Ultra-low power transmitter trade-offs for super-resolution tracking of rodents

A novel approach to wireless tracking of multiple small animals in their natural habitat is outlined. Theoretical analysis determines the tag transmission power and time needed for accurate and frequent localisation. It is demonstrated that super-resolution array based localisation techniques enable the signal-to-noise ratio to be traded with the transmit time in such a way that a sub 1 gram tag could be accurately located at least once per second for one year. The ultra-low power oscillator transmitter, in which a loop antenna is used as the frequency defining inductor, provides both the transmit power and efficiency necessary for localisation at distances of 100 m from the receiver array. Two oscillator topologies - Clapp and Colpitts - are compared in light of the super-resolution algorithm requirements and shown to be suitable, provided the operating point is chosen correctly.