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Project Description

In this project, we propose the design and implementation of low-energy tokens for smart interaction with capacitive touch-enabled devices by associating the token's identity with its contact, or touch.

The proposed token's design features two key novel technical components: (1) a through-touch-sensor low-energy communication method for token identification and (2) a touch-sensor energy harvesting technique.

The communication mechanism involves the token transmitting its identity (ID) directly through the touch-sensor by artificially modifying the effective capacitance between the touch-sensor and token surfaces. This approach consumes significantly lower energy compared to traditional electrical signal modulation approaches.

By enabling the token to harvest energy from touch-screen sensors or touch-surfaces, the token is rendered battery-free.

The Team

Tam Vu (PI) VP Nguyen (Lead) Ufuk Muncuk Ashwin Ashok Kaushik R Chowdhury

Publications

Battery-Free Identification Token for Touch Sensing Devices
ACM SenSys 2016
Phuc Nguyen, Ufuk Muncuk, Ashwin Ashok, Kaushik R Chowdhury, Marco Gruteser and Tam Vu
21 out of 119 submissions, acceptance ratio: 17.6%
Mobile Device Identification by Leveraging Built-in Capacitive Signature
ACM CCS 2015 (Poster)
Manh Huynh, Phuc Nguyen, Marco Gruteser, and Tam Vu