Onsemi's new development kit enables battery-free smart passive sensors

     At the edge of the network, where wiring or battery replacement is impossible, SPS wireless battery-free sensors can monitor various parameters, such as temperature, pressure, humidity or distance. When monitored with an RF reader (ON Semiconductor's TagReader), the SPS 'harvests' energy from the measurement signal and then reads the sensor data quickly and with high accuracy. This cost-effective solution offers significant advantages over other technologies and has the potential to revolutionize low-power IoT sensing design.

     The newly released SPSDEVK1 is a complete sensing solution that includes a UHF SPS reader hub (SPSDEVR1-8), eight UHF antennas (SPS1DEVA1-W), 50 temperature sensors (SPS1T001PCB), a 12 V DC power supply, and an Ethernet cable. In addition, the package includes ON Semiconductor TagReader software - a specially developed application for reading SPS that implements all the functions of the label, providing a complete system solution.

     The TagReader software can automatically detect the type of tag connected and read the sensor data graphically at any time. The graphical user interface (GUI) can configure all system parameters related to the measurement process and reconfigure them as needed. As a result, even first-time users of SPSDEVK1 can quickly and easily configure the system to measure, collect, and analyze data for a variety of fully wireless, battery-free IoT applications.

     Commenting on the release of the development kit, Gary Straker, vice president of ON Semiconductor's Protection and Signals Division, said: "This complete turnkey solution can quickly configure and tune multi-sensor iot applications, saving time and money by eliminating the need to source iot solutions from multiple vendors. Our innovative SPS sensors have a longer reading range than NFC and are battery-free, not subject to the limitations of batteries based on Bluetooth technology. With SPSDEVK1, both experienced and inexperienced designers can quickly configure and deploy advanced energy harvesting sensing solutions at the edge of the network."