Portable wireless multi-sensor microsystems for environmental monitoring.

This dissertation explores generic multi-parameter sensing systems for portable wireless applications where power, size, and performance are critically important. Using state-of-the-art microelectronic and microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technologies, such microsystems are evolving toward packaged volumes of 1cc, power dissipation levels of less than 1mW, communication ranges of 1km, and levels of accuracy and reliability significantly above those of stand-alone devices. A prototype microinstrumentation system was developed to address these goals and identify remaining challenges. The system utilizes an open architecture compatible with a variety of low-bandwidth (