Virtually all analysts agree that the Internet of Things (IoT) is poised to change the world. It will usher in new capabilities and tools that will transform home life and business operations as profoundly as the Internet did a generation ago. According to some estimates, there will be 34 billion IoT devices by 2020, and consumers will spend almost $6 trillion on IoT solutions.
But there’s a power issue holding this bright future back. Thus far, of all the IoT devices on the market today, only small, low-power devices are experiencing a rapid growth rate. Consumers power devices like smartphones and wearables with cables and pad chargers, which, while inconvenient, is at least possible without completely disrupting daily life. But a similar approach to power renewal isn’t practical or even possible for many home or office-based IoT devices.
The Scale of the Power Challenge
Traditionally, the industry has met this power challenge by limiting the number of IoT devices or regulating the power used by the devices to maximize endurance between charges or battery replacements. Despite the inherent limitations of this approach to power renewal, developers have rushed new IoT devices to market.
But, to fully realize the vast potential of the IoT, a new approach is needed since the current low power use strategy inherently limits the devices’ impact. With more available power, it becomes possible to create and deploy IoT devices that feature faster CPUs, more frequent communications capabilities and more precise or complex sensors.
What a Viable Solution Looks Like
It has become increasingly clear that full realization of the IoT will require the ability to deliver power at a distance. To maximize utility, the power delivery strategy should resemble the approach used today to deliver wireless data. The solution should feature:
- A safe, secure and managed power source that doesn’t interfere with existing communication applications (e.g., Zigbee, Bluetooth, WiFi, etc.)
- An obstruction-resilient remote power capability with a range similar to WiFi (30 feet)
- A meaningful continuous average power transmission capability (10s to 100s of milliwatts, which is sufficient for most IoT applications)
To overcome the power barrier and enable development and deployment of truly transformational IoT products, the industry will have to access a power source that meets all of these conditions.
Solutions on the Market Today
Today, there are remote power techniques that leverage RF signals, ultrasound and even lasers to deliver power. But only one has been successfully demonstrated to deliver remote, safe, non-line-of-sight wireless power. That’s because wireless power faces an extra hurdle that wireless data delivery does not: it has to be to targeted.
When wireless data is transmitted into the environment without a specific target, it doesn’t cause any harm if it lands on unintended targets, and signal losses greater than 1,000,000,000 times or 90dB are tolerable. With RF power signals, losses of that magnitude render the power source unusable, and it would be unsafe if increased to usable power levels with that loss rate.
The power has to be focused on the device location, and yet it must also avoid any line-of-sight obstructions and provide meaningful, continuous power with losses below 20db. That means a viable solution must take device location into account and focus delivery at that location to reduce the energy in the environment to safe levels. That’s not an easy task; it requires thinking outside traditional RF concepts.
Innovation to Solve the Challenge
To close the power gap and enable the IoT to fulfill its potential, developers will have to embrace innovative new approaches. Emerging solutions include a power delivery product that directs power via flexible paths between a charger and device that are defined by the use of miniature antennas, enabling continuous, safe delivery.
Bold new thinking that overturns previous understanding of power delivery limitations is required, and fortunately for the industry, developers have stepped up to the challenge. Just as the Internet completely transformed work and home life, the IoT will change everything. But in a very literal sense, the transformation depends on having the power to drive change.
Edited by
Ken Briodagh
