Why do connected devices use ultra low power radio for long-term sensing?

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Why do connected devices use ultra low power radio for long-term sensing?

Asked on Oct 18, 2025

Answer

Connected devices often use ultra low power radio technologies like Zigbee, LoRaWAN, or BLE for long-term sensing to maximize battery life while maintaining reliable communication over extended periods. These protocols are designed to minimize energy consumption by optimizing transmission power, duty cycles, and data rates, making them ideal for IoT applications where devices need to operate autonomously for months or even years.

Example Concept: Ultra low power radios achieve energy efficiency by employing techniques such as low duty cycle operation, where the radio is only active for short bursts to send or receive data, and adaptive data rate, which adjusts the transmission speed based on signal quality. This reduces the time the radio is active, conserving battery life while ensuring that the device can still communicate effectively over the required range.

Additional Comment:

Ultra low power radios are crucial for battery-operated IoT devices deployed in remote or hard-to-reach locations.
They often support mesh networking, which extends the communication range without increasing power consumption significantly.
Choosing the right radio technology depends on the specific application requirements, including range, data rate, and energy budget.

✅ Answered with IoT best practices.

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