Power is a problem. The IoT needs it, but developers need to figure out how to use much less, if the challenges of battery replacement and drain on the grid are to be solved. One Chinese semiconductor company claims that it has solved the problem, with a Wi-Fi solution that uses power at levels more like Bluetooth LE, but at Wi-Fi’s much longer range.
Rockchip announced the solution at the COMPUTEX Show in Taipei, calling its RKi6000 chip the world’s lowest power Wi-Fi technology. The company said it can reduce the power consumption of IoT smart devices by 85 percent—while providing the opportunities to lower costs—reduce solution sizes and integrate Wi-Fi for M2M communications in low-power situations.
The new solution has already been patented, due largely to its ability to receive power consumption at about 20mAh during use, which is much lower than standard Wi-Fi, built with RF architecture. In practical terms, a device using this type of Wi-Fi technology could be powered on AAA batteries for up to 35 years. Coin batteries can also be used.
RKi6000 achieves its ultra-low power consumption thanks to several innovations. Its Adaptive Dynamic Power Control Technology is designed to improve power efficiency in different working modes and adjust the chip’s power configuration according to data transmission requirements and actual transmission quality. The key technological innovation is that it can connect to Wi-Fi without waking up the main-control processor, a major power drain. Since IoT applications often require long standby times while remaining online, this ability to keep connected without waking up the processor simplifies design and extends battery life.
“In terms of a circuit’s power consumption and the user-friendly design of a device, there is currently a large gap between Wi-Fi SoC based on traditional radio-frequency architecture and the practical needs of new IoT devices,” said Gavin Que, Director of IoT Department, Rockchip. “The Rockchip RKi6000 closes the gap for wearable and other IoT devices, which are being developed for consumer electronics, home appliances, and many more products using the Wi-Fi standard, greatly reducing the cost of development and implementation, and speeding up a smart device’s time to market.”
The Rockchip RKi6000 will be available starting Q3 2015.
This type of power saving solution, paired with the recent discovery of wireless power transmission could transform the IoT, making networks larger and more robust all over the globe. To hear about these and all of the other innovations happening right now in the industry, make sure you join us at IoT Evolution Expo in Las Vegas August 17 to 20.
Edited by
Dominick Sorrentino
