Self-powered sensing technology for Shimco North America Inc.
Advancing a self-powered sensing system designed to capture and transmit aircraft performance data without relying on traditional battery power
Colleen McCann, SMART Centre
About Shimco North America Inc.
Shimco North America is a Canadian manufacturer serving the aerospace industry with precision-engineered components and advanced technology solutions.
The challenge
Shimco sought to advance a student-developed proof of concept into a more compact and commercially viable sensing technology. The goal was to create a system capable of collecting and transmitting data during aircraft operation while supporting future integration into aircraft components.
Approach
- Refined an existing proof-of-concept circuit board for commercial-scale manufacturing
- Integrated power harvesting, data storage, and wireless transmission capabilities into a single design
- Evaluated system performance through prototype testing
- Assessed future integration requirements for aircraft applications
Results
- Developed a functional prototype circuit board with integrated sensing capabilities
- Successfully captured, stored, and transmitted sensor data during testing
- Reduced the overall size of the system to support future deployment in aircraft components
- Established a pathway for incorporating next-generation energy harvesting materials
- Prepared the technology for the next stage of commercialization
Why it matters
This project advances the development of self-powered monitoring technologies for the aerospace sector. The work helps:
- Support more efficient collection of aircraft performance data
- Reduce reliance on traditional battery-powered systems
- Enable integration of sensing technologies into aerospace components
- Accelerate the path toward commercialization and industry adoption
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We acknowledge the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
