Robust ultra low power wireless sensor platform with embedded over-molded antenna

In this paper a new wireless sensor node intended for use in ultra-low power Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) is presented. The node uses commercial of-the-shelf radio, microcontroller and a custom developed antenna embedded in the housing. Over-molding with food-compatible material is used to improve the mechanical robustness of the node. The present work is targeted at commercial food cold chain management and temperature monitoring applications. The node presented operates in the license-free European and US sub-GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) band. The paper provides an insight into the platform's hardware giving the results of the test measurements. Results obtained from a demo network are also shown including the first results from long-term battery lifetime measurements.