— Commercial Expansion of Products Featuring CLEAN-Boost™, ABLIC's Energy Harvesting Technology　—

ABLIC Inc. (President: Seiji Tanaka; Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter "ABLIC"), a group company of MinebeaMitsumi Inc., today announced the rolling out of its Battery-less Water Leak Sensor, utilizing ABLIC's “CLEAN-Boost™” (*1) technology, in the U.S. and EU markets.

Background of the Product Launch

CLEAN-Boost™ is ABLIC's unique energy harvesting technology that generates, stores, boosts, and transforms microwatt-level energy into electricity suitable for wireless data transmission.
Since its debut in Japan in 2019, the Battery-less Water Leak Sensor has consistently earned positive evaluations from over 80 customers and built a strong track record of successful adoption.
Driven by increasing inquiries from U.S. and European customers, ABLIC has now obtained the necessary certifications for these regions: FCC (Federal Communications Commission; U.S.) and CE (Conformité Européenne; E.U.).
These approvals confirm compliance with key communication and safety standards, making its introduction to the U.S. and European markets possible.

Product Overview

The Battery-less Water Leak Sensor is the world's first (*2) sensor capable of detecting even minute drops of water. Operating without an external power source eliminates the need for major installation work or battery replacement. This makes it ideal for retrofitting into existing buildings and infrastructure, including locations that were previously inaccessible or required significant maintenance.
By detecting leaks at an early stage, the sensor allows you to respond before problems occur or escalate, reducing potential damage and saving significant time and cost. In addition, with no need for battery replacement or disposal, the sensor helps reduce environmental impact.
For the U.S. and EU launch, ABLIC upgraded the Japan-market model with a communication range approximately twice that of its predecessor and an expanded operating temperature range of up to 85°C, an increase from the previous 60°C.
These enhancements enable use in a wider range of applications and high-temperature environments.

Applications

 This product is designed for installation in any factory or facility where a water leak may pose a potential risk.
Countermeasures against water leaks are crucial in manufacturing sites and laboratories such as automotive parts factories with stamping processes, chemical and pharmaceutical plants, and food processing facilities.  In particular, in aging buildings where pipes may have weakened, or in locations requiring high-temperature operations, even a delayed water leak detection from a drain or cooling pipe can result in large-scale flooding. Flooding can quickly escalate into a disaster that threatens the continuity of the entire business.
Furthermore, as the number of data centers continues to grow, server rooms that operate at high temperatures face a serious risk of water damage, which can be catastrophic.
 The sensor can be easily retrofitted and is highly sensitive, detecting as little as three drops of water even in high-temperature environments (up to 85°C).
This groundbreaking product provides an effective preventive measure against risks and potential damage by detecting water leaks at an early stage and enabling a quick response.

How to Use (Movie) : https://youtu.be/jC5ebstNmso

Major Features 

• No batteries or external power source required.
• No communication wiring construction needed—Bluetooth® Low Energy 5.0 Connectivity.
• Maintenance-free (no battery replacement)
• Ultra-sensitive detection: even a single droplet (150 μl minimum)
• Detection is not dependent on droplet location or ribbon length
• Sensor ribbons can be connected up to 15 m (maximum)  

Major Specifications 

*The receiver is not included with this battery-less water leak sensor. Please set up a Bluetooth® Low Energy 5.0 compatible receiver to receive in beacon mode.

Product Sizes

• Wireless Tag (S-CBTGAABI): 134×10×18 mm (main body: 65×10×18 mm)
• Sensor Ribbon 0.5m (S-CBSSAAAC-001): 700×13×8 mm
• Sensor Ribbon2.0m (S-CBSSAAAC-002): 2200×13×8 mm
• Sensor Ribbon5.0m (S-CBSSAAAC-003): 5200×13×8 mm

Product Details

https://www.ablic.com/en/semicon/products/cb/wls/

About CLEAN-Boost™

ABLIC's CLEAN-Boost™ technology represents a breakthrough in energy harvesting by capturing and amplifying microwatt-level environmental energy previously considered too minimal to utilize. What makes CLEAN-Boost™ exceptionally innovative is its combination of energy storage and boosting components, both designed for ultra-low power consumption. The boost circuit operates at just 0.35V, allowing the efficient use of 1 μW level of input power. It also incorporates a low-power data transmission method that optimizes the timing between power generation and signal transmission, ensuring maximum efficiency and stable operation even under extremely limited power conditions.

(*1) The power storage and voltage boost circuit—the core of CLEAN-Boost™ technology—was jointly developed with Ritsumeikan University.
(*2) Based on ABLIC's internal research.

Comment from Seiji Tanaka, Representative Director and President of ABLIC Inc.

"We are delighted to introduce our Battery-less Water Leak Sensor, powered by CLEAN-Boost™ technology, to customers in the U.S. and European markets.
This innovative technology has already been recognized globally, receiving the prestigious Best Paper Award at the IEEE S3S Conference in the United States in October 2019.
The sensor is designed for simple, add-on installation. It detects even the smallest drips and sends a wireless alert, providing an extremely effective safeguard against catastrophic water damage.
In Japan, the sensor has been adopted by more than 80 companies since its launch, including installation in approximately 650 unattended facilities for NTT East and in a metal processing factory that experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake. Customers highly praise its remote monitoring capability and ease of maintenance.
The applications for this technology are boundless, from monitoring horses' perspiration during childbirth to tracking sap levels in plants.
We are confident this technology will become a global solution for managing leak risks, opening new possibilities as a truly revolutionary innovation.".

German Version

Please click HERE.

Website

 https://www.ablic.com/en/semicon/

This product has been certified as a MinebeaMitsumi Group "Green Product" for its outstanding contribution to the environment.

Contacts

ABLIC Inc.
Masae Onuma
E-mail: pr@ablic.com
https://hub.ablic.com/en/pr-inquiry?rf=support
Newsroom: www.mynewsdesk.com/ablic