A Radio-Triggered Wireless Sensor Platform Powered by Soil Bacteria

In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), where data sensing is expected anywhere and anytime, important issues about energy autonomy of sensors and acquisition systems are still open. This work addresses the problem of powering sensors and transmitting efficiently data on request in a multitude of outdoor/indoor applications, where the presence of soil is considered (e.g., smart farming, home surveillance, smart cities …). We present an ultra-low power wireless architecture, supplied directly by colony of bacteria naturally present in any kind of soil on Earth. The ultra-low power challenges limit the use of wireless communication at the minimum (receiving radio off). Nevertheless, the system is still ready to promptly start any incoming communication thanks to a radio-trigger sub-circuit capable of detecting receiving messages at nearly-zero power consumption.