Environmental and product sensing
An electronic indicator includes a circuit having an environmentally sensitive component having a sensing component treated with or containing a material so as to be sensitive to an environmental condition. The material can be a colloidal polymer that is reactive with an environment to cause a change in a characteristic of the environmentally sensitive component. The circuit is configured to detect the change and to communicate the change.
1. An electronic indicator, comprising:
a circuit including:
an environmentally sensitive component having a sensing component treated with or containing a material so as to be sensitive to an environmental condition;
wherein the material is reactive with an environment to cause a change in a characteristic of the environmentally sensitive component;
wherein the circuit is configured to detect the change; and
wherein the circuit is configured to communicate the change;
a first power source configured to decay over a predetermined period corresponding to the characteristic of the environmentally sensitive component;
a second power source configured to provide a reference and bias on at least one of: (i) a gate of a transistor and (ii) a base of a transistor;
a third power source configured to provide overall power for the circuit; and
an indicator configured to activate in response to a threshold current being applied to the indicator;
wherein, in response to the first power source falling below a threshold power level, the threshold current is applied to the indicator; and
a display configured to activate in response to the indicator activating,
wherein the display is coupled to the indicator.
2. The electronic indicator of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic of the environmentally sensitive component includes at least one of a Q factor, an impedance, a resistance, a capacitance, an inductance, a capacitive leakage, and a power decay.
3. The electronic indicator of claim 1 , wherein the material includes at least one of a carbon nanotube collection, a semiconducting ink, and an organic thin film.
4. The electronic indicator of claim 1 , wherein the environmental condition includes at least one of a temperature, a humidity, and a presence of a chemical and the environmentally sensitive component includes at least one of an electrode, a resistor, and a transistor.
5. The electronic indicator of claim 1 , wherein the environmentally sensitive component is coated with the material.
6. The electronic indicator of claim 1 , wherein the environmentally sensitive component is doped with the material.
7. The electronic indicator of claim 1 , further comprising a printed battery coupled to the circuit.
8. An electronic indicator, comprising:
a circuit including:
an environmentally sensitive component having a sensing component doped with a material so as to be sensitive to an environmental condition;
wherein the material is reactive with an environment to cause a change in a characteristic of the environmentally sensitive component;
wherein the circuit is configured to detect the change; and
wherein the circuit is configured to communicate the change;
a first power source configured to decay over a predetermined period corresponding to the characteristic of the environmentally sensitive component;
a second power source configured to provide a reference and bias on at least one of: (i) a gate of a transistor and (ii) a base of a transistor;
a third power source configured to provide overall power for the circuit; and
an indicator configured to activate in response to a threshold current being applied to the indicator;
wherein, in response to the first power source falling below a threshold power level, the threshold current is applied to the indicator; and
a display configured to activate in response to the indicator activating,
wherein the display is coupled to the indicator.
9. The electronic indicator of claim 8 , wherein the characteristic of the environmentally sensitive component includes at least one of a Q factor, an impedance, a resistance, a capacitance, an inductance, a capacitive leakage, and a power decay.
10. The electronic indicator of claim 8 , wherein the material includes a colloidal polymer.
11. The electronic indicator of claim 8 , wherein the material includes at least one of a carbon nanotube collection, a semiconducting ink, and an organic thin film.
12. The electronic indicator of claim 8 , wherein the environmental condition includes at least one of a temperature, a humidity, and a presence of a chemical and the environmentally sensitive component includes at least one of an electrode, a resistor, and a transistor.
13. The electronic indicator of claim 8 , further comprising a printed battery coupled to the circuit.