Battery-free PSIcle sensor transmits tire pressure data to smartphones
Checking your bike's tire pressure can be a fiddly process, which is why there are now valve stem attachments that let you check it with your smartphone. The just-announced PSIcle sensor makes things even easier, as it doesn't require a battery.
Some readers may recall the TyreWiz and the Airspy, both of which are screwed onto the valve stem of a third-party inner tube (or tubeless rim) then left in place.
They proceed to continuously monitor the air pressure, utilizing Bluetooth or ANT + to wirelessly transmit that data to an app on the cyclist's phone. Because they're battery-powered, however, they regularly need to be recharged, plus they're heavier and bulkier than they would be otherwise.
Austrian manufacturer Tubolito recently took a different approach, with an inner tube that incorporates a pressure-sensing NFC (near field communication) chip. That battery-free chip is temporarily powered up by the radio waves emitted by a nearby NFC-capable smartphone.
As a result, users can check their tire pressure simply by stopping and holding their phone close to the chip. That said, because the chip is integrated into the tube, it can't be used with tubes made by other manufacturers, or with tubeless tires … and that's where the PSIcle sensor comes in.
