Towards the optimal antenna-based wireless sensing strategy: an ice sensing case study

Wagih, M. and Shi, J. (2022) Towards the optimal antenna-based wireless sensing strategy: an ice sensing case study. IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation, 3, pp. 687-699. (doi: 10.1109/OJAP.2022.3182770)

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Abstract

Remote ice detection has emerged as an application of Radio Frequency (RF) sensors. While antenna-based “RFID” sensing can detect various measurands, antenna-based sensors are not currently designed based on a systematic methodology, and in most cases may have a low sensitivity requiring specialist hardware or broadband interrogation signals, incompatible with spectrum regulations. Here, we develop a systematic methodology for designing an antenna-based sensor, applicable to measurands inducing a dielectric change in the near-field of the antenna. The proposed methodology is applied to designing printable antennas as highly-sensitive sensors for detecting and measuring the thickness of ice, demonstrating best-in-class sensory response compared to more complex antenna designs. Antenna design is investigated systematically for wireless interrogation in the 2.4 GHz band, where it is found that a loop antenna outperforms a dipole owing to its more distributed capacitance. The antenna’s realized gain was identified as the optimum parameter-under-test, with “positive” sensing proposed as a method of improving linearity and immunity to interference. The developed loop antenna sensor exhibits resilience to interference and applicability to different real-world deployment environments, demonstrated through over 80% average ice thickness measurement accuracy and at least 5 dB real-time sensitivity to ice deposition.

Item Type:Articles
Keywords:antennas, rf sensing, ice sensing, wireless ice sensing, RFID, RFID sensors, printed electronics, flexible antennas, wireless sensors, ice thickness, RF measurements, antenna gain, far-field sensing
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Wagih, Dr Mahmoud
Authors: Wagih, M., and Shi, J.
Subjects:T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
Journal Name:IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation
Publisher:IEEE
ISSN:2637-6431
ISSN (Online):2637-6431
Published Online:14 June 2022
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2022 The Author(s)
First Published:First published in IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation 3: 687-699
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence
Data DOI:10.5258/SOTON/D2249

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