Wireless powered electronic sensors for biological applications

Radio frequency identification technology is used to power a novel platform of sensor devices. The employed energy harvesting system of the individual sensors enables a blanking of the radio frequency field for a defined period, while supplying the sensor electronics with a highly stable voltage. This guarantees interference free operation of the electronic circuitry during measurements. The implementation of this principle is demonstrated for a sensor system which is based on insets for state-of-the-art micro-titer-plates. Each inset is carrying electronic circuitry and an interdigitated electrode system which is acting as sensor for recording alterations of the cell metabolism. The presented sensor devices work without batteries and are designed for impedance measurements on microbiological cell cultures under physiological relevant conditions. © 2010 IEEE.