A Low-power Wireless Microinstrumentation System For Environmental Monitoring

This paper reports a hybrid microinstrumentation system that includes an embedded microcontroller, transducers for monitoring environmental parameters, interface/readout electronics for linking the controller and the transducers, and custom circuitry for system power management. Sensors for measuring temperature, pressure, humidity, and acceleration are included in the initial system, which operates for more than 180 days and dissipates less than 700/spl mu/m from a 6V battery supply. The sensor scan rate is adaptive and can be event triggered. The system communicates internally over a 1MHz, 9-line intramodule sensor bus, and outputs data over a hardwired serial interface or a 315MHz wireless link. The use of folding circuit platforms allows an internal system volume as small as 5cc.