Ambient Backscatter Communications for Future Ultra-Low-Power Machine Type Communications: Challenges, Solutions, Opportunities, and Future Research Trends

The widespread applications of massive MTC are limited by energy availability, spectrum congestion, and device costs. The emerging AmBC not only addresses these bottlenecks but also opens opportunities for new applications. This article aims to explore AmBC-enhanced future ultra-low-power MTC. In this context, we present the development trends in AmBC prototype designs and discuss potential applications, highlight the specific features of the AmBC technology, and review AmBC receiver designs. Finally, we investigate and outline the future research challenges and trends from the practical aspects of AmBC systems.