The Digital-Based Operational Transconductance Amplifier (DB-OTA) has
been proposed in 2013 aiming to the systematic, scaling-friendly
fully-digital implementation of traditional analog functions in
integrated circuits. The DB-OTA concept and its evolution over the last
ten years is summarized and analyzed in this Letter, starting from the
first proof-of-concept prototype based on off-the-shelf components up to
the most recent time-evolving variants, highlighting the potential of
this approach in satisfying the ultra-compact area, ultra-low voltage
and ultra-low power required by energy autonomous Internet of Things
(IoT) sensor nodes and next-generation biosensing. Perspectives of this
technology will be finally delineated.