Do Micropower Sources Meet the Needs of the Internet of Things?

Abstract

The rapid global adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT), combined with the ongoing trend toward device miniaturization, has marked the emergence of compact, connected technologies. However, as device dimensions continue to decrease, power sources remain a critical bottleneck. Micropower sources (<1 cm2) must balance the inherent trade‐off between physical size and achievable energy and power densities. Although advances in materials and design are steadily improving performance within small form factors, a comprehensive assessment of how well current micropower technologies meet the energy and power requirements of modern IoT devices is still lacking. This Perspective aims to: 1) define the opportunity space for miniaturized energy storage systems within IoT technologies, 2) survey the commercial and research landscape of micropower sources, and 3) critically evaluate whether current micropower solutions fulfill the demands of existing and emerging IoT applications.