CPS: Breakthrough: Charge-Recycling based Computing Paradigm for Wirelessly Powered Internet-of-Things

这项研究的主要目标是为基于无线供电的物联网(IoT)设备开发一种新的计算范式，并将其计算能力提高一个数量级以上。这项拟议的研究为新兴应用带来了新的机遇，如计算RFID(射频识别器)、生物可植入设备和结构/环境监测。这项研究的结果将有助于开发超越传统网络物理系统界限的更智能的物联网设备。因此，预计医疗保健、能源、结构和环境监测领域将出现重大新机遇，为科学、工业和整个社会带来实质性好处。PIS将促进外展活动，重点是高中生和代表性不足的群体。鼓励大学生参与，不仅通过传统的方式，而且通过参与专业协会和REU的机会。阻碍物联网设备在全球范围内扩展的一个重要障碍是能源成本。尽管已经有各种能量收集方法的技术，但大多数物联网设备的计算能力受到可用功率的限制。这项研究体现了一种新的愿景，即开发一种高效的计算方法和相应的物联网硬件架构，为无线能量采集量身定做。具体地说，现有的电荷回收理论以一种独特的方式得到利用，收集的交流信号被用来直接为物联网设备供电。这种方法预计将带来显著的好处，例如，i)消除了因整流和调节而造成的功率损失，ii)物联网设备内的计算单元更高效地运行，因为电荷被回收而不是耗散到地面。能源效率的这一前所未有的提高增强了现场物联网设备的智能，从而支持本地决策机制。

The primary objective of this research is to develop a new computing paradigm for wirelessly powered Internet-of-things (IoT) based devices and enhance their computational capabilities by more than an order of magnitude. The proposed research brings new opportunities to emerging applications such as computational RFIDs (Radio Frequency Identifiers), bio-implantable devices, and structural/environmental monitoring. The results of this research will contribute to the development of smarter IoT devices that are beyond the boundaries of traditional cyber-physical systems. Thus, significant new opportunities are expected in healthcare, energy, structural and environmental monitoring with substantial benefits to science, industry, and society at large. The PIs will promote outreach activities with emphasis on high school students and underrepresented groups. Undergraduate involvement will be encouraged through not only traditional means, but also through involvement of the PIs in professional societies and REU opportunities. One of the significant barriers that slows down the global scalability of IoT devices is the energy cost. Despite a variety of already existing techniques for energy harvesting methods, the computing capability of most of the IoT devices is limited by the available power. This research embodies a novel vision on developing an efficient computing method and corresponding IoT hardware architecture tailored for wireless energy harvesting. Specifically, the existing charge-recycling theory is leveraged in a unique way and the harvested AC signal is used to directly power the IoT device. Remarkable benefits are expected from this approach, e.g., i) the power loss due to rectification and regulation are eliminated, ii) the computational unit within the IoT device operates an order of magnitude more efficiently since the electrical charge is recycled rather than dissipated to ground. This unprecedented increase in energy efficiency enhances the on-site IoT device intelligence, thereby allowing for local decision making mechanisms.