*This Editor’s Note will appear in the April Edition of ECN.
If you’re at all familiar with the projected number of connected devices by 2020 (25-30 billion), it’s no surprise that the Internet of Things (IoT) test market is projected to be worth $1.378 billion by 2021. It means a lot of Internet Protocol (IP) testing for one—devices and applications included, as well as network testing—the fastest growing testing type in the test market during the projected timeframe.
But, that’s not all, there’s that whole power issue, too. Presently, most IoT devices use battery power, despite the vast improvements in energy harvesting technologies. In addition, IoT device applications are ever-changing, and there’s no denying the fact that customer expectations have (and will continue) to increase. Meaning, people want power—and a lot more of it! (Power needs to be tested, too! Continue reading on page 18, where we dive into how to select and test batteries to ensure IoT device success.)
Take, for example, your smartwatch. You expect it to make it through your 5am morning workout, your lunchtime stroll, and preferably into the wee hours of the night—all without having to recharge. Sure, you may need to charge it at the end of your long day, but let’s say you’re traveling and forget your charger—it sure would be nice if it lasted a full two days, right?
To take it one step further, think about the medical aspect—an implantable in the human body would cost a substantial amount to replace the battery, not to mention the physical damage. As well as the actual battery life, engineers are tasked with finding innovative ways to monitor power usage. With less resources, effective monitoring and management of the power infrastructure is difficult. To continue reading about how you can effectively optimize and monitor your power, jump on over to our issue focus on page 12, “Power Monitoring in the Era of IoT Innovation.”
Power is more important than ever, especially low power system designs. Connecting millions of devices will certainly make our lives easier once design and implementation challenges are overcome but until then, we still have a few kinks to work out. Take this, for instance: most wireless technologies enabling IoT are in the crowded 2.4 GHz spectrum. This requires a very specialized design, and needs to operate reliably, while still being low power. This may pose even more issues, as manufacturers typically do not have in-house wireless system design expertise. Click to page 16 to continue reading about how to connect quickly and economically to the IoT.
Power has continuously been a hot topic in this industry, and I don’t think that’s due to change anytime soon. In fact, it seems as if it’s even more important (and challenging) than ever before. From selecting to testing to adding even more in smaller sizes and packages, power is here to stay (if the tests are good, that is)!