Passive Wireless Sensors

Developed through a Phase II STTR effort EngeniusMicro has developed a passive wireless sensor platform for the monitoring of corrosion on aircraft and for stored aircraft components. Multiple volumes, chambers, and compartments within aircraft are susceptible to corrosion damage because they are exposed to moisture, they trap heat, and they are difficult to inspect. Placing passive wireless corrosion sensors in these areas would enable maintenance technicians to quickly assess the corrosive potential, or level of actual corrosion over the lifetime of the asset. The passive sensor would be scanned by an external reader and would indicate that the corrosivity within the chamber has increased or reached a critical value. Ideally, this reading could be taken without opening the chamber. This would decrease inspection time, increase inspection coverage, and enable inspections more often while yielding historical quantitative data as to structure corrosion. These sensors could also be integrated into prognosis models that allow predictive maintenance actions as part of the aircraft”s health monitoring system.