A wireless sensor includes a substrate, an antenna, a sensing element, a transmission line, and a sensing integrated circuit (IC). The sensing element is positioned on one end of the substrate and the antenna is positioned on an opposite end of the substrate. The sensing IC is coupled to the sensing element and to the antenna via the transmission line. The sensing IC is operable to receive a sensed condition of the item from the sensing element. The sensing IC is further operable to determine an input impedance of the wireless sensor based on the sensed condition and convert it into a digital value that is representative of the condition of the item. The sensing IC is further operable to output, via the antenna, the digital value or a representation of the condition of the item.