Location: Southern Horticultural Research Unit
Project Number: 6062-21430-004-033-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2021
End Date: Dec 31, 2023
Objective:
Objective 1. To design and develop a small and lightweight ferromagnetic materials-based inductor core to determine the location and overall health of the honey bee queen in managed hives.
Objective 2. To develop RLC MEMS modules with desired and reliable performance for the sensing unit.
Approach:
The cooperator will design the materials, structures and geometries of the ferromagnetic core, using both finite element simulation (FEM) and experimental measurements to satisfy the sensitivity requirements of the circuit. This ferromagnetic core will be designed to be sufficiently small and lightweight to be attached to the surface of the queen bee. As the queen bee moves, the ferromagnetic core changes location, which will result in the change of the value of the inductor due to coupling. This will create phase shift of the input signal, which is proportional to the strength of the coupling (location and distance).
In addition, the cooperator will develop the RLC MEMS modules, emphasizing on their small size, light weight, desired and reliable performance in order to satisfy the sensitivity requirements of the sensing unit. Fabrication of ferromagnetic cores and RLC MEMS modules will further be developed for the testing and evaluation in hives located at USDA-ARS, Poplarville, MS.
