RFicient® – Ultra-Low-Power Receiver Technology
for the Internet of Things

RFicient® is the solution for all wireless applications that are designed to provide an operating life of several years with a minimal amount of maintenance.

The ultra-low-power receiver technology RFicient® continuously monitors a radio channel while providing a very low power consumption in the order of microwatts and reaction times in the range of milliseconds. This enables around-the-clock operation of wireless applications and increases their operating life significantly - up to ten years without battery replacement or even fully autonomous operation via energy harvesting.

© Fraunhofer IIS/ Manuela Wamser

Our Portfolio

A crucial criterion for IoT applications is minimal power consumption. Continuous wireless connectivity consumes a significant portion of battery capacity, which typically limits the operational duration of wireless sensor nodes.

Our RFicient® solutions open new perspectives by enabling continuous access to data and real-time information with low latency and minimal power consumption. This significantly increases the battery life of wireless sensor nodes and ensures a much longer operational duration. In addition to hardware and sample chips, an evaluation kit is also available. These components allow for quick and easy commissioning, supported by expert assistance in setup and implementation. Additionally, we offer customized development services with IP blocks to help you meet individual requirements and realize your visions in a long-term and energy-efficient manner.

Discover how RFicient® can revolutionize your IoT applications!

Integration and Hardware Availability

The RFicient® technology is available in hardware for a variety of applications at different integration levels. Our offering ranges from evaluation kits, samples, and prototypes to the development of custom solutions. Together with our distribution partner, the Leistungszentrum Elektroniksysteme (LZE), we provide our technology as a single standard chip in a QFN16 package or in an evaluation kit:

 

RFicient® FH101RF IC

  • Detection of two separate wake-up patterns
  • SPI slave interface to host
  • Error-tolerant data decoding
  • Tolerates co-channel interference with bit error rates up to 16%
  • Operating temperature range: -20°C to 85°C
  • Compact QFN-16 package: 3mm x 3mm
 

RFicient® Evaluation Kit

  • Two RFicient® Development Boards including 25 samples of the RFicient® FH101RF
  • Various connection cables and antennas (TX band: 433/868/2400MHz; RX band: 433.92/868.3/24xxMHz)
  • RFicient® software components
  • Documentation incl. sample applications

Development Services and Solutions

RFicient® was developed to meet the requirements of most applications. If specific requirements are needed, we offer our customers additional customized solutions.

Our services include evaluation and feasibility analyses, system design, as well as the development of ASICs and IP blocks. We support our customers at every stage of the development process.

Outline of RFicient development services and solutions
© Fraunhofer IIS/ Manuela Wamser

Applications

Smart Home

  • Building automation
  • Energy management systems
  • Security and monitoring systems
  • Environmental monitoring
  • Control of HVAC systems
  • Intelligent lighting systems

Logistics

  • Indoor localization
  • Geofencing
  • Asset tracking
  • inventory management
  • Warehouse automation
  • Real-time monitoring of supply chains

Automotive

  • Keyless entry
  • Connected Cars: Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication
  • Fleet management
  • Maintenance and diagnostic notifications
  • Vehicle condition monitoring

Industry

  • Condition monitoring
  • Wireless control
  • Wireless sensor networks
  • Energy management systems
  • Inventory monitoring
  • Predictive maintenance

Retail

  • Inventory management
  • Smart shelves and smart labels
  • Demand analysis
  • Local marketing
  • Navigation
  • Customer loyalty systems

Healthcare

  • Body area networks
  • Ambient assisted living
  • Fitness monitoring
  • Patient identification and verification
  • Emergency alarm systems
  • Intelligent implants

More information and download area

 

Download

RFicient® White Paper

Find out how RFicient® overcomes the biggest challenges in the field of IoT and be inspired.

 

Download

RFicient® Fact sheet

All important information about the RFicient® ULP Wake-Up Receiver FH101RF

 

Press release

RFicient®-Chip wins Fraunhofer-Prize 2022

The RFicient® chip brings sustainability to the Internet of Things: Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize 2022 goes to a team of developers at Fraunhofer IIS

 

Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Prize 2022

Impact through originality and excellence

On the evening of May 19, 2022, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft presented awards for outstanding projects at its annual conference in Hamburg.

 

Genesis of ultra-low-power-wakeup-receiver RFicient®

From the first sketch to the production-ready ASIC – discover the innovative journey of the RFicient® ultra-low-power wake-up receiver!

 

Press release

Cooperation with EBV and RoodMicrotec

Fraunhofer IIS gives access to new technologies using EBV Chips platform.

Turnkey manufacturing services for chips will be performed by RoodMicrotec.