Short-Range Wireless Technologies Square off at Technical Conference
The 2007 Short-Range Wireless Conference, again co-located with the 2007 Antenna Systems Conference, will feature 40 technical sessions from today’s leaders in wireless technology. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with technical experts and ultimately discover how new developments will impact their product performance.
Featured sessions include:
- WiMedia: The Ultra-Platform for Wireless Multimedia
Jon Rosdahl, Vice President, WiMedia Alliance (Principal Engineer, Samsung)
- WLAN Interference Casts Doubts on Zigbee, IEEE 802.15.4
Bernd Grohmann, Senior Director, Product Management, Zensys
- Uniting the Wireless PAN with Bluetooth Technology
Dr. Mike Foley, Executive Director, Bluetooth SIG, Inc.
- Antenna and Propagation Considerations for RFID Systems
Dr. Warren Stutzman, Founding Director, Virginia Tech Antenna Group
- Ubiquitous RFID: It's Not Just For Walmart Anymore
Sayan Chakraborty, CTO, SkyeTek
Get Detailed Program Information - http://www.antennasonline.com/ast07_program.html
Register Before July 27th & Save $200 - http://www.antennasonline.com/ast07_reg.html
Contact Jeremy Martin with questions!
Bluetooth Technology Expands for Ultra Low Power PAN Applications with Nokia’s Wibree
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the more than 8,000-company strong trade association responsible for advancing Bluetooth wireless technology, recently joined Nokia in announcing that the Wibree Forum, the group specifying the Nokia developed ultra low power wireless technology, will be merged with the Bluetooth SIG.
With this announcement, the Wibree specification will become part of the Bluetooth specification as an ultra low power Bluetooth technology. Because Wibree addresses devices with very low battery capacity and can be easily integrated with Bluetooth technology, it will round out Bluetooth technology’s wireless Personal Area Networking (PAN) offering and strengthen the technology’s ability to provide wireless connectivity for smaller devices.
“By including or referencing other wireless technologies like ultra wideband for high speed applications, near field communication (NFC) for association and now Wibree for ultra low power applications under the well-established Bluetooth profiles, we are opening up a host of new applications and functionality while keeping the user experience consistent,” said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director, Bluetooth SIG. “Our members have been asking for an ultra low power Bluetooth solution. With Nokia’s innovative development and contribution to the Bluetooth specification with Wibree, we will be able to deliver this in approximately one year.”
Wibree’s development started at the Nokia Research Center in 2001. Wibree was announced to a broader audience in October of 2006 and Nokia stated its intention to incorporate the technology and its current forum into an open, preferably existing industry forum to ensure Wibree’s wide adoption.
“The development work for Wibree began when we discovered a series of interesting new use scenarios that no current local connectivity solution was addressing. Now we are happy new market opportunities and space to innovate for the industry,” said Jarkko Sairanen, VP, Corporate Strategy for Nokia. “Including Wibree within an existing forum will ensure interoperability and its wide and fast adoption. The Bluetooth SIG is the optimal new home for Wibree.”
To this day Broadcom, Casio, CSR, Epson, ItoM, Logitech, Nordic Semiconductor, ST Microelectronics, Suunto, Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd. and Texas Instruments have contributed to the interoperability specification, profiles and use case definitions of Wibree in their respective areas of expertise and will continue this work in the Bluetooth SIG working groups. Several new companies, including device, watch and access systems manufacturers will join the finalization of the specification. Once the specification is finalized, the technology will be made broadly available to the industry via the Bluetooth SIG.
“Nokia’s contribution of its Wibree technology into the Bluetooth SIG as the basis for ultra low power Bluetooth specifications will continue to enhance the consumer experience of connecting to anything and anyone from anywhere with Bluetooth wireless technology,” said John R. Barr, Ph.D., chairman of the Bluetooth SIG board of directors. "This new technology, as the basis of a wide range of ultra low power devices, is a commendable advancement in Bluetooth technology."
From the start, Wibree was designed to work with two implementation options – as an easily implemented extension to a classic Bluetooth radio, and as a stand-alone implementation.
The Bluetooth SIG recognized the potential of Wibree to enhance current Bluetooth use cases around the mobile phone and PC by bringing very low power, sensor type devices into the fold. The ultra low power extension will allow watches and toys, as well as sports and wellness, healthcare and entertainment devices to be easily added to one’s personal area network. This opens a new range of mobile possibilities for end users. Thanks to its innovative design, Wibree consumes only a fraction of the power of classic Bluetooth radios. In many cases it makes it possible to operate these devices for more than a year without recharging.
By leveraging Bluetooth technology’s high consumer awareness (86 percent globally), the Bluetooth SIG’s large membership and proven development and qualification programs, the ultra low power solution will be integrated faster and at a lower cost to the industry and consumers. As stated in his March 2007 ABI Research Short Range Wireless Service, Research Director Stuart Carlaw predicted a $432 million, 809 million device industry for Wibree by 2012. Carlaw said, "We believe Wibree is a unique technology that can leverage the very positive market position of Bluetooth technology in segments such as medical, sports equipment and well-being, where the total available market is extremely large and still relatively untouched."
The work of integrating the low power technology within the existing Bluetooth specification has begun and the first version of the specification is anticipated during the first half of 2008.
For more information visit www.bluetooth.com
Don’t Miss Dr. Michael Foley’s Presentation at the Upcoming Short-Range Wireless Conference!
Ember’s ZigBee Technology Named Best New Wireless Product
Ember’s ZigBee technology recently won the Buildy Award for its high performance ZigBee platform that uses lower power, wireless technology to help make living and working environments smarter and more energy efficient.
The Buildy Awards are designed to increase awareness of the benefits of whole building integration and interoperability, and to highlight organizations and individuals who best support the vision of networked building systems. Buildy Award nominations are reviewed by the BuilConn board and selected by BuildConn attendees in an open ballot during the event.
The ZigBee Alliance, of which Ember is a founding member and promoter, was also honored at the BuildConn event, winning the Initiative Award. The winner of this award is a company or organization that has shown or launched a key initiative to enable or otherwise forward the subject of integrated and intelligent buildings.
For more information visit www.ember.com
Webcom Communications Partners with ZigBee Alliance to Offer Comprehensive ZigBee Resource Guide
Webcom Communications, in cooperation with the ZigBee Alliance, is proud to announce the Spring 2008 publication of the ZigBee Resource Guide. We are providing you with advance notification of this opportunity so that you can make room in your budget for participation. The guide is a magazine-style solutions guide, focusing solely on products, applications and standards issues surrounding this emerging short-range wireless technology. The objective is to introduce potential customers to the benefits of ZigBee, and to guide them to leading suppliers of ZigBee products and technology, like your organization.
Aside from covering the latest advancements in ZigBee technology and applications, the ZigBee Resource Guide will also feature a comprehensive categorized listing of ZigBee product & technology providers, ultimately giving your organization exposure to thousands of OEMs and end-users interested in incorporating short-range wireless solutions into their products and operations.
The annual ZigBee Resource Guide will have a print run of 25,000. Of that 25,000, the ZigBee Alliance will receive 2,500 copies for promotional purposes. Another 2,500 copies will be distributed at industry events throughout the year by Webcom. The remainder of copies will be direct mailed to system & design engineers involved in electronic products, wireless communications and network management throughout North America.
The ZigBee Resource Guide will be a “pay to play” publication. The Alliance has secured a 20 percent discount for its members. The purchase of a full-page ad entitles the advertiser to one full facing-page of editorial. The purchase of a half page ad entitles the advertiser to a half-page of editorial. Quarter-page ads entitle the advertiser to a quarter-page of editorial. The editorial materials can be a technical article, case study, application profile or product profile submitted by you.
As an added bonus, each advertiser in the ZigBee Resource Guide will also be featured in an installment of our recently launched Short-Range Wireless E-Report. This new monthly e-newsletter covers the latest products, services, regulatory and market developments in all applicable platforms, technologies and standards including Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, UWB, RFID, IR, Z-Wave, Wi-Bro, DECT, NFC, DSRC and others. For more information about the Short-Range Wireless E-Report, visit www.srw-magazine.com.
As a provider of ZigBee products and services with a vested interest in advancing this important short-range wireless standard, we strongly encourage your support of the ZigBee Resource Guide, and are happy to answer any questions or concerns you might have.
For more information contact Jeremy Martin
TechnoCom Corporation to Deliver MCNU for First Federally Funded VII Deployment
TechnoCom Corp., a provider of 5.9 GHz Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) technologies for Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) applications, has been awarded a milestone contract by Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) for its Multiband Configurable Networking Unit (MCNU). TechnoCom will supply its MCNU to serve as the DSRC roadside equipment (RSE) platform for the Proof of Concept wireless network deployment taking place in Michigan.
Beginning mid-summer of this year, more than 100 of the MCNU systems will be installed along several freeway and street intersections in the Detroit area. The MCNU will serve as DSRC wireless access points to enable vehicle-to-roadside communications and to test the VII concept of operation.
A consortium of automotive manufacturing companies will use the network of MCNU access points to test various VII services that improve safety and reduce congestion in the Detroit area. VII live test sites are expected to begin testing in 2007 and continue through 2008.
“TechnoCom is excited to be a part of the first large-scale test site for VII applications in Michigan, as VII leads the way in advancing innovative wireless communications technology for automotive safety and traffic management on our nations roadways and highways,” said Masoud Motamedi, president of
TechnoCom.
“The MCNU wireless router is a robust Linux-based software solution built on a powerful computing platform designed to provide maximum flexibility and interoperability to handle a variety of mobile communications applications. The MCNU will facilitate BAHand the VII to make important progress toward a nationwide deployment decision for the VII infrastructure using 5.9 GHz DSRC technology,” added Motamedi.
TechnoCom’s MCNU enables municipal wireless, public safety and transportation infrastructure providers, system integrators, and network operators to bring reliable, multi-band wireless communications solutions to the market for enhanced consumer mobility and safety.
The MCNU communications software solution is compliant with the IEEE DSRC/Wireless Access in a Vehicular Environment (WAVE) suite of standards for the transportation and automotive industries. The
DSRC/WAVE standards define the industry common protocols for vehicular communications operating within the FCC-licensed 5.9 GHz DSRC frequency band. The MCNU complies with the IEEE 1609.2,
1609.3 and 1609.4 standards and simultaneously supports 802.11a/b/g and p in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz and 5. GHz bands used for public access WiFi and municipal WiFi. The MCNU is licensed in the 4.9 GHz band used for a variety of broadband public safety communications applications.
For more information visit www.technocom-wireless.com
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Jasco Launches GE SmartHome Z-Wave Home Automation Line at 2007 National Hardware Show
Jasco recently launched its comprehensive GE SmartHome Z-Wave Product Line at the 2007 National Hardware Show in Orlando, Fla. The Z-Wave product line is the company’s first complete system that enables users to wirelessly control lighting and small appliances in the home using revolutionary Z-Wave technology, a RF wireless language created by Zensys.
Jasco’s GE Z-Wave Product Family brings home automation to the everyday, do-it-yourself homeowner by providing the technology and flexibility to easily create and tailor a wireless home lighting control program without the complicated installation and high price tag found with previous systems on the market.
Jasco’s GE SmartHome Z-Wave Home Automation Line features eight key products: the Basic Hand-Held Remote, Deluxe Hand-Held Remote, Lamp Module, Fluorescent Light & Appliance Module, Outdoor Module, Duplex Receptacle, Dimmer Switch, and 3-Way Dimmer Kit. These versatile products allow users to turn on/off small appliances, dim overhead lights and plug-in lamps, and create individual lighting groups and scenes all from one hand-held remote.
Home automation has long been considered a luxury, and the market did not progress past expensive systems that had to be professional installed. Jasco’s affordable GE SmartHome Z-Wave Home Automation Line ($44.95 to $69.95 per product) gives users the ability to construct one-of-a-kind lighting and appliance control systems that can easily be updated with the changing needs of the household. Users can quickly and easily add, subtract, or reconfigure the product set-up to ensure that the system continually works with their lifestyle.
All GE SmartHome Z-Wave Home Automation Products can be controlled remotely or manually at the device, act as signal repeaters to ensure the wireless command reaches its destination, and be included in groups or scene settings. Jasco’s GE Z-Wave certified product line is designed not only to work well together, but also to work with Z-Wave certified devices from other manufacturers (such as thermostats and garage door openers). Jasco’s Z-Wave product line operates at 908.42 MHz to provide the best frequency for the mesh network, as well as establish a system that is also Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cordless phone friendly.
For more information visit www.jascoproducts.com
Don’t Miss Zensys’ Presentation at the Upcoming Short-Range Wireless Conference!
MetaGeek Releases Wi-Spy 2.4X Spectrum Analyzer
The 2.4 GHz band is getting crowded, so you need better wireless networking tools to quickly resolve interference issues. Consequently, MetaGeek has introduced Wi-Spy 2.4x, the company’s second generation Wi-Spy with three times the frequency resolution, three times the amplitude resolution, and twice the amplitude range of the original Wi-Spy. With the higher resolution and improved amplitude range of Wi-Spy 2.4x, it is now easier to identify wireless signals that could be causing interference with Wi-Fi networks.
For more information visit www.MetaGeek.net
Don’t Miss MetaGeek’s Presentation at the Upcoming Short-Range Wireless Conference!
New RFID Antenna from Snyder
Snyder Antenna Systems recently introduced its miniature antenna for use in the UHF (902 to 928) band, with part number ANT-UHF-4x4-CP. The antenna was designed primarily for use in RFID applications where size and ruggedness are important factors. It has specifications equivalent to available antennas, which are typically 10 inches by 10 inches or 8 inches by 20 inches and 2 inches thick, for example, but in a package that is 4 inches by 4 inches by 0.6 inches thick. The antenna is circularly polarized and is specified with gain of 6 dBic. A return loss of 20 dB minimum is achieved across the band.
Typical applications are for portable RFID readers, or for applications where a very small, unobtrusive antenna is needed. The extreme miniaturization is achieved by fabricating the unit from a high dielectric constant, ceramic loaded organic microwave material. A low loss quadrature coupler is laminated behind the ground plane of the antenna providing good circularity of the pattern. The pattern shape is similar to the patch antennas, which are commonly used for these applications.
The antenna housing is a tough ABS plastic. Damage is unlikely even when dropped on concrete, and the sealed housing makes possible use in exposed outdoor environments. The standard connector provided is an SMA jack, but reverse polarity SMA is available if specified. Mounting is by four studs on the ground plane side.
For more information visit www.snyderelect.com
Jennic Introduces ZigBee Starter Kit for Under $200
Jennic Ltd. has introduced a new starter kit for under $200 to address the needs of developers who want to add IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee wireless connectivity to their product ranges but have little or no RF design or software development experience. It is the first design kit at this price point to offer ZigBee functionality as standard. The starter kit provides three hardware nodes (based on Jennic’s JN5139 wireless microcontroller modules) that allow users to evaluate and develop wireless sensor network applications from an easy-to-use, low-cost start point.
The key benefits are that users can easily understand 2.4GHz RF performance, experiment with network topologies, and test applications via a simple API (application programming interface). It can be expanded with additional nodes from Jennic design kits to develop a full mesh network. The starter kit is particularly suited as a development route for modules, either with an embedded application, or as a dongle to an external microcontroller.
A simple serial API can be used, either embedded with an application or via the serial or SPI ports to an external microcontroller. This serial API provides users with wireless data communications and control of the JN5139 chip peripherals.
The starter kit comprises three hardware nodes, and the boards are supplied with a 9 pin RS232 connector for interface to PCs and industrial equipment. A 40 way expansion connector, standard to all Jennic design kits, provides full access to all of the JN5139 IO functions, enabling developers to interface to external sensors and devices during the early development phases. The expansion port provides access to serial, SPI ports and GPIO’s for connection to an external microcontroller where the hardware node or module is used as a wireless dongle. A USB cable is included to allow connection to a PC for programming and the boards can be used either with an external power supply or the supplied AAA batteries.
For more information visit www.jennic.com
Tzero Unveils New Ultra Wideband Chipset for Home Entertainment Networking
Tzero Technologies has unveiled its new ZeroWire chipset (TZC7200), the first WiMedia standards-based, ultra wideband (UWB) semiconductor solution optimized for real-time delivery of high-definition video, wirelessly and over wires. The ZeroWire chipset enables service providers to create networks for distributing entertainment content throughout the entire home using existing coax cable. The chipset also gives consumer electronics manufacturers the ability to create new classes of wireless video devices – HDTVs, digital video recorders, and more – that are easier and less expensive to install.
ZeroWire opens the doors for service providers to expand next-generation broadband and IPTV services. It delivers the performance and sustained throughput to support multiple high-definition video streams. Because it works over existing coax cabling, it significantly reduces the cost of installation.
Consumer electronics manufacturers using ZeroWire can develop wireless video products including: wireless high-definition TVs, projectors, Blu-Ray and HD DVD players, game consoles, media adapters, and media center PCs. With ZeroWire, flat panel TVs can be placed anywhere without tearing open walls to run cabling, and video recorded in one room can be seamlessly accessed from another.
ZeroWire is comprised of both a Radio Frequency IC (RFIC) as well as a baseband and media access control system-on-chip. It is WiMedia compliant and provides full WiMedia networking support for seamless sharing of entertainment content.
For more information visit www.tzerotech.com
Don’t Miss the WiMedia Alliance’s Presentation at the Upcoming Short-Range Wireless Conference!
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