We might be one step closer to an Internet-of-things
reality.
University of Washington engineers have created a new
wireless communication system that allows devices to interact with each other
without relying on batteries or wires for power.
The new communication technique, which the researchers call
“ambient backscatter,” takes advantage of the TV and cellular transmissions
that already surround us around the clock. Two devices communicate with each
other by reflecting the existing signals to exchange information. The
researchers built small, battery-free devices with antennas that can detect,
harness and reflect a TV signal, which then is picked up by other similar
devices.