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Unlock a Battery-Less Future with Energy Harvesting

Jari Haiston in Blogs on October 02, 2023

About Jari Haiston

Jari Haiston is part of the growing digital marketing team at Symmetry Electronics. Jari comes from a background in technical writing and event coordination. In her current role, she specializes in content creation and social media management. Jari's focus as a writer is to create interesting content that is accessible to any audience.
Developer's-Can-Look-Forward-To-Battery-Free-IoT-Devices-In-The-Future-By-Utilizing-Energy-Harvesting-Techniques
The expected life span of a battery in an internet of things (IoT) device is 1-3 years. While there are strategies to extend battery life, the future of IoT design is steering towards a battery-less horizon, made possible by energy harvesting. Energy harvesting offers a cost-effective and sustainable means to enhance the longevity and performance of battery life, field nodes, and devices.

What is Energy Harvesting?

Energy harvesting represents the next generation of powering embedded systems by harnessing energy from environmental resources like solar, wind, thermal, and electromagnetic waves. The global energy harvesting system market size was valued at USD 452.2 million in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2% from 2020 to 2028. Common EH applications include:

  • Car tire pressure monitors
  • Wireless weather stations
  • Implantable medical devices
  • Traffic alert signs
  • Mars rover
  • WSN (Wireless Sensor Network) nodes
  • IoT devices

Figure 1: Why is there a predicted decline of future IoT devices?

Source: Electronics 360

The Demand for a Battery-Less Future

IoT and industrial IoT (IIoT) technology are two essential pillars that help build the foundation for industry 4.0 integration, so why is there a forecasted decline of IoT devices (Figure 1)? The answer may lie in battery limitations.

Currently, batteries have a finite life span. According to Electronics 360, “Some batteries need to be replaced every three years in IoT devices, with a best-case lifespan of 10 years. This means that there are 274 million battery replacements per day in a best-case scenario and a whopping 913 million battery replacements per day with a three-year lifespan” In the industrial sector, In the industrial sector, battery failures can result in critical data gaps, reduced uptime due to manual inspections, workplace hazards, and diminished sensor data.

Why is Energy Harvesting a Sustainable Solution?

EH holds the potential to usher a new era of battery-free IoT solutions. Not only does EH draw power from eco-friendly, sustainable sources, but it is also considerably more cost-effective than current alternatives. EH's cost-efficiency stems from its reliance on carbon-neutral resources. For example, solar power is a major proponent driving the battery-less future. While initial solar panel costs can be high, solar systems typically achieve ROI in 5-10 years. Post-installation, solar energy systems require minimal maintenance and provide approximately 15mWatt/cm2.

Figure 2: Wiliot's IoT Tag is the size of a postage stamp and costs pennies.

Source: Forbes

While solar energy remains the dominant EH resource, developers are exploring power sources from smaller contenders. Wiliot, for instance, has released a stamp-size, battery-less Bluetooth Tag that self-powers through ambient radio waves (Figure 2). Featuring RAM, ROM, onboard sensors, certified Bluetooth, an ARM CPU, flash memory, and secure communications, the Wiliot embedded printable computer costs mere cents. The Wiliot IoT tag can be embedded into anything (components, clothing, products, and/or packaging) and offers developers with new low cost, no maintenance ways to:
  • Track temperature-sensitive products like medications, vaccines, cold-chain food products, etc.
  • Monitor liquid levels & consistency
  • Sense circuit connection health

Developing Your Own Battery-Free Wireless Sensing Solution

Technology like Wiliot’s Bluetooth Tag are game-changers for the industry. However, full integration of a battery-free future is years away. Engineer and Mouser Bench Talk contributor, Adam Kimmel, advises developers that achievement in a self-powering design that incorporates EH methods “is to start with ultra-low-power MCUs in applications that already have low power requirements, around 11,000W/cm2, such as wearables and remote wireless sensors.”

Symmetry Electronics is equipped to assist developers in their battery-less device designs. Our team of experienced Applications Engineers are experts in IoT and wireless sensing. Consultation is free and available throughout your design cycle. Contact Symmetry Electronics today for more information on developing your battery-free wireless sensing solution!
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Jari Haiston in Blogs on October 02, 2023

About Jari Haiston

Jari Haiston is part of the growing digital marketing team at Symmetry Electronics. Jari comes from a background in technical writing and event coordination. In her current role, she specializes in content creation and social media management. Jari's focus as a writer is to create interesting content that is accessible to any audience.

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