Simultaneous Wireless Information and Power Transfer (SWIPT): Recent Advances and Future Challenges

Abstract

Initial efforts on wireless power transfer (WPT) have concentrated toward long-distance transmission and high power applications. Nonetheless, the lower achievable transmission efficiency and potential health concerns arising due to high power applications, have caused limitations in their further developments. Due to tremendous energy consumption growth with ever-increasing connected devices, alternative wireless information and power transfer techniques have been important not only for theoretical research but also for the operational costs saving and for the sustainable growth of wireless communications. In this regard, radio frequency energy harvesting (RF-EH) for a wireless communications system presents a new paradigm that allows wireless nodes to recharge their batteries from the RF signals instead of fixed power grids and the traditional energy sources. In this approach, the RF energy is harvested from ambient electromagnetic sources or from the sources that directionally transmit RF energy for EH purposes. Notable research activities and major advances have occurred over the last decade in this direction. Thus, this paper provides a comprehensive survey of the state-of-art techniques, based on advances and open issues presented by simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) and WPT assisted technologies. More specifically, in contrast to the existing works, this paper identifies and provides a detailed description of various potential emerging technologies for the fifth generation communications with SWIPT/WPT. Moreover, we provide some interesting research challenges and recommendations with the objective of stimulating future research in this emerging domain.