INTEGRATED LAYERED MANUFACTURING OF A NOVEL WIRELESS MOTION SENSOR SYSTEM WITH GPS

Abstract

A programmable wireless motion sensor system with Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation capabilities was designed and manufactured for border security applications. The sensor was freeform manufactured using a previously developed layered manufacturing (LM) system that combines direct write (DW) conductive ink dispensing with stereolithography (SL). Electronic components were selected based on constraints imposed through the LM process and components included a low power rfPIC12F675K microcontroller with integrated radio frequency transmitter circuitry, Panasonic passive infrared motion sensor, and a Polstar GPS module. This circuit was selected to expand on the previously described capabilities of the hybrid SL/DW setup to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) circuits, and the circuit was designed for LM to include a real wireless application, fewer external components, low voltage requirements, and simplicity to program the microcontroller. LM benefited the design and manufacturing of the sensor in comparison to traditional PCB manufacturing by (1) reducing the overall size of the sensor due to the 3D locations of components and circuitry, (2) allowing the overall shape of the sensor to change according to the environment in which it will be placed (so that it can take on the form of the local terrain, for example), and (3) providing a natural resistance to reverse engineering through 3D circuitry and component embedding.