KEYNOTE: Towards Practical SWIPT: Energy-Aware Wireless Systems for Future IoT and Space Applications

This keynote will focus on the transition of SWIPT from a largely theoretical construct to a deployable technology, highlighting the practical challenges that arise when moving from analytical models to real-world implementations. The talk will review recent advances in waveform and modulation optimization for joint energy and information transfer, including multisine, OFDM-based, and non-linear-aware signal design approaches that explicitly account for rectifier behavior and hardware constraints. Beyond signal design, the presentation will examine system architectures and application scenarios where SWIPT can provide tangible benefits, ranging from dense and heterogeneous IoT networks with battery-less or energy-constrained nodes to emerging space and NewSpace use cases, including low Earth orbit (LEO) platforms and distributed sensing systems. Particular attention will be given to the integration of SWIPT concepts in spaceborne and hybrid terrestrial-satellite systems, where power efficiency, robustness, and hardware simplicity are critical. A central emphasis of the talk will be placed on hardware-oriented design strategies that enable practical SWIPT deployment, including rectenna co-design, RF front-end architectures, antenna and matching network considerations, and the impact of non-linearities and impedance dynamics. The presentation will be supported by experimental results, prototype demonstrations, and insights gained from collaborative laboratory and field trials, illustrating both the performance potential and the remaining open challenges. The talk will conclude by outlining key research directions and standardization-relevant considerations needed to accelerate the adoption of SWIPT in future energy-aware wireless systems for IoT and space applications.