The Internet of Things (IoT) is quickly cropping up all around us, especially on the smart home front. Voice assistants responding to your verbal requests or smart phones serving as all-in-one remote controls over various home devices are only the first rays of this dawning digital revolution. A recent study by Intel Corporation revealed that 71% of consumers believe that all homes will own at least one smart-home device by 2025. But despite the increasing number of capabilities that these smart devices boast, just how smart are they when it comes to efficiency and power usage?
Not too long ago, the popular Nest device experienced an unexpected malfunction for many users. According to Nick Bilton (2016), “the ‘smart’ thermostat suffered from a mysterious software bug that drained its battery and sent [their] home into a chill in the middle of the night.” Bilton further pointed out that such a malfunction posed particular risks to the elderly or ill, or to those who have infants. Fixing the Nest required users to follow a nine-step procedure, including recharging the device via USB cable for over an hour.
While smart home devices carry many benefits to users, such an incident underscores the need for IoT devices to maintain efficiency and reliable, long-lasting battery life. Having to recharge batteries or wait on delayed responses is not only irritating, but it can also be dangerous for consumers.
Wake-Up Radio is one way that future devices can significantly extend battery life of smart devices while preserving efficiency. Find out more about this groundbreaking solution in IEEE’s Wake-Up Radio Technology Report, coming soon!
References:
Bilton, N. (2016, Jan. 13). Nest thermostat glitch leaves users in the cold. The New York Times.
Forbes Technology Council. (2017, June 6). Best smart home devices and how IoT is changing the way we live. Forbes.
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