Wireless SAW Sensor Strain Gauge & Integrated Interrogator Design

Wireless, passive, Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) temperature sensors, which can operate in a multi-sensor environment, have recently been successfully demonstrated. A network of four (4) Orthogonal Frequency Coded (OFC) sensors developed at the University of Central Florida (UCF) has been successfully interrogated wirelessly at a distance of seven (7) feet with a transceiver system developed by Mnemonics, Inc (MNI). A single temperature sensor has been interrogated at a distance of twenty-one (21) feet. This proposal extends that work in two (2) important areas. The first is in the development of an additional sensor type, a strain gauge. The second is in the design of an integrated interrogator system. These will be useful devices for a broad range of NASA, as well as commercial applications.

Potential Non-NASA commercial include the Automotive Industry (state of health), Civil Engineering (stress management), Chemical and Biological development (toxic safety monitoring) and Refinery process (safety monitoring). The utilization of a wireless SAW device for remote monitoring of hostile environments will become not only technically feasible but also economically feasible based on the extremely low cost associated with the device. By establishing the WSAW as a passive device and the wireless interrogator as the active portion of the link you have enabled an architecture which can support the monitoring of possibly hundreds of SOH sensors per interrogator. As an example in an automobile the wireless SAW can be deployed as pressure sensors in each tire, liquid contaminant sensors in the fuel and oil supplies, temperature and pressure sensors within the engine, and carbon monoxide sensors within the vehicle. Additionally, highway safety information could be deployed with each informational sign or within construction areas to alert the driver of a status change of speed or other conditions which could be interrogated by the onboard system.

A wireless, passive, coded sensor that is rugged, cheap and can be remotely interrogated has multiple applications at NASA. Temperature, pressure and acceleration sensors can be installed on the leading edges of wings to monitor temperature, pressure loss and also provide a profile of the forces on the structure. Additional NASA applications include acceleration sensing for monitoring vehicular acceleration and vehicular vibration, vehicular docking, rotation and directional sensing, tilt control, and fall detection. By exploring the future use of SAW devices for monitoring structural integrity, extreme temperature, extreme pressure, toxic or lethal environments, it is highly probable that the wireless SAW can change the future of Airframe safety and the required/planned maintenance process. This technology can allow the feasible embedment of sensors in key structural components of an airframe for persistent monitoring both during flight and as a post flight analysis. Not only could the structural integrity of the airframe be monitored but other critical states of air flight could be instrumented without the increased cost of weight associated with fiber optic or wired communication.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.