Wireless Communication

Out of Thin Air

Presented By
Annette Maria John(14MCE0017)
Subhajit Chatterjee(14MCE0018)
Naumi Krishna K Panicker(14MCE0019)

Introduction
We're one step closer to a true Internet of
things with the development of new
technology that lets devices communicate
with each other using existing TV and Wi-Fi
signals.

The most impressive part?

They don't require batteries.

The New Technology, The New

Future
A team of researchers from the
University of Washington
just unveiled a
new communication technique
that doesn't require any human
attention.
Known as "AMBIENT
BACKSCATTER", this technology
literally creates a network out of
thin air, and the devices can go

Ambient backscatter??

Harvesting Power From Thin Air.

Ambient Backscatter transforms existing wireless
signals into both a source of power and a
communication medium. It enables two battery-free
devices to communicate by backscattering existing
wireless signals.

How it works??

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.

Design Challenges
Mainly 3 challenges are faced:
The ambient signals are random and
uncontrollable.
The receiver has to decode these signals on a
battery-free device which significantly limits the
design space by placing a severe constraint on
the power requirements of the device.
Since there is no centralized controller to
coordinate communications, these devices need
to operate a distributed multiple access protocol
and develop functionalities like carrier sense.

Block Diagram

Ambient Backscattering Transmitter

Switch
Modulates the impedance of the antenna and causes
a change in the amount of energy reflected by the antenna
Input 0
Transistor is off, impedences are matched
Very little of the signal reflects
Input 1
Transistor is on
Larger scattered signal amplitude

Ambient Backscattering Receiver

Samples the analog signal
Performs demodulation
Decoding in the digital domain
Received samples- combination of the wideband TV
signals and the backscattered signals

Demodulator Circuit

Envelope detection and Averaging circuit

Smoothens out the natural variations in the TV
signal
Compute-Threshold circuit
Produces a threshold between the two levels
Comparator
Compares the average envelope signal to the
threshold

Applications
Everyday objects could be
enabled with battery-free
tags to communicate with
each other.

Smart Card Application

Grocery Store
Application

Smart Card Application

Passive cards can
communicate with
each other
Its applications are
money

transfer
between credit cards
paying bills
to implement a digital
paper technology

Grocery Store Application

Ambient

backscatter can also be used to tell when an

item is missing or out of place on a shelf in a grocery
store.

Other Applications

Smart sensors could be placed permanently inside

nearly any structure.

Text messages and emails

Smart phones

Future Scope

Wearable computing, smart homes and selfsustaining sensor networks.

Researchers are trying to advance the capacity and

increase the range of this device

Pros & Cons

Pros Cons
more power-efficient

Range is very little

does

not require a dedicated

power infrastructure

maintenance
interference

cost is negligible

with TV Receivers is negligible

Conclusion

This technology can really enables us to put sensors on

everything, and to turn every normal object into a smart
object that can interact with every other object and
computer on the internet.
Youve seen what happens when billions of people are
persistently online thanks to mobile phones; now imagine
what would happen if you added billions of traffic signals,
cars, supermarket shelves, refrigerators, and air
conditioning systems to the mix.

THANK YOU