A Case Study: Sustainability in the Context of Ambient-Powered IoT
摘要
While previous chapters have explored sustainability objectives at the level of large-scale Information and Communications Technology (ICT) systems, this chapter examines sustainability from the perspective of device-level design and deployment. We focus on the concept of ambient-powered Internet of Things (IoT), where Energy-Neutral Devices (ENDs) harvest energy from their environment, such as light, radio frequency, or thermal gradients, operate autonomously without wired power or frequent battery replacement, and communicate wirelessly with the infrastructure. This chapter proposes a categorization of ENDs based on their energy storage and operational profiles, ranging from ultra-passive devices with no energy buffering to continuously operating systems with rechargeable storage. We discuss associated design trade-offs and illustrate their use through selected prototypes and case studies. Furthermore, we analyze the sustainability implications of END adoption across economic, societal, and environmental dimensions, and outline a preliminary Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework tailored for such devices. The chapter concludes by discussing how energy harvesting principles embodied in ENDs can be extended to support more broadly sustainable ICT infrastructures.