The Internet of Things and energy. In the cleantech and utility worlds, it’s called “the smart grid” and “energy efficiency” tech.
In the broader tech realm, it’s called the “Internet of Things,” or essentially, when every device can talk to each other. Let’s bring these two ideas together, because I think the so-called Internet of Things will play a crucial role in making systems and the consumption of resources much more efficient. An internet of things - Winning idea from Energy Opportunities London 2013 brainstorm event. Can the Internet of Things drive adoption of energy harvesters? The Internet of Things adds connectivity to things.
It is a broad term referring to applications as diverse as internet connected vehicles to consumer electronics such as smart phones. However, the edge of the Internet of Things network will consist of simpler sensors and wireless devices that provide, among other things, the identification of objects, sensing, control and automation. The simplest, passive RF devices, with relatively short range, will potentially be the highest volume of all devices and come in at the lowest price points. Adding power to these devices enables more functionality such as sensing, mesh networking and automated control.
However, the return on investment of many wireless sensors in different applications is dependent in part on the lifetime of the device - which is most usually a function of the battery lifetime.