Mechanical metamaterial passive wireless sensors

A method of monitoring environmental conditions using a passive wireless mechanical metamaterial sensor, comprising:

• exposing a substrate having multiple extending arms to an environmental stimulus, wherein the substrate includes an antenna that is embedded within the substrate, extends along at least a portion of the multiple extending arms, and configured to deform with the substrate;
• activating the substrate by exposing at least one temperature responsive actuator coupled to the substrate to an environmental temperature that exceeds a threshold;
• transforming the substrate into at least one three-dimensional configuration in response to a duration of immersion in a liquid following the activation, the three-dimensional configuration causing a detectable change in electromagnetic signal characteristics of the antenna;
• and
• providing, by the antenna, signals with the detectable changes in electromagnetic signal characteristics corresponding to each of the at least one three-dimensional configuration of the substrate, wherein the changes in the signal characteristics indicate the specific three-dimensional configuration of the substrate.

A system for monitoring personnel in marine environments, comprising:

• a wearable patch including a passive wireless mechanical metamaterial sensor, the sensor comprising:
• a substrate with multiple extending arms, an embedded antenna, and an identification chip;
• and
• a remote reader configured to wirelessly interrogate the sensor,
• wherein the substrate is configured to undergo shape morphing in response to environmental stimuli, causing detectable changes in an electromagnetic signature of the embedded antenna.