  In this article, we survey the main models, techniques, concepts, and results
centered on the design and performance evaluation of engineered systems that
rely on a utilization-dependent component (UDC) whose operation may depend on
its usage history or assigned workload. Specifically, we report on research
themes concentrating on the characterization of the capacity of channels and
the design with performance guarantees of remote estimation and queueing
systems. Causes for the dependency of a UDC on past utilization include the use
of replenishable energy sources to power the transmission of information among
the sub-components of a networked system, and the assistance of a human
operator for servicing a queue. Our analysis unveils the similarity of the UDC
models typically adopted in each of the research themes, and it reveals the
differences in the objectives and technical approaches employed. We also
identify new challenges and future research directions inspired by the
cross-pollination among the central concepts, techniques, and problem
formulations of the research themes discussed.
