As anyone who has ever used a smartphone knows, battery life is a constant issue. But Duke University researcher Justin Manweiler may have figured out one way to alleviate the problem: By changing how devices use Wi-Fi signals.
Dubbed “SleepWell”, the system alters the behavior of a Wi-Fi device while neighboring devices are downloading information via a Wi-Fi signal. If one device is using the signal, adjacent dormant devices will detect it and cut off their own Wi-Fi access. This practice, Manweiler says, cuts energy usage on both dormant and active devices.
The idea is certainly a promising one, especially as the number of Wi-Fi-enabled devices continues to increase. There is no indication on whether the technology will ever make it into actual devices, but if its as good as Manweiler says it is, it won’t be long before we hear more from the project.
[PhysOrg]
