Core Insights - The article discusses the advancements in self-powered System on Chip (SoC) technology, particularly focusing on Everactive's PKS3000, which can operate without a stable power source by harvesting energy from the environment [5][54]. - The PKS3000 is designed for low-power applications, making it suitable for large-scale IoT deployments, especially in hard-to-reach locations [5][8]. Group 1: Self-Powered SoC Technology - Everactive's SoC can collect energy from environmental sources, eliminating the need for wiring or battery replacements, which simplifies the deployment of IoT devices [5][8]. - The PKS3000 operates at a power consumption of 12 microwatts at 5 MHz, with a base power consumption of 2.19 microwatts, showcasing significant energy efficiency [8][51]. - The SoC utilizes a 55 nm ultra-low power (ULP) process and includes an Arm Cortex M0+ microcontroller, which is one of the lowest power cores available [12][51]. Group 2: Energy Harvesting and Management - The energy harvesting power management unit (EH-PMU) in the PKS3000 can simultaneously collect energy from two sources and output power across four voltage rails [14][21]. - The EH-PMU employs maximum power point tracking (MPPT) to optimize energy collection efficiency, storing energy in capacitors to ensure operation under adverse conditions [16][21]. - The energy-aware subsystem (EAS) monitors energy collection, storage, and consumption, making power management decisions similar to Intel's power control unit [24][28]. Group 3: Communication and Connectivity - Everactive's wake-up radio (WRX) allows the SoC to maintain a low-power state while being able to quickly respond to incoming messages, significantly reducing idle power consumption [35][39]. - The WRX can achieve a sensitivity of -92 dBm while keeping average power consumption below 6 microwatts, which is notably lower than traditional Wi-Fi solutions [43][44]. - The WRX's design allows for shared antenna use with external transceivers, providing flexibility in network design [39][44]. Group 4: Comparison and Future Outlook - The PKS3000 demonstrates a significant improvement over its predecessor, the PKS2001, with idle power consumption reduced from 30 microwatts to 2.19 microwatts [51]. - The article highlights the potential for self-powered SoCs to address sustainability concerns in high-power applications, contrasting them with the energy demands of AI technologies [54]. - There is speculation about the future applicability of low-power SoCs in a broader range of use cases as technology advances [54].