University of Alberta researchers have developed a wireless and battery-free sensor to measure the structural health of critical infrastructure such as bridges and wind turbines.
Conventional sensors require batteries or extensive wiring, making them difficult and costly to install and maintain. But Dr. Rashid Mirzavand and his team from the Faculty of Engineering found a way to harvest energy from the sensor's surrounding environment so it can, theoretically, last indefinitely without maintenance.
By recognizing subtle environmental changes and recalibrating, the sensor can correct errors — normally caused by its own degradation over time — which can result in false alarms or a failure to detect structural shifts. It can also catch structural dangers early by taking microscopic measurements of tilt, a telltale indication of flaws that can lead to catastrophic collapses.
The eco-friendly sensor could heavily reduce electronic and battery waste, and be used on sensitive ancient monuments and cultural heritage sites without drilling holes for power cables or batteries that require frequent changing.
"This battery-free technology offers a highly scalable solution to prevent infrastructure disasters and improve public safety," says Mirzavand, adding that the cheap "set it and forget it" sensor is entirely self-sufficient, making long-term monitoring of the physical world far more practical.