Chemical and physical sensing with a reader and RFID tags

• US 9,563,833 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Ravnsbk, Jens Bomholdt, Swager, Timothy Manning, Azzarelli, Joseph Michael, Mirica, Katherine Andrea
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US14/528,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20150116093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/8.1, 340/568.6, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/10.34, 340/10.41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/04 by investigating resistance
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0075 for multiple spatially distributed sensors, e.g. for environmental monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0716 at least one of the integrated circuit chips comprising a sensor or an interface to a sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07788 the antenna being of the capacitive type
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

A method of detecting a stimulus can include detecting an output from a radio frequency identification tag including a sensor. A smartphone-based sensing strategy can use chemiresponsive nanomaterials integrated into the circuitry of commercial Near Field Communication tags to achieve non-line-of-sight, portable, and inexpensive detection and discrimination of gas phase chemicals (e.g., ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, cyclohexanone, and water) at part-per-thousand and part-per-million concentrations.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a stimulus comprising detecting an output from a radio frequency identification tag including a sensor portion, the sensor portion configured to change resistivity when the stimulus contacts or interacts with the radio frequency identification tag, whereby the resistivity change alters the output of the radio frequency identification tag,

wherein the radio frequency identification tag includes a carbon nanotube or multiple carbon nanotubes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the output of the radio frequency identification by a reader.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reader includes a hand held, mobile platform, or stationary reader.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the reader includes a smartphone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes an analyte.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes a vapor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes ethylene.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes an alkene.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes an alkyne.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes a mold.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes an acid.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes a ketone.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes an ester, an aldehyde, an alcohol, an ether, a molecule with a nitro group.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes a thiol.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes an amine.

16. The method of claim 1, wherin the stimulus includes ammonia, or a mono-nitrogen oxide.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes thermal energy.

18. The method in claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes harmful ionizing radiation.

19. The method in claim 1, wherein the stimulus includes UV light.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a readable signal in a reader as a result of the resistivity change.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising turning off a readable signal in a reader as a result of the resistivity change.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the output is detectable by a reader after the output is shifted by detection of the stimulus.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the output is detectable by a reader after the output going through a physical object.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus contacts or interacts with a portion of the surface of the radio frequency identification tag.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor portion is located on a portion of a surface of the radio frequency identification tag.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor portion is surrounded by an antenna coil.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor portion has a surface area less than the surface area of the radio frequency identification tag.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification tag does not require a power source.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering an electrical connection within the radio frequency identification tag.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor portion includes multiple sensing locations.

31. A tag for detecting a stimulus comprising a radio frequency identification tag including a sensor portion, the sensor portion configured to change resistivity when the radio frequency identification tag contacts or interacts with the stimulus, whereby the resistivity change alters an output of the radio frequency identification tag, wherein the sensor portion includes a circuit, and wherein the sensor portion is configured to activate the circuit or deactivate the circuit when contacted or having interacted with the stimulus and wherein the radio frequency identification tag includes a carbon nanotube or multiple carbon nanotubes.

32. The tag of claim 31, wherein the sensor portion includes at least one of a sensing material comprising a metal, an organic material, a dielectric material, a semiconductor material, a polymeric material, a biological material, a nanowire, a semiconducting nanoparticle, a carbon nanotube, a nanofiber, a carbon fiber, a carbon particle, carbon paste, or conducting ink, or combination thereof.

33. The tag of claim 31, wherein the tag is incorporated into a badge capable of being worn by a person.

34. A system for detecting a stimulus comprising a radio frequency identification tag including a sensor portion, the sensor portion configured to change resistivity when the radio frequency identification tag contacts or interacts with the stimulus, whereby the resistivity change alters an output of the radio frequency identification tag, and a detector detecting the output from the radio frequency identification tag, wherein the radio frequency identification tag includes a carbon nanotube or multiple carbon nanotubes.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the detector is a reader.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the reader is a hand held reader.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein a hand held reader is a smartphone.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the tag becomes readable from unreadable to the detector after the resistivity change.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the tag becomes unreadable from readable to the detector after the resistivity change.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein the system includes a dosimeter.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the dosimeter is a radiation dosimeter, a chemical warfare agent dosimeter, a volatile organic compound dosimeter, or an analyte dosimeter.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein the system monitors a pollutant or a chemical relevant to occupational safety.

43. The system of claim 34, wherein the system includes a plurality of tags.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein each of the plurality of tags is capable of detecting at least one stimulus.