Is Your IoT Device Harming the Environment?

Internet of Things (IoT) devices will have significant environmental impact, both positive and negative. The IoT environmental impact is important to consider.

On the positive side, IoT devices can provide significant energy savings by, for example, turning on streetlights only when they’re needed or alerting water processing plants when there is a leak, saving precious natural resources.

Negative IoT Environmental Impact

There’s a dark side, though. For one thing, IoT devices will produce and send a significant amount of data. All that data will require energy as it passes through the network. On top of that, many of these devices will run on batteries. The more frequently batteries need to be replaced, the more batteries end up in landfills. Billions of “things” mean billions of batteries, which can cause a growing problem as our appetite for the IoT grows.

While we must consider a multi-faceted approach to offsetting the negative IoT environmental impact, one thing is clear: the less power an IoT device uses, the longer the battery lasts, and the better it is for the environment. IEEE Wake-Up Radio will allow IoT devices to use significantly less power, extending battery life from months to years. This reduces the number of batteries that wind up each year in landfills. And that makes a difference in the IoT environmental impact.

What is IEEE Wake-Up Radio?

Designed to work with IEEE 802.11 wireless networks, the IEEE Wake-Up Radio standard that is being developed by the 802.11ba standards task group will place a small, additional low power radio in IoT devices that will tell the main radio when it is needed. Only then does the main radio “wake-up” and use power. This solution significantly increases battery life.

With planning and strategic thinking, the energy savings of IoT devices will offset the negative environmental impact. IEEE Wake-Up Radio is one part of that strategy. IoT device manufacturers need to start planning now for their next generation IoT devices to offset environmental impact while creating a positive user experience.

The IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio, released on 1 November, 2017, and available now for pre-order, provides information on this technology in development by the IEEE 802.11ba standards task group. Every IoT device manufacturer needs to be aware of, and prepare for, this technology.

IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio provides:

• An overview of IEEE 802.11ba Wake-Up Radio
• Near-and long-term use cases
• Market forecasts
• A comparison of Wake-Up Radio to other technologies
• A look at potential future developments

The IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio can give your organization a competitive edge. Pre-order your copy of the IEEE Technology Report on Wake-Up Radio today!