A Comprehensive Survey on Data Converters for IoT Applications: Scope, Issues, and Future Directions

Data converters significantly contribute to efficient and accurate data processing in Internet of Things (IoT) systems. As IoT expands into agriculture, industrial automation, and healthcare (AIH), precise and low-power data conversion has become crucial to support longer battery life and reliable performance in IoT devices. Efficient data converters are key to reducing energy use, especially in components like comparator circuits, which consume significant energy in successive approximation register analog-to-digital converters (SAR ADCs). This survey provides an in-depth review of recent developments in low-power data converter design, examining techniques that help reduce power consumption at various stages. It emphasizes advancements, such as energy scaling, dynamic voltage references, and architectural optimizations that enhance efficiency without compromising performance. A specific analysis of emerging technology trends, such as the application of machine learning in data converter design, is explored to stimulate further innovation. Machine learning (ML)-based optimization, including adaptive calibration, noise reduction, and real-time performance optimization, presents new opportunities for enhancing efficiency and accuracy while addressing critical design constraints in IoT applications. While quantum encryption offers promising advancements in securing IoT data transmission, a broader security perspective beyond encryption is necessary, including concerns, such as attack detection and data integrity, ensuring the robustness of IoT systems. This review also examines latency, signal integrity, and accuracy issues, offering a roadmap for next-generation converter designs and reducing power consumption in data converters, which are fundamental to enhancing the performance and lifespan of IoT devices.