Implantable UHF-RFID tag

Hey guy’s,

I’m working on a project where we’re using UHF-RFID tags to improve the production process at the company where I work.
I was wondering if there’re any ideas about using UHF-RFID tags for implants? Those tags have some amazing properties like long range readability. The best is that some of those tags are able to use near field antennas. This means that any simple design of conductive material in the tags vicinity will become the antenna.
A good candidate for an implant would be the IM5-PK2525 from Hitachi. It contains the Monza 5 chip from IMPINJ and has an integrated antenna which don’t require any additional antenna designs. The reading range is about 20mm depending on the reader antenna.

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the chip size is 2.5mm x 2.5mm x 0.4mm

Here’re some examples for a booster antenna design:

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the line is about 70mm long and made with conductive ink

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This booster antenna designs would give a reading range of up to 1 meter.

@amal Could you produce an implant with the IM5-PK2525 chips for testing? Also, the latest chip from Hitachi is the UC7-PK2020B which contains the NXP UCODE 7 IC and it’s only 2mm x 2mm x 1mm with integrated antenna. Is there a way to turn those into an implant?

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Yes we could encapsulate… the question becomes interference from the body. UHF backscatter is much more susceptible to signal killing interference from salty water (human body). Stick some tags you want to try onto your arm and tape over them and test performance. To make it even more accurate, fill a polymer bag with dark brown sugar and flatten it down to a layer that is at least 2mm thick. Then place that overtop the tag and tape it down and test again. Brown sugar is commonly used in RF testing as a human tissue analog and it’s less messy than raw meat.

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Good point, I’ll test it out.

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That is rather specific. Learning every day :nerd_face:

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Does my bag of dark brown sugar in the cabinet that is now more like cement count? :sweat_smile:

As long as you can get it to approximately 2mm thick, sure :wink: