Bridging the Last Mile: Utilizing QR codes, e-Paper and Smartphones to Link Low-Power IoT Data Collection Devices to the Internet

While wireless technologies are common solutions to the last mile problem for IoT systems, challenges exist with devices that are in remote locations, sparse deployments, have power and cost constraints, and low data applications as the cost of wireless and the supporting infrastructure presents barriers to entry. This work presents a last mile solution relying on smartphones to bridge the gap between the data generation device and the internet. A unique, low-power solution is presented based on QR codes and e-paper displays that allows a user's smartphone to carry the power and processing burden for data transmission. Utilizing the persistent nature of e-paper displays with low power requirements, QR codes can efficiently communicate data with minimal power impacts to a device's power budget and create large communication windows for user data pickup, leveraging the power of the smartphone without the need for extensive user training and costly infrastructure.