IoT devices have become an integral part of business and leisure. IoT spending reached $749 billion in 2020, a figure experts predict will surpass $1 trillion in just a few years. As these machines pop up in more areas, their power integration becomes a more critical concern.
Generally speaking, IoT devices in consumer and commercial markets don’t consume much power. That could change as users relegate more demanding tasks to the IoT, and even minimal consumption adds up when there are hundreds of gadgets in one area.
Consumption isn’t the only issue, either. As the IoT grows, users will expect more consistent, flexible performance, raising power supply demands. It‘s impossible to have one without the other.
Why IoT Power Supplies Must Improve
While the IoT doesn’t seem to have many glaring power supply issues on the surface, there’s trouble on the horizon. IoT devices are more susceptible to breakdown than traditional electronics, largely from power-related concerns. These gadgets are typically always on, tucked into heat-trapping confined spaces and lack consistent quality standards.
These issues have done little to slow IoT growth up to this point, but that could change. As additional consumers and businesses come to rely on the IoT, disruptions or outages will have more severe consequences. With the advent of smart cities and widespread edge computing, power interruptions could affect critical infrastructure and even put people at risk.
Today’s IoT power supply standards may be sufficient for current use cases but not for the future. End-users expect more out of their devices, asking for less power consumption, more diverse features and more consistent service. Power integrations will have to improve to provide for these demands.
In light of these developments, here’s how device manufacturers can optimize power supplies to improve design.
Embrace Flexibility
The first thing IoT manufacturers can do to optimize power supplies is to make them more versatile. IoT use cases are already diverse, and they’ll likely continue in this direction with more users. Power supplies must be flexible enough to support various features and end uses to sustain further growth.
One of the key areas in which power supplies must be flexible is wireless protocols. There are already 21 separate connectivity standards IoT devices could use, all with varying power needs. Power supplies that can adapt to meet a wider range of protocols will meet more users’ preferences, ultimately leading to higher sales.
Highly specialized devices could also serve an increasingly diverse market, but versatile device designs are more appealing. First, creating a single power supply that can meet multiple demands is most cost-effective for the manufacturer. Second, versatility is more helpful to consumers, letting them accomplish numerous tasks with one device.
Use Switching Power Supplies
Many IoT systems today use linear power supplies, which are relatively simple and inexpensive. While linear regulation is sufficient for many IoT applications today, it’s starting to show signs of aging. If device manufacturers switched power supplies, they could create smaller, more efficient and flexible gadgets.
Switching power supplies offer more efficiency and smaller sizes than linear regulation, making them ideal for IoT power integration. They would let manufacturers fit more features and components in the same space. This could create higher-functioning technologies while maintaining the unobtrusive form factors users demand.
Since switching power regulation lets devices handle a wider range of energy levels, it also improves versatility. The only downside to this type of regulation is that it’s more expensive, as it typically requires more components. As technology advances and more manufacturers use these power supplies, though, they’ll become more affordable.
Isolate High- and Low-Voltage Components
As IoT devices grow smaller and more complex, manufacturers will have to put additional thought into component placing. High- and low-voltage circuit parts that are too close could interfere with one another. This connection poses several risks, from component failure to electrical shock and fire hazards.
Power supply isolation is essential to prevent these issues while maintaining a compact design. As devices get smaller, this isolation will have to rely on methods other than physical distance. Insulating components with nonconductive materials is a straightforward, affordable solution but may create heat-related problems in more power-hungry use cases.
Magnetic isolation removes the need for insulators but makes components more sensitive to electromagnetic interference. Capacitors, which don’t take up much space and block DC flow while enabling AC, are an ideal solution. More IoT power supply designs should include these components to allow smaller device sizes while isolating high- and low-voltage circuits.
Consider Alternative Power Sources
If the IoT is to expand and reach its full potential, its power integrations must move past traditional sources. Devices can serve more varied purposes if they don’t need AC power or batteries to perform. IoT power supplies that can work with a wider range of energy sources will become increasingly in-demand.
Solar is perhaps the most promising alternative energy source for the IoT. Amorphous silicon panels can generate electricity in light as low as 200 lux, potentially powering devices from even indoor lights. Consequently, power supplies that can support amorphous silicon photovoltaics could enable a suite of battery-free, sustainable IoT devices.
Kinetic power generation is a promising alternative power source for wearable devices. IoT in industrial machines or vehicle engines could use thermoelectric power. These options let IoT device manufacturers create more sustainable, versatile designs, and all need flexible, reliable power supplies.
Optimizing IoT Power Supply Will Improve IoT Devices
People who think about expanding the IoT’s capabilities often focus on its features. The inner workings of IoT devices, especially power supply, must also grow to meet these demands.
Better IoT power supply design paves the way for more versatile, safe and reliable devices. The sooner manufacturers can implement these power supply changes, the faster the IoT can expand. Preparation for success in tomorrow’s markets starts today.
