New Technology Converts Radio Frequency Signals into DC Electricity

The new technology, developed by researchers at the University of Central Florida, can reduce the electronic industry’s reliance on batteries and broaden the expansion of the Internet of Things and its energy needs.

Example of wireless sensor modules (A) comprising acoustoelectric RF-to-DC converters; the illustration also shows expanded views of a sensor module (B) and its acoustoelectric RF-to-DC converter (C, D). Image credit: Reza Abdolvand / Hakhamanesh Mansoorzare.

“Today’s wireless systems rely on batteries, which has an energy supply that will soon be outpaced by the growth of communication data and devices in the Internet of Things,” said University of Central Florida’s Professor Reza Abdolvand.

“The growth is also limiting availability in the radio frequency spectrum.”

“One reason is that today’s systems use part of their limited power budget to sense and monitor the amount of signal power they transmit and receive instead of solely amplifying the signal.”

“This sensing is both for regulation purposes and maintaining transceiver performance.”

To solve these issues, Professor Abdolvand and colleagues developed a technology that integrates power scavenging and spectrum sensing capabilities for ultra-low power applications.

The resulting passive module would eliminate the need for power-hungry radio frequency sensing modules.

The invention harvests ambient energy, specifically radio frequency electromagnetic waves, the most abundant form of communication among nodes and hubs of the Internet of Things.

Radio frequency to direct current conversion operates in a sub-millimeter footprint and within a lithographically defined frequency range.

To address the spectrum availability issue, the researchers enabled the invention to handle more intelligent data transmission between the Internet of Things’ nodes and hubs so that the node ‘understands’ the frequency occupancy in its vicinity.

In an example application, wake-up radios, which remain dormant and ideally consume zero power before being activated, could be built with the team’s zero-power radio frequency-to-direct current conversion scheme and scavenge energy from the radio frequency power radiated by nearby modules.

Furthermore, the radiated radio frequency power, otherwise wasted, could be scavenged by the module and stored in a capacitor or a battery.

“I am truly excited that this technology could help towards a more sustainable future,” said University of Central Florida postdoctoral researcher Hakhamanesh Mansoorzare.

“A prototype of the technology is available, and we’re currently seeking partners for licensing or research collaboration.”

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Reza Abdolvand & Hakhamanesh Mansoorzare. 2022. RF Power Sensing and Scavenging Using Phonon-Electron Coupling in Acoustic Waveguides.