Ambient IoT: zero-energy devices, backscatter communication

Ambient IoT Device Categories

Ambient IoT introduces ultra-low-power and zero-energy devices into the 3GPP ecosystem, targeting use cases like inventory tracking, smart labels, and environmental sensing at costs below $0.50 per device. Three device categories are defined: Category A devices are fully passive with no battery, harvesting all energy from incident RF signals and communicating via backscatter modulation of the reflected signal. Category B devices are semi-passive with a small battery assisting the backscatter process for improved range and reliability. Category C devices have an active receiver powered by a…