Dialog’s WiFi networking SoC earns top results for power efficiency

The demand for battery operated IoT devices has intensified the adoption of low power WiFi. Dialog’s development of the DA16200, an SoC leveraging Dialog’s VirtualZero technology, delivers a breakthrough in battery life for WiFi-connected, battery-powered IoT devices such as smart door locks and wearables.

The EEMBC IoTMark-WiFi is a benchmark that examines the energy efficiency of WiFi devices that are expected to have months, or more, of battery-life and typical IoT messaging demands. Unlike other methods of assessment which use simple datasheet electrical characteristics to provide power numbers for each individual hardware blocks, the IoTMark-WiFi uses a comprehensive assessment of the entire platform in a real world scenario.

This approach is an industry first for WiFi, and ensures that the score is a valid measure of a platform’s energy efficiency in real world use cases. Dialog’s score of 815 is equivalent to about 815 days of battery life for an IoT sensor running on two AA batteries.

“Today’s IoT sensors require frequent battery replacement which significantly impacts the customer experience,” said Sean McGrath, Senior VP and General Manager, Connectivity and Audio Business Group at Dialog. “We designed the DA16200 to specifically address this issue and provide a leading battery lifetime. Leading the EEMBC IoTMark-WiFi benchmark is a significant achievement. In scoring higher than the competition, Dialog has demonstrated its leadership in power efficiency and the WiFi market.”

“The IoT is transforming industries from industrial to home applications, with many of these new connected devices requiring a combination of long battery life and extremely low power,” said Mohamed Awad, Vice President, IoT Business at Arm. “By leveraging VirtualZero technology and the Arm Cortex-M4 processor, Dialog’s WiFi SoC empowers customers to build disruptive, power efficient IoT products for the future."