RFID-based humidity monitoring system for food storage areas

Nowadays, there are many communications system used for different purposes. One of these systems is the RFID or Radio Frequency Identification. Due to the many advantages of the RFID system, it is one of the most widely used communication system in the world. It can either be a portable, stationary or an embedded system. RFID is used for tagging different products for inventory purposes, short range and long range identification systems and payment systems. It consists of an RFID reader of interrogator and an RFID tag or transponder. This thesis study explores another possible addition to the many uses of the RFID system. The thesis study aims to characterize the RFID tags as humidity sensors by using moisture absorbent materials. For areas with a high relative humidity percentage, a high amount of moisture can also be expected. Using this idea, this uses two RFID tags which will be both exposed to a humid environment. The difference between the two RFID tags is that one of the RFID tags will be covered or embedded with a moisture absorbing material. The goal is for the moisture absorbent materials to accumulate moisture from the surroundings. When the embedded tag accumulates moisture from the surroundings, it is expected that the RF power level needed by the tag to power will be greater than the open RFID tag. The difference of the two RF power levels will then be used to characterize the relative humidity of a certain environment