Object Tracking Using Ambient Backscatter Technology

Abstract

Ambient backscatter is a new technology that uses ambient signals to enable communication. The system utilizes existing ambient RF radiations as the source of power and also utilizes the same as wireless medium for communication between devices. It leverages the ambient RF signals that are already around us, it does not require a dedicated power infrastructure as in RFID. The basic thought here is that there is a ton of energy in our environment specifically in the form of high-amplitude RF waves from broadcasts, and we should be able to use that energy to do work. With the help of this ambient backscatter technology, we keep in track of the objects/things which we wish to safe guard by keeping them as a transmitter. There is exchange of pulses (RF signals) that takes place between the transmitter and the receiver. When the receiver to which the object is connected is taken away (to some particular distance), the backscattering stops and hence we may use the micro-controller to intimate the user with the help of a message using GSM and track the location of the object using GPRS.