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

The new tags can identify objects an measure temperature, absorbin electromagnetic signals fae a haun-held reader. This technology cuid significantly cut doon the retail sector’s reliance on RFID chips, whit currently sees ower 10 billion tags yaised annually, maist o whit are discarded efter a single yaise.

These chip-free tags are no ainly cost-effective but versatile. They can be read by portable devices costin less than £100, pavin the wey for future ‘smart packagin’ that cuid monitor pH an humidity levels. Sic advancements cuid alert retailers whan fuid is at risk o spoilin or herbourin hairmfu bacteria.

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

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

Co-author Dr. Benjamin King noted that the materials yaised are cheap an widely available, an the manufacturin process is simple an scalable. This accessibility cuid lead tae widespreid adoption o the technology, helpin tae mitigate the environmental damage caused by single-yaise RFID tags.

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