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Current trends in hand-held devices pose new challenges to embedded system industry. Among them, the most vitals are that these devices must be lightweight, smart in size and long lasting. The displays, keypads and batteries are usually the most prominent hardware of these devices. Current state of the art technologies such as membrane techniques results in reduced weight and size for keyboards and displays. Unfortunately, advances in battery technology is not in pace with current processing demands and contributes maximum towards device size and weight. Considering the recent advancements in processing technologies, proliferation of ubiquitous computing and wearable devices, more intelligent power consumption of VLSI and VVLSI circuits has become a vital issue.

This paper surveys progress made in the field of battery-powered real time embedded systems based on dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) enabled processors. This paper also enables designers of such systems to develop an understanding of three influential factors namely: i) the capabilities and limitations of the batteries that power these systems, ii) latest power efficient techniques that result in maximizing battery life and, iii) the reasons for incorporating appropriate techniques into their intended powerefficient products.