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

Da new tags can identify objects an measure temperature, absorbin electromagnetic signals fae a haand-held reader. Dis technology cuid significantly cut doon da retail sector’s reliance on RFID chips, whit currently sees ower 10 billion tags uised annually, maist o whit are discarded efter a single uise.

Dese chip-free tags are nae ainly cost-effective but versatile. Dey can be read by portable devices costin less dan £100, pavin da wey for future ‘smart packagin’ dat cuid monitor pH an humidity levels. Sic advancements cuid alert retailers whin fuid is at risk o spoilin or herbourin hairmfu bacteria.

Da lichtwecht an flexible naiture o dese tags appens doors tae applications in healthcare an smairt claes, whar dey cuid unobtrusively track vital signs. In lab tests, da sensors demonstrated da ability tae detect temperature chynges atween 20°C an 110°C, wi a quick response time tae fluctuations. Dis capability is crucial for fuid safety an medical uises, whar timely data is essential.

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

Co-author Dr. Benjamin King noted dat da materials uised are cheap an widely available, an da manufacturin process is simple an scalable. Dis accessibility cuid lead tae widespreid adoption o da technology, helpin tae mitigate da environmental damage caused by single-uise RFID tags.

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