Integrated Ambient IoT and RF-Sensing for Industrial Mobile Assets

Industrial automation has become increasingly essential over the past few decades. Achieving optimal automation requires the integration of new technologies into manufacturing and production processes. In this context, ambient Internet of Things (A-IoT) and radio frequency (RF) sensing technologies serve as key enablers of the industrial revolution. A-IoT facilitates energy-efficient communication for sensors, autonomous ground and aerial vehicles, and robots. Concurrently, RF sensing techniques offer precise real-time environmental awareness, along with device-free localization and tracking of mobile devices. This synergy fosters a highly efficient system for both communication and localization, significantly reducing the energy demands typically associated with these critical functions in mobile industrial devices. In this article, we discuss how integrated A-IoT and RF sensing technologies can contribute to the industry revolution and review use cases. We discuss their standardization aspects, implementation challenges, and future capabilities. Finally, we present a case study on how integrated A-IoT and RF sensing can enable energy-efficient communication and environmental awareness for automated guided vehicles (AGVs).