Backscatter communication-based wireless sensing (BBWS): Performance enhancement and future applications

Communication (BackCom) enables wireless sensing and communication by reflecting wireless signals (such as radio frequency (RF), acoustic and visible light (VL)) from a source to a receiver using a backscatter tag at an ultra-low (microwatt) power level. Hence, backscatter communication-based wireless sensing (BBWS) could enable ubiquitously and battery-free applications (such as human and plant physiology, orientation sensing, and localization). Despite existing surveys and literature on BackCom, a study on leveraging BackCom for WS is still lacking. This paper takes the first approach in discussing applications of BackCom in WS and techniques for enhancing performance (such as power management, channel model, range and coverage, throughput, security, quality of backscatter signal, modulation, and coding) in BBWS applications. It also discusses future sensing applications where BBWS is applicable and research issues related to such applications.