Abstract:
Wireless sensor network (WSN) node, typically equipped with a radio transceiver, a small microcontroller and a battery, is different from traditional embedded systems because of its requirement of random deployment, small size and low power consumption. Based on these reasons, miniaturization of the WSN nodes becomes increasingly crucial in embedded system design for numerous applications, such as bio-medical monitoring and body network. In this paper, several technologies of different packaging levels to achieve miniaturization and integration are presented, including flip chip packaging of transceiver and micro-controller bare dies, embedded capacitance and epoxy based three dimensional integration technologies. Comparison of the proposed technologies with the original traditional PCB WSN mote is provided. The current experiments and measurements are also presented to show the benefits brought by these technologies not only in shrinking of the mote size, but also some improvements in electrical performance such as reduction of parasitic passives. It is possible to utilizing several different miniaturization technologies for future miniaturized WSN nodes design. Comparison of these technologies in WSN application is provided as conclusion of this paper .
