Wireless network of autonomous environmental sensors

A wireless network based on macro-scale sensor modules (originally 45/spl times/35/spl times/30 mm/sup 3/, currently 14/spl times/14/spl times/18 mm/sup 3/ with integrated coplanar antenna) has been demonstrated. The modules can extract their energy from the environment (e.g., by solar cells), and detect various environmental parameters. The network can be configured as a multi-hop "web" of sensors which builds itself automatically according to configurable optimization parameters, or as a "star" topology, where each sensor module transmits information directly to the base station. Average power consumption for each complete module is approximately 100 /spl mu/W. This ability for drastic miniaturization and the simultaneous addition of power autonomy while maintaining modularity and reusability contrast to existing work where wireless environmental sensor systems are at least one order of magnitude larger in volume or consisted of application-specific systems-on-a-chip.