Latest to feature on the IoT Unplugged podcast was Brad Jolly, Technical Healthcare Specialist at Keysight Technologies, who was on hand to discuss optimising battery performance in the IoT industry.
The conversation centered on the role batteries play in the continually expanding IoT industry, where battery-powered sensors are important for a variety of applications, from smart cities to connected medical devices. Jolly highlighted the increasing importance of energy efficiency and alternative power sources such as energy harvesting in supporting these devices.
Sensors were positioned as the primary drivers of battery demand in IoT applications. Jolly emphasised the balance engineers have to strike in designing for optimal battery life and meeting market demands, noting that the rush to bring solutions to market can lead to products being released before battery life is optimised.
“There’s always a tension between time spent designing and testing devices and the time to market,” said Jolly. “The good news is that there are a lot of tools that have been developed that will help developers optimise battery life.”
Examples of improvements to support improved battery life include low power chipsets, Bluetooth low energy as a low-power protocol and electronic design automation software to analyse power integrity.
He also touched on the mindset of engineers, who often prefer to solve problems independently rather than leveraging existing resources. Jolly pointed out the wealth of publicly available information that could streamline development processes, suggesting that more widespread use of these resources could significantly reduce development time and improve outcomes.
Wrapping up the conversation, Jolly stressed the importance of safety in battery design and manufacturing, urging companies to audit their supply chains rigorously to prevent tragedies like the recent battery manufacturing fire in South Korea. He concluded by encouraging ongoing learning and the development of industry standards to ensure that technological advancements genuinely contribute to human well-being.
To hear more from Keysight Technologies on battery life and performance, tune into the full podcast episode available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and at the link below.
If the idea of appearing on the podcast to talk about IoT inspires you, feel free to reach out to us and pitch a topic you want to talk about and help us unplug the potential of IoT and explore the limitless opportunities it presents.
