SBIR Phase I: Ultrasound Data Communications for Wireless Sensors and Real Time Location Systems

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目调查了无线传感器使用空气超声波数据通信的可行性。传统的基于射频的小型设备（如传感器或手机）无线通信使用数百兆赫到几GHz的载波频率。相关的电子接收器和发射器必须设计成能够处理这些高速。这导致大量的功率耗散，因此需要定期更换电池，这既困难又昂贵。超声波通信使用低频载波，从几十千赫兹到几兆赫，这使得通信电子设备的功耗降低了一个数量级。在之前的学术研究中，定制设计的超声波接收器集成电路（IC）进行了现场测试。与最先进的射频接收器相比，该IC的功耗降低了十倍。为了将这项技术应用于商业领域，将进行更多的技术工作，以了解混响对真实传感器环境中系统性能的影响，在现有的10米通信距离范围上增加通信距离范围，以及设计用于数据通信的定制超声波换能器。预期的最终结果是低成本、超低功率的超声通信模块，其功耗比任何商用无线通信系统都要低得多。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力源于这样一个事实，即利用超声波实现的低成本和超低功耗无线传感器在工业、结构和环境监测方面有着广泛的应用。其中一些潜在的应用具有重大的社会影响；例子包括边境监视、空气污染监测、森林火灾探测、温室监测、机器健康监测和废水监测。此外，无干扰超声的使用将扩大无线传感器网络在医院等射频监管环境中的应用。这将是无线传感器网络安全性和环境可持续性的飞跃。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project investigates the feasibility of using through-air ultrasound data communications for wireless sensors. Traditional RF-based wireless communications for small-form-factor devices like sensors or mobiles use carrier frequencies of hundreds of MHz to several GHz. The associated electronic receivers and transmitters must be designed to handle these high speeds. This results in substantial power dissipation so that regular battery replacements are required, which are both difficult and costly. Ultrasonic communications use low frequency carriers, from a few tens of kilohertz to a few MHz, which enables an order-of-magnitude reduction in the power consumption of the communication electronics. In preceding academic research, a custom-designed ultrasonic receiver integrated circuit (IC) was field tested. The IC achieves a ten-fold reduction in power consumption over the state-of-the-art RF-based receivers. To prepare this technology for the commercial arena more technical work will be conducted in understanding the effect of reverberations on system performance in real sensor environments, in increasing the communication-distance range from the present value of 10m, and in designing ultrasonic transducers customized for data communications. The anticipated end-result is a low-cost, ultralow- power ultrasonic-communication module that consumes significantly lower power than any commercially available wireless communication system. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project derives from the fact that low cost and ultra-low power wireless sensors enabled by using ultrasound have a vast array of applications in industrial, structural and environmental monitoring. Several of the potential applications have a significant societal impact; examples include border surveillance, air-pollution monitoring, forest-fire detection, greenhouse monitoring, machine-health monitoring, and wastewater monitoring. Further, the use of interference-free ultrasound will expand the applications of wireless sensor networks in RF regulated environments like hospitals. This will be a leap forward in the safety and environmental sustainability of wireless sensor networks.