Energy-efficient, noninvasive water flow sensor

Abstract

We are interested in hot and cold water flow detection in domestic kitchen and bathroom taps for smart home environments. Water flow monitoring is particularly valuable for long-Term behavioural monitoring systems for health-related applications, as it enables the collection of long-Term data on the hydration levels of the house residents, and it is associated with several activities of daily life, such as cooking and cleaning. This paper presents a water flow sensing device that is based on sensing the vibrations on the pipe when water is flowing through them. The proposed solution is noninvasive and energy efficient, as it does not require cutting the water pipes or altering the plumbing system, and consumes less then 2 uA in continuous operation. The proposed water flow sensor has been integrated to SPHERE, a sensing platform of non-medical sensors for healthcare monitoring and behavioural analytics in a home environment, and deployed to more than 15 residential properties.