Abstract: Bendable, active radio-frequency (RF) sensor tags and a system of comprising active RF sensor tags are disclosed in the specification. The active RF sensor tags can comprise an RF transceiver, a microprocessor, an antenna embedded in the sensor tag, a timing element, a memory device to store data, at least one bendable battery, a sensor, and a bendable housing enclosing the above components. The sensor can reside internal, or external to the active RF sensor tag.

Abstract: A method to autonomously establish and utilize a network of active RF tags is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of active RF tags within a volume of interest, providing at least one data collection node, registering the active RF tags, populating a routing index stored in each tag's data storage device, and communicating data between the active RF tags and the data collection node according to the routing indices. The method can be implemented on a computer-readable medium.

Abstract: One technique of the present invention includes a number of Radio Frequency (RF) tags that each have a different identifier. Information is broadcast to the tags from an RF tag interrogator. This information corresponds to a maximum quantity of tag response time slots that are available. This maximum quantity may be less than the total number of tags. The tags each select one of the time slots as a function of the information and a random number provided by each respective tag. The different identifiers are transmitted to the interrogator from at least a subset of the RF tags.