corresponds to a fractional bandwidth of 142.85%. The antenna’s performance of bandwidth, impedance match, and radiation gain were enhanced by etching slots on the patches. With the inclusion of the slot, the maximum radiation gain and efficiency of the MPA increased to 15.11 dBi and 85.79% at 80 GHz, which showed an improvement of 2.58 dBi and 12.54%, respectively. The dimension of each patch antenna was 4.3 × 5.3 mm². The results showed that the proposed MPA is useful for various existing and emerging communication systems such as ultra-wideband (UWB) communications, RFID systems, massive multiple-output multiple-input (MIMO) for 5G, and radar systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 11426 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Wirelessly Powered Light and Temperature Sensors Facilitated by Electrically Small Omnidirectional and Huygens Dipole Antennas

by Wei Lin and Richard W. Ziolkowski

Sensors 2019, 19(9), 1998; https://doi.org/10.3390/s19091998 - 29 Apr 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5135

Abstract

Wirelessly powered, very compact sensors are highly attractive for many emerging Internet-of-things (IoT) applications; they eliminate the need for on-board short-life and bulky batteries. In this study, two electrically small rectenna-based wirelessly powered light and temperature sensors were developed that operate at 915 [...] Read more.

Wirelessly powered, very compact sensors are highly attractive for many emerging Internet-of-things (IoT) applications; they eliminate the need for on-board short-life and bulky batteries. In this study, two electrically small rectenna-based wirelessly powered light and temperature sensors were developed that operate at 915 MHz in the 902–928-MHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands. First, a metamaterial-inspired near-field resonant parasitic (NFRP) Egyptian axe dipole (EAD) antenna was seamlessly integrated with a highly efficient sensor-augmented rectifier without any matching network. It was electrically small and very thin, and its omnidirectional property was ideal for capturing incident AC wireless power from any azimuthal direction and converting it into DC power. Both a photocell as the light sensor and a thermistor as the temperature sensor were demonstrated. The resistive properties of the photocell and thermistor changed the rectifier’s output voltage level; an acoustic alarm was activated once a threshold value was attained. Second, an electrically small, low-profile NFRP Huygens antenna was similarly integrated with the same light- and temperature-sensor-augmented rectifiers. Their unidirectional nature was very suitable for surface-mounted wireless power transfer (WPT) applications (i.e., on-body and on-wall sensors). Measurements of the prototypes of both the light- and temperature-sensor-augmented omni- and unidirectional rectenna systems confirmed their predicted performance characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3957 KiB

Open AccessArticle

IKULDAS: An Improved kNN-Based UHF RFID Indoor Localization Algorithm for Directional Radiation Scenario

by Weiguang Shi, Jiangxia Du, Xiaowei Cao, Yang Yu, Yu Cao, Shuxia Yan and Chunya Ni

Sensors 2019, 19(4), 968; https://doi.org/10.3390/s19040968 - 25 Feb 2019

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4775

Abstract

Ultra high frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID)-based indoor localization technology has been a competitive candidate for context-awareness services. Previous works mainly utilize a simplified Friis transmission equation for simulating/rectifying received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values, in which the directional radiation of tag [...] Read more.

Ultra high frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID)-based indoor localization technology has been a competitive candidate for context-awareness services. Previous works mainly utilize a simplified Friis transmission equation for simulating/rectifying received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values, in which the directional radiation of tag antenna and reader antenna was not fully considered, leading to unfavorable performance degradation. Moreover, a k-nearest neighbor (kNN) algorithm is widely used in existing systems, whereas the selection of an appropriate k value remains a critical issue. To solve such problems, this paper presents an improved kNN-based indoor localization algorithm for a directional radiation scenario, IKULDAS. Based on the gain features of dipole antenna and patch antenna, a novel RSSI estimation model is first established. By introducing the inclination angle and rotation angle to characterize the antenna postures, the gains of tag antenna and reader antenna referring to direct path and reflection paths are re-expressed. Then, three strategies are proposed and embedded into typical kNN for improving the localization performance. In IKULDAS, the optimal single fixed rotation angle is introduced for filtering a superior measurement and an NJW-based algorithm is advised for extracting nearest-neighbor reference tags. Furthermore, a dynamic mapping mechanism is proposed to accelerate the tracking process. Simulation results show that IKULDAS achieves a higher positioning accuracy and lower time consumption compared to other typical algorithms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

23 pages, 4588 KiB

Open AccessReview

Radio Frequency Identification and Sensing Techniques and Their Applications—A Review of the State-of-the-Art

by Lei Cui, Zonghua Zhang, Nan Gao, Zhaozong Meng and Zhen Li

Sensors 2019, 19(18), 4012; https://doi.org/10.3390/s19184012 - 17 Sep 2019

Cited by 93 | Viewed by 13311

Abstract

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensors, integrating the features of Wireless Information and Power Transfer (WIPT), object identification and energy efficient sensing capabilities, have been considered a new paradigm of sensing and communication for the futuristic information systems. RFID sensor tags featuring contactless sensing, [...] Read more.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensors, integrating the features of Wireless Information and Power Transfer (WIPT), object identification and energy efficient sensing capabilities, have been considered a new paradigm of sensing and communication for the futuristic information systems. RFID sensor tags featuring contactless sensing, wireless information transfer, wireless powered, light weight, non-line-of-sight transmission, flexible and pasteable are a critical enabling technology for future Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications, such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, agriculture and food. They have attracted numerous research efforts due to their innovative potential in the various application fields. However, there has been a gap between the in-lab investigations and the practical IoT application scenarios, which has motivated this survey of this research to identify the promising enabling techniques and the underlying challenges. This study aims to provide an exhaustive review on the state-of-art RFID sensor technologies from the system implementation perspective by focusing on the fundamental RF energy harvesting theories, the recent technical progresses and commercial solutions, innovative applications and some RFID sensor based IoT solutions, identify the underlying technological challenges at the time being, and give the future research trends and promising application fields in the rich sensing applications of the forthcoming IoT era. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Augmented RFID Technologies for the Internet of Things and Beyond

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (9 papers)

Editorial

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI