Tiny chip delivers large: Research & Innovation

A 1.5 mm × 1 mm (0.06″×0.04″) chip that consumes just 28 microwatts and has a range of up to 21 m (69′) has potential for manufacturing applications. Developed by electrical engineers at the University of California San Diego, the chip uses 5,000 times less power than Wi-Fi radios.

“It definitely can be used in manufacturing environments,” said Dinesh Bharadia, assistant professor of electrical engineering at UCSD’s Jacobs School of Engineering. “The benefit is a very small form factor. The best part is, everything connects directly to your Wi-Fi.”

He said one possible use is to tag objects and utilize a cellphone to track them on a conveyor and find out the efficiency of a manufacturing unit. Robots could use the chip to locate items equipped with a very lightweight tag.

“You don’t need to buy any equipment or software,” Bharadia said. “It works with any type of phone, any type of tablet, any type of laptop.”

Dinesh Bharadia holds a printed circuit board that contains the Wi-Fi radio. Image courtesy of David Baillot/UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering

Another potential use is to help analyze vibration. He said a user could attach a tag to a vibration sensor whose readout would be sent to a smart device to determine if a piece of equipment vibrates too much.