Wireless systems typically are battery driven systems. It is essential to have a low current consumption of all the components. The new ZigBee standard introduces an attractive solution for the RF communication. But what about the sensor? Metal strain gages themselves draw 3 mA and more when connected to a 3 V supply. This easily exceeds the acceptable current consumption.
The PS021 with its innovative PICOSTRAIN measuring principle reduces the current into the strain gage plus converter down to the µA range. Thanks to PS021 also metal strain gages can now be used in wireless applications at a reasonable battery size.
Current estimation for a slave made of
1 kOhm strain gage + PS021 + ATmega (µC) + Chipcon (ZigBee) transceiver:
Interrupt Rate
0,5 Hz
1 Hz
1,5 Hz
2 Hz
5 Hz
Average Current
100 µA
200 µA
290 µA
380 µA
920 µA
Battery Life in Hours
180 mAh Battery
2200 mAh Battery
