RFicient® Wake-Up Receiver – Ultra-Low-Power IoT Breakout Board

3.5 microamperes separate your IoT vision from reality – the difference between 10 years and 10 weeks of battery life.

The energy problem in the IoT world is simple and brutal: devices must constantly listen in order to respond to commands. This constant listening consumes energy. A typical radio receiver draws 10-50 mA – with a 200 mAh button cell, that means weeks instead of the promised years. Your customers expect maintenance-free devices, but get battery-hungry energy guzzlers.

The RFicient® Wake-Up Receiver technology from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS solves this dilemma radically. With a current consumption of less than 3.5 µA, the chip continuously monitors the radio channel – that is 10,000 times less than conventional solutions. Nevertheless, it responds to incoming signals in just 32 milliseconds. The secret: the chip sleeps with its ears open.

Choose the right variant for your project:

The RFicient® FH101RF IC is the solution for developers who want to integrate the chip directly into their designs. In a compact 3x3mm QFN-16 package, it fits on any circuit board. The SPI interface connects seamlessly to your microcontroller. You get pure technology for maximum design freedom.

The RFicient® Breakout Board speeds up your prototyping. The FH101RF is already assembled, the connections are brought out, and the SMA connector is ready for your antenna. No SMD soldering, no RF design challenges – just plug it into your breadboard and get started. Ideal for initial testing and quick proof-of-concepts.

The RFicient® Evaluation Kit is the complete solution for serious development. Two development boards enable immediate transmitter-receiver testing. 25 IC samples are sufficient for several prototypes. Cables, antennas and software are included. The application notes on sensor networks, bootloaders and evaluation options drastically reduce your development time.

The technology behind it is impressive:

The selective wake-up function with 16-bit ID specifically addresses individual devices from 65,536 possible ones. No broadcasting chaos, no false positives, no energy waste. Each module sleeps until it is really needed.

The multi-band capability (433/868/915 MHz and 2.4 GHz) makes the solution globally applicable. One design for Europe, the USA and Asia. The fault tolerance of up to 16% bit error rate guarantees reliable operation even in disturbed environments – industrial halls, residential areas, everywhere.

Real-world applications demonstrate the potential:

Smoke detectors that really do run for 10 years without a battery change. Smart home switches without cables and without maintenance. Industrial sensors in tanks and pipes that deliver data for years. Fitness trackers that last for months instead of days. Asset trackers that still report forgotten containers after years.

Fraunhofer IIS – inventor of MP3 and AAC – brings decades of experience to these chips. This is not start-up technology with an uncertain outcome, but German research excellence in its purest form.

The choice of the right variant depends on your project:

Start with the evaluation kit if you want to evaluate the technology comprehensively. Choose the breakout board for quick prototypes and tests. Go for the IC when your design is ready and you are going into production.

Choose your RFicient® variant now and revolutionise your IoT applications. From chips to complete kits – the future of energy-efficient wireless communication starts here.

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