11/10/2020
Techanalye Co.,Ltd.
It detects even small drops of water without overlooking them, identifies the location of the water, and notifies the location with BLE(Bluetooth low energy®). Using the ABLIC's CLEAN-BoostⓇ energy harvesting technology, the "Battery-less water leakage sensor" is able to do all this without a battery. It consists of a water leakage sensor ribbon and a RFID tag, and generates weak electric power when water touches a metal electrode woven into the sensor ribbon. Electric power is accumulated, boosted, drives the BLE module, and notifies the outside of the leak by radio.
The sensor does not require additional power or wiring, so it can be used anywhere water must be avoided. In case of water leakage, it will notify you by wireless communication instead of buzzer or lamp like other competitors’ products. So you can use it under the floor, back of the ceiling, under the ground or in the sealed space, in the place where ordinary people cannot see or hear, or where it is difficult to enter (see Fig.1).
On the other hand, there are issues to be considered for further utilization. First, the sensor ribbons react to even the slightest amount of water to generate electricity, so if they get wet, they need to be replaced. It is necessary to provide a system for the sensor ribbon to be properly replaced and always operate correctly. The second is the BLE, which limits the range of notifications. A system that allows users to be notified in a timely manner when a water leak occurs, no matter where they are, improves convenience. (see Fig.2).
The timing of consumables replacement is also a valuable time for customers and enterprises to exchange information. If it is possible to confirm to the customer whether the sensor ribbon should be replaced, and at the same time, to confirm the place where the replacement is required and the place where it is not required, enterprises can grasp the occurrence tendency of water leakage in the customer environment. Once such data is collected, enterprises can consider and make new proposals for effective placement of sensor ribbons, and to advise customers with similar equipment.
Subscription services are also an effective way to communicate with these customers. Customers pay a flat rate and exchange information while checking the water leakage condition in their environment at regular intervals. Their sensor ribbons can be replaced at an appropriate time. Many of the feedback from these activities will be valuable for future product development (Fig.3).
Next, regarding the limited range of wireless communication, a leak notification system is needed that can send signals from BLE to the cloud via a BLE gateway and automatically notify users of the location and time of occurrence. Building such a system in cooperation with a wide range of system partners can greatly improve the usability (Fig.4).
In recent years, Japan and many other countries around the world have experienced frequent floods caused by huge typhoons and torrential rains, and we are in an era in which flood control measures are even more necessary than before. In addition, the demand for remote facility monitoring is increasing rapidly as remote work becomes a normal due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic.
If the above services and systems are added, the convenience and cost-effectiveness of the "Battery-less water leakage sensor" will be improved, and it will become a remote flood control system that the world in the post-corona era demands.