Nuances in ultra-low power designs for wearable products

With the ever-increasing functionality incorporated into the latest wearable devices, power management remains a key innovation area. Specially designed ultra-low power management is required to best operate activity trackers, smart watches, and audio-related devices (audibles). But what exactly does ultra-low power mean to these systems? For every wearable system, ultra-low power design requires a system-level approach with careful consideration of quiescent current and shutdown current to achieve optimal power management architecture.