Powering the Internet of Things

There is considerable energy use and physical waste in relation to batteries. Many of the devices used to access the Internet of Things (IoT) are battery powered, particularly sensors.

Materials needed for battery production are becoming scarcer, and there are big challenges associated with the waste management of batteries at their end-of-life state. Toxic materials in batteries can cause pollution once they enter water sources and accidental or improper incineration can release toxic fumes into the air.

The update of batteries towards an efficient and cost-effective energy source is a priority for the successful adoption of IoT in many nations.

By 2025, there will likely be more than 27 billion IoT connections. This will mean a rapid increase in IoT demand. This requires fast action to come up with smart solutions to power IoT edge devices for current and future generations.

Leaders in Innovation Fellow Raghad Darwish used the scheme to tackle this need. As the youngest participant in Jordan, she combined her business and technical expertise with the program’s network of scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, and engineers to improve her innovation.

Image of Raghad Darwish's prototype

Darwish’s uniquely designed energy harvesting kit is used to leverage energy from wireless signals in the ambient environment. It then converts them into electrical signals for charging batteries, making the batteries a more efficient and cost-effective energy source.

This environmentally friendly and life-long battery solution of using a self-charging method, makes this innovation a key solution to sustainably power IoT devices for the future.