Joint solution enables non-stop zero-maintenance operation of IoT devices

Sequans Communications and e-peas have a demonstration of a joint solution. This solution connects e-peas’ AEM energy harvesting IC with Sequans’ Monarch LTE-M/NB-IoT platform to present a self-powered cellular IoT connectivity solution, in a surprisingly small footprint, that can function indefinitely without batteries.

“Energy harvesting technology is ushering in a new era where IoT devices will no longer have to run on batteries,” said Didier Dutronc, EVP and head of Sequans’ massive IoT business unit. “This will have a profound impact on the IoT market and will greatly increase the number and types of applications that can be connected to the IoT, extending it to those applications where direct power connection or manual intervention to change batteries is not possible. In addition to the significant cost and practical advantages of this, this technology also allows for a more sustainable IoT world through elimination of the production and recycling of billions of batteries every year. Energy harvesting offers one of the most exciting visions of the IoT future, and through our partnership with e-peas, a leader in advanced energy harvesting solutions, we aim to bring this vision to reality.”

“We are excited to collaborate with Sequans on this solution combining energy harvesting with IoT connectivity,” said Christian Ferrier, chief marketing officer, e-peas. “Not only do we show the viability of energy harvesting technology, but we show how IoT companies can build maintenance-free devices that can operate autonomously, which has a huge positive impact on sustainability, total cost of ownership and device longevity.”

The companies are offering a reference design with schematics for IoT companies, allowing them to develop and build their own connected IoT devices employing energy harvesting technology.