Zero-Battery Asset Tracking: Multi-Party Collaboration for Sustainable Development

In our daily life, batteries work a lot and cannot be overlooked. These energy cubes have almost penetrated into every aspect of our life, from smart phones and laptops to electric vehicles and energy storage system supporting power grids. Although they have actually brought many conveniences, these batteries do pose great environmental challenges as well. The waste and degradation of these batteries will damage our soil and water sources, which usually take many years to recover.

To achieve a win-win situation between fragile environments and technological advancements, the eco-friendly idea of converting solar or ambient light power have gradually emerged. Even though IoT devices consume small amounts of batteries, we still believe small changes can bring big impacts. This time, we innovatively introduce an advanced Bluetooth ambient light harvesting asset tag, which is the contribution from various sides - Dracula Technologies, e-peas Semiconductors, Nordic Semiconductor and MOKOSMART.

Combined Synergies: Achieving a Completely Battery-Free Design

Tailored to redefine eco-friendly asset tracking, our M10 Bluetooth tracker introduces a completely self-sufficient and zero-battery architecture that brings together powerful strengths from every side. This advanced technology is powered by the integrated Organic Photovoltaics (OPV) technology from Dracula Technologies. By removing the traditional silver layer from its front photovoltaic panel, this tracker significantly enhances the ability of photon absorption. This structural improvement contributes to outstanding light collection efficiency, enabling the tracker to seamlessly convert environmental energy into electricity energy. It works well in both indoor artificial lighting and natural light environments.

Minimizing transmission losses is completed by a highly efficient power management system. M10 utilizes an advanced e-peas PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit), which acts as an efficient energy storage system to reduce transmission losses, to maximize power generation. This setting ensures stable operational abilities even in ultra-low light environments. If the ambient light completely disappears, the on-board stored power supply can broadcast continuously for up to 48 hours with an interval of one second.

Designed to reach a world-class connectivity, M10 tracker uses robust hardware from MOKOSMART with a Nordic semiconductor chip. Leveraging BLE 6.0 and channel sounding technology, this device delivers high-precision positioning capability along minimized latency. Completely working without traditional batteries, M10 eliminates both further battery replacement costs and hazardous electronic wastes, operating with zero consumption of power grid transmission. Featuring a slim and thin form, this maintenance-free tag could be easily installed on shipping pallets or cargo containers, boasting a durable operating lifespan to over a decade across various application scenarios like warehouse, logistics, and more.

Executive Quotes from Each Side

“At Dracula Technologies, we believe the future of IoT lies in energy autonomy”, said Alain Jutant, VP Sales from Dracula Technologies. “Seeing MOKOSMART, a Chinese leader in IoT hardware and asset tracking solutions, adopt our Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) technology in the M10 asset tracker is a strong signal that the industry is ready to move beyond battery-dependent systems. This collaboration demonstrates how ambient light energy harvesting can power a new generation of maintenance-free IoT devices.”

Christian Ferrier, CMO of e-peas, commented: “Removing the battery is one of the most effective ways to make IoT both sustainable and truly maintenance-free. With e-peas energy harvesting technology at its core, the M10 turns ambient light into a stable power source, proving that high-performance tracking no longer has to depend on batteries. We are proud to contribute to this project and to a greener generation of connected devices.”

“We highly value the environment and actively embrace the transformative potential of innovative technologies. The M10, a typical product utilizing ambient IoT technology, is a fantastic effort from every side”, added Jerry Li, co-found of MOKOSMART. “With an aim to build a more sustainable environment, we will continue to work with global partners to unlock powerful synergy between technological integration and ecological sustainability, creating a much smarter and greener future together.”

Moving forward, continuous technological innovations will open up broader possibilities for sustainable development. At MOKOSMART, we redefine asset tracking by proving that high-quality performance and zero-carbon goals could coexist seamlessly. Our journey will not stop here; by expanding our partner ecosystem, we are actively shaping a more sustainable world. The vision of building a highly intelligent and eco-friendly future will be truly transformed from a grand blueprint into a shared reality.

About Dracula Technologies

Dracula Technologies is a DeepTech pioneer specializing in organic photovoltaic (OPV) technology, revolutionizing the space of printed energy harvesting and storage. Our flagship technology, LAYER®, generates power from low-intensity ambient light, thereby enabling innovative IoT solutions without batteries. Dracula Technologies has proven to provide the most energy-efficient solution to the IoT ecosystem.

About e-peas

e-peas S.A. is a fabless semiconductor company aiming to develop ultra-low-power, high-performance circuits such as energy harvester interfaces, microcontrollers and image sensors, to ease the deployment of maintenance-free, easy-to-use and reliable sensor nodes by increasing their battery lifetime and ultimately making them energy-autonomous.

About MOKOSMART

MOKOSMART is a leading manufacturer and provider of ODM, OEM, and IoT devices in China. The company specializes in IoT technology and offers a comprehensive range of products, including BLE, LoRaWAN®, Wi-Fi, RFID, GPS, LTE, UWB, and other wireless technologies. MOKOSMART's commitment to innovation and diverse wireless solutions paves the way toward a connected future.