IoT devices present unique RF engineering challenges driven by constraints on size, cost, power consumption, and operating environment diversity.
Range vs. Power Trade-offs
IoT devices often need to communicate over long distances while operating on small batteries for years. Technologies like LoRa, NB-IoT, and Sigfox address this through different approaches to the range-power trade-off.
Antenna Challenges
Small device enclosures severely constrain antenna design. Achieving acceptable antenna efficiency in compact form factors requires careful co-design of the antenna and device housing, accounting for nearby components and the user's hand or body.
Coexistence
IoT devices often operate in shared spectrum (ISM bands) alongside Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and other technologies. Robust coexistence design prevents performance degradation in dense RF environments.
Regulatory Compliance
IoT devices must comply with RF regulations in every market where they're sold. Designing for multi-region compliance from the start avoids costly redesigns for different regulatory requirements.