Backscatter Communications for Green Internet of Things: Practical Prototypes, Open Challenges, and Standardization

Backscatter communication (BC) has emerged as a vital technology in the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem due to its low power consumption and cost-effectiveness. Its advancement, ambient back-scatter, enables energy harvesting and supports simple system design, which allows for battery-free and easily deployable IoT devices, thus accelerating the evolution toward a more sustainable and energy-efficient green IoT. However, the transition from theoretical research to practical applications remains long and challenging. This article provides a comprehensive overview of BC systems in the context of green IoT. Specifically, we review the recent prototype designs and examine their potential applications. Additionally, we explore future trends in ambient backscatter for practical deployment and discuss key challenges. Finally, we introduce the ongoing standardization processes in advancing BC technology for sustainable IoT applications, bridging the gap between theoretical research and real-world implementation.