Friday, December 1, 2023
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result

Asleep-yet-Aware electronics could revolutionize remote wireless sensors

by US Department of Defense
April 16, 2015
in Technology News
3 min read
0
Asleep-yet-Aware electronics could revolutionize remote wireless sensors
14
VIEWS

State-of-the-art military sensors today rely on “active electronics” to detect vibration, light, sound or other signals. That means they constantly consume power, with much of that power and time spent processing what often turns out to be irrelevant data.

This power consumption limits sensors’ useful lifetimes to a few weeks or months when operating from state-of-the-art batteries, and has slowed the development of new sensor technologies and capabilities. Moreover, the chronic need to redeploy power-depleted sensors is not only costly and time-consuming but also increases warfighter exposure to danger.

DARPA’s new Near Zero Power RF and Sensor Operations (N-ZERO) program seeks to overcome the power limitations of persistent sensing by developing wireless, event-driven sensing capabilities that would allow physical, electromagnetic and other sensors to remain dormant-effectively asleep yet aware-until an event of interest awakens them.

To achieve these goals, the program intends to develop underlying technologies to continuously and passively monitor the environment and activate an electronic circuit only upon detection of a specific signature, such as the presence of a particular vehicle type or radio communications protocol.

N-ZERO seeks to exploit the energy in signal signatures to detect and recognize attention-worthy events while rejecting noise and interference.

“It is the waiting for a specific event or activity that constrains mission life and drains the battery energy of these essential electronics,” said Troy Olsson, DARPA program manager.

“By cutting reliance on active power and enhancing battery life, N-ZERO aims to enable wireless, ubiquitous sensing that is energy efficient and safer for the warfighter. Our goal is to use the right signal itself to wake up the sensor, which would improve sensors’ effectiveness and warfighters’ situational awareness by drastically reducing false alarms.”

N_ZERO_Web_Feature-wireless-sensors-bigThrough N-ZERO, DARPA wants to make sensors phenomenally more efficient in how they draw power when not actually sensing something of interest. The goal is to use less than 10 nanowatts (nW) during the sensor’s asleep-yet-aware phase-an energy drawdown roughly equivalent to the self-discharge (battery discharge during storage) of a typical watch battery, and at least 1,000 times lower than state-of-the-art sensors.

Specifically, N-ZERO seeks to extend unattended sensor lifetime from weeks to years, cut costs of maintenance and the need for redeployments. Alternatively, N-ZERO could also reduce battery size for a typical ground-based sensor by a factor of 20 or more while still keeping its current operational lifetime.

DARPA is seeking proposals for N-ZERO. Further details can be found in the Broad Agency Announcement at http://go.usa.gov/hN3T.

N-ZERO intends to initially concentrate on improving capabilities for sensors used for RF, electromagnetic, acoustic, and inertial detection and analysis. If successful, N-ZERO could provide future benefits far beyond military sensors alone-it could similarly untether the Internet of Things, the ever-expanding global network of wirelessly connected devices, projected to reach 30 billion by 2020.

The Internet of Things promises enormous benefits including, for example, signaling when cracks develop in bridges or sensing the health of ecological environments. But the value of interconnected sensors is undermined by their constant need for either a local power source or to have their batteries recharged or replaced. Thus, the Internet of Things today is applicable only to devices that can be either plugged into a wall outlet or located where people can actively take care of them.

“By advancing state-of-the-art sensing capabilities for national security through N-ZERO, DARPA could help make the Internet of Things more efficient and effective across countless scenarios and environments, thus transforming the way people live,” Olsson said.

Tags: darpaElectronic Systemspowersensorswireless
Previous Post

Pakistan successfully test fires nuclear-capable Ghauri missile

Next Post

Italy Orders Final Two Fremm Frigates

Related Posts

Trump order targets Chinese internet giants TikTok, WeChat

TikTok hit with UK fine, Australia government ban

April 6, 2023

TikTok was dealt fresh setbacks Tuesday as Australia joined a list of Western nations banning the Chinese-owned apps from government...

Officials provide details on building the Space Force, its structure, and operating imperatives

Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ at 40: Battle of the satellites

March 23, 2023

Forty years after US president Ronald Reagan stunned the nation and world with his "Star Wars" plan to take nuclear...

Next Post
Thales Signs Contract to Equip Additional FREMM Frigates

Italy Orders Final Two Fremm Frigates

Latest Defense News

First Shipment of New Gepard Ammunition Now on its Way to Ukraine

First Shipment of New Gepard Ammunition Now on its Way to Ukraine

September 6, 2023
China will ‘never commit to abandoning the use of force’ on Taiwan: Xi

China warns against ‘new Cold War’ as big powers meet in SE Asia

September 6, 2023
US sending 3,000 more troops to Poland, as Ukraine tension rises: senior official

Poland to spend over 4% of GDP on defence in 2024

September 6, 2023
North Korea pursues weapons despite Covid blockade: UN report

North Korea to pay ‘price’ if it gives Russia arms: US

September 6, 2023
USAF F-16 fleet undergoing largest modification work in history

Russia says F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine will be seen as ‘nuclear’ threat

July 13, 2023
North Korea says conducted new test of solid-fuel ICBM

North Korea says conducted new test of solid-fuel ICBM

July 13, 2023

Defense Forum Discussions

  • Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
  • ADF General discussion thread
  • Australian Army Discussions and Updates
  • Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) News and Discussions
  • Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates
  • General Naval News
  • General defence related memes and jokes
  • Hamas-Israeli War 2023
  • USAF News and Discussion
  • The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com