Summary
In this episode I spoke with Abelino, a principal engineer, to answer a common question: Can you create a low-power embedded system using Nerves? The short answer is no—at least, not if your definition of "low power" means running on something like a coin cell battery. However, with the right approach, you can still run Nerves efficiently on battery-powered embedded systems.
The discussion covered strategies for optimizing power consumption, including using large-capacity lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries and implementing power-saving techniques such as CPU frequency scaling. While these approaches can extend battery life, they still won’t match the ultra-low power consumption of microcontroller-based systems. A more advanced solution is to use heterogeneous processors that combine microcontrollers (M cores) with application processors (A cores). This allows the system to manage power intelligently, keeping the high-power cores offline until needed while maintaining system supervision with the low-power cores.
For developers who require even greater power efficiency, shifting entirely to microcontrollers running an RTOS like Zephyr may be a better option. While this approach sacrifices the benefits of Nerves and the Elixir ecosystem, it enables ultra-low power consumption, sometimes down to microamp levels. The conversation highlighted how microcontrollers have become increasingly powerful, offering features like Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and even cellular connectivity while maintaining minimal power draw.
Ultimately, the choice between Nerves and a microcontroller-based system depends on the project's needs. If you require the flexibility and robustness of an embedded Linux system, Nerves remains an excellent choice. However, for applications demanding extreme power efficiency, microcontrollers running Zephyr RTOS offer a compelling alternative.
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