Ambient IoT towards 6G: Standardization, Potentials, and Challenges

TL;DR

This paper reviews the standardization efforts, technological potentials, and challenges of Ambient IoT as a key component for 6G connectivity, supported by practical demonstrations and field experiments.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive survey of A-IoT standardization, analyzes enabling technologies, and presents a practical demonstration system with experimental validation.

Findings

Standardization efforts by 3GPP are progressing.

A-IoT technologies show promising efficiency in field tests.

Identified key challenges for future research in A-IoT.

Abstract

The Ambient Internet of Things (A-IoT) has emerged as a critical direction for achieving effective connectivity as the IoT system evolves to 6G. However, the introduction of A-IoT technologies, particularly involving backscatter modulation, poses numerous challenges for system design and network operations. This paper surveys current standardization efforts, highlights potential challenges, and explores future directions for A-IoT. It begins with a comprehensive overview of ongoing standardization initiatives by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) on A-IoT, providing a solid foundation for further technical research in both industry and academia. Building upon this groundwork, the paper conducts an analysis of critical enabling technologies for A-IoT. Moreover, a comprehensive A-IoT demonstration system is designed to showcase the practical viability and efficiency of A-IoT techniques, supported by field experiments. We finally address ongoing challenges associated with A-IoT technologies, providing valuable insights for future research endeavors.