The growing importance of hydrogen, perceived as a potential candidate to address energy requirements, has led a team of more than a dozen University of Florida engineering faculty and graduate students to find a way to detect hydrogen leaks and sound an alarm via wireless communication using a tiny, inexpensive sensing device. Leading the research is Jenshan Lin, associate professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida. He told Sensor Technology, “The main sensing principle behind the latest developed hydrogen sensing technique is the use of low-power nanoscale solid state sensors. More specifically, it is a ZnO [zinc oxide] nanowire sensor. In addition, we also use low power electronic circuits to process and transmit the sensor data wirelessly. Instead of using a battery, energy harvesters are used to power the sensor device and electronic circuits.”

When compared to similar work in this area, the developed sensor can operate at room temperature whereas others can require heating. Additionally, these sensors can be reused. The researchers have demonstrated an integrated sensor system with wireless data transmission capability and self-powering capability. Some specific, potential applications of the latest sensors developed could include hydrogen-powered vehicles, fuel cells, hydrogen production plants, and hydrogen storage tanks where safety is an important priority. The self-powered hydrogen sensor system can be easily deployed and will have low maintenance cost. There is no need to replace the battery on each sensor node.
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A California farm is using passive RFID tags, active wireless sensors and geographic information systems (GIS) to improve the quality of its grapes, as well as to reduce the crop’s environmental impact on the surrounding countryside and make its operations more efficient. The mission of Ceago Vinegarden, located 133 miles north of San Francisco, is to “craft small lots of wine made from estate grown organic and biodynamic grapes using the best of old and new world winemaking techniques.”

In addition to the naturalistic practices, however, is a host of high-tech methods, including handheld RFID readers equipped with GPS functionality linked to Google Earth (a satellite imaging application); wireless battery-powered sensor pods that measure air temperature, humidity, solar radiation, soil moisture and temperature; and a variety of software applications that help perform a number of functions, such as calculating the grapes’ ripeness. The technology behind the vineyard’s sensor pods, developed by SensorWare Systems, sprang from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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