OPPO envisions battery-free devices powered by cellular, Bluetooth, WiFi signals!

Hate charging your earbuds and smartwatch so often? Well, OPPO seems to end this with a battery-free future.

To harvest energy from radio waves emitted by cell towers, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and other sources

A next-generation of low-powered IoT devices soon?

OPPO published a whitepaper detailing its plans to create a new system that wouldn't depend on batteries.

Instead, it would draw power and harvest energy from radio waves emitted by cell towers, Bluetooth, WiFi, and other sources. This is driven by a goal to lower the maintenance of IoT (Internet of Things) devices and reduce environmental waste.

The whitepaper shares how we can go battery-free by using a "zero-power communication" technology system that can power small IoT devices. The paper describes the harvesting of RF (Radio Frequency) to power devices that don't need too much energy to function. 

OPPO anticipates that zero-power communication to be the next big thing in the next generation of new low-powered IoT devices. It explained, 

In recent years, 3GPP has standardized a series of technologies on IoT (Internet of Things), which achieves the design targets of low cost, low power consumption, massive connection, and deep coverage. These IoT technologies can well meet the requirements of diverse scenarios. However, there are still many other scenarios that require the terminal to have ultra-low power consumption or even zero power consumption, ultra-low-cost, very small size, etc. With techniques such as RF power harvesting, backscattering, and low power computing, zero power communication can well meet these new requirements. Due to its excellent characteristics, zero-power communication is expected to become one important candidate of next-generation technology on the Internet of Things.

OPPO describes how this tech can be applied in practice. The technology could technically provide infinite power to devices by harvesting radio frequencies such as Bluetooth, WiFi, and even cellphone signals.

Some of the benefits of a zero-power communication system

Since there could be fewer components needed to assemble and need to make these gadgets work, they could become smaller, offer better durability, and even become cheaper. Allegedly, the technology could provide battery-less devices with "ultra-low power consumption".

According to the company, there are other advantages to using radio frequencies for power. 

Using this zero-power communication system, devices can embed information in that signal and relay it outwards.

OPPO believes that this could allow devices to act as low-power communication alerts in heavy industry, transportation, or the smart home. Moreover, it outlines other potential use cases for zero-power technology. 

This includes location tags that won't require battery replacements or improved long-distance tracking tech for species like migratory birds.

Reportedly, the tech giant has already started testing this technology's viability and will slowly start pushing this zero-power communication protocol for future use.

What do you guys think?

Source: OPPO