In a grundbrakin development, engineers fae the University o Glesga hae unveiled a new type o electronic tag aat promises tae lessen e environmental toll o single-eese RFID technologies. These innovative wireless sensors operate ithoot microchips, eesin inexpensive coils an a unique sensin material made fae polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) an carbon fibres.

E new tags can identify objects an measure temperature, absorbin electromagnetic signals fae a hand-held reader. Iss technology cuid significantly cut doon e retail sector’s reliance on RFID chips, fit currently sees ower 10 billion tags eesed annually, maist o fit are discarded efter a single eese.

These chip-free tags are nae ainly cost-effective but versatile. They can be read by portable devices costin less than £100, pavin e wey for future ‘smart packagin’ aat cuid monitor pH an humidity levels. Sic advancements cuid alert retailers fan feed is at risk o spoilin or herbourin hairmfu bacteria.

E lichtwecht an flexible naiture o these tags appens doors tae applications in healthcare an smairt claes, far they cuid unobtrusively track vital signs. In lab tests, e sensors demonstrated e ability tae detect temperature chynges atween 20°C an 110°C, wi a quick response time tae fluctuations. Iss capability is crucial for feed safety an medical eeses, far timely data is essential.

Dr. Mahmoud Wagih, a lecturer at e James Watt School o Engineerin, emphasised e importance o these wireless sensin tags for monitorin temperature ower supply chains. By removin e need for microchips, these tags cuid cut costs an electronic waste significantly compared tae traditional RFID sensors.

Co-author Dr. Benjamin King noted aat e materials eesed are cheap an widely available, an e manufacturin process is simple an scalable. Iss accessibility cuid lead tae widespreid adoption o the technology, helpin tae mitigate the environmental damage caased by single-eese RFID tags.

E research, cryed ‘Large-Area Conductor-Loaded PDMS Flexible Composites for Wireless an Chipless Electromagnetic Multiplexed Temperature Sensors,’ is published in e journal Advanced Science. It received support fae the UK Engineerin an Physical Sciences Research Cooncil (EPSRC) an e Royal Society. E future looks bricht for these chip-free sensors, as they staund tae revolutionise foo industries approach sustainability an waste reduction.