Summary of CANIQUE CLIMAT: A UNIQUE TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY SENSOR OR ULTRA LOW POWER SYSTEMS
Canique Climat is an ultra-low-power temperature and humidity sensor that can run up to 20 years on a single AA lithium battery (about 10 years on AA alkaline). It consumes as little as 2.5 µA at 1.25 V, uses an Arm Cortex-M0+ MCU, transmits compact 2-byte messages every 30 or 60 seconds over 868 MHz (up to 400–800 m range at +13 dBm), and reports data via the Canique Cockpit Android app or web browsers with threshold notifications.
Parts used in the Canique Climat:
- Canique Climat sensor enclosure and PCB
- Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller
- Temperature sensor
- Humidity sensor
- 868 MHz RF transceiver
- AA lithium battery (non-rechargeable)
- Option: AA alkaline battery (non-rechargeable)
- Android device running Canique Cockpit app (for plotting)
- Web browser or smartphone/tablet/PC for data access
- Firmware implementing low-power modes and 2-byte message format
As a maker, you may have come across various IoT temperature and humidity monitors with low-power consumption. Canique Climat is a unique sensor that features ultra-low power consumption of only 2.5uA when powered by a 1.25V battery. The latest revision offers:
- reduced quiescent current from 9.5µA to 2.5µA (@ 1.25V)
- reduced ripple voltage during RX to 4.5mV (@ 1.25V)
This low power consumption makes it suitable for remote sensing and other applications where changing the battery is very difficult.
The Canique Climat sensor can be used in the following cases:
- Providing temperature/humidity data to the air conditioning system of a building
- Monitoring storage conditions of medical products
- Monitoring temperature and humidity of your wine cellar
- Testing a refrigerator for the correct functioning
- Getting notified about left open doors/windows in winter months
- As temperature sensors in hotel rooms, holiday homes, or Airbnb apartments
- As monitoring system in a greenhouse where plants are automatically watered
- In agriculture: e.g., in a barn.
- In outdoor applications: for climate studies
Vienna-based Canique has designed this ultra-low-power temperature/humidity sensor that can run off a single AA lithium battery for up to 20 years, up to 10 years with a single AA alkaline battery. The Climat sensor demonstrates the open field range between 400 and 800 meters using the 868MHz band using a max. transmission power of +13dBm. The measurements are plotted in an Android app Canique Cockpit. Also, one can get notified when critical thresholds are reached. The monitored data can be accessed via any web browser or any device like Smartphone, Tablet, or PC.
At the core of the sensor is an Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller. The low-power consumption is achieved by transmitting data in regular intervals of 30 seconds or 60 seconds. The sensor draws only a minimal amount of current when not transmitting. The transmission cycle may take about 30ms. The sensor uses non-rechargeable lithium batteries as the internal resistance of a typical alkaline battery increases at low temperatures. The software takes advantage of low-power modes exclusively, which transmit data at just two bytes in size by limiting the format and switching from using characters to integers. The software can manage to shrink the message to only 2 bytes.
Read more: CANIQUE CLIMAT: A UNIQUE TEMPERATURE/HUMIDITY SENSOR OR ULTRA LOW POWER SYSTEMS
- How long can the Canique Climat run on a single AA lithium battery?
Up to 20 years according to the article. - Can the Canique Climat run on a single AA alkaline battery?
Yes, it can run up to about 10 years on a single AA alkaline battery. - What is the ultra-low quiescent current of the latest revision?
The quiescent current is reduced to 2.5 µA at 1.25 V. - What wireless band and range does the sensor use?
It uses the 868 MHz band and demonstrates an open field range between 400 and 800 meters at +13 dBm. - How often does the sensor transmit data?
It transmits data at regular intervals of 30 seconds or 60 seconds. - How large is the transmitted message?
The software reduces the message to only 2 bytes in size. - Which microcontroller is at the core of the sensor?
An Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller. - Can monitored data be accessed remotely?
Yes, data can be accessed via the Canique Cockpit Android app or any web browser on smartphone, tablet, or PC. - What kinds of applications is the Canique Climat suitable for?
Remote sensing like HVAC integration, medical storage monitoring, wine cellar or refrigerator testing, door/window alerts, hotel or Airbnb rooms, greenhouses, barns, and outdoor climate studies. - Why does the sensor use non-rechargeable lithium batteries?
Because the internal resistance of a typical alkaline battery increases at low temperatures, making non-rechargeable lithium preferable.
