Wednesday, May 25, 2016

6 wireless technologies for wearables

Raytac Corporation
A BT4.1 & BT4.2 module maker based on Nordic nRF51 & nRF52 solution 
(nRF51822 & nRF51422 & nRF52832 & nRF51802)
Tel: +886.2.3234.0208
email: service@raytac.com  
 https://raytacblog.wordpress.com/

Quoted from Nordic Blog

Which one of these wireless technologies is best for your wearable product?



Are you creating a wearable product, but not sure of what wireless technology to choose? The way modern APIs work, developers don’t necessarily need to know the technical details. But having a basic understanding of the underlying technology will help you make apps that are more efficient, more responsive and easier to use.
Which solution is best for your wearable product? This depends on your requirements for bandwidth, power considerations and range. Here’s a brief overview of the 6 most common wireless technologies to consider.


Near Field Communication (NFC)



NFC works best for wearables that require low power consumption. It involves the transfer of tiny amounts of data over a very short range, essentially by touching two devices together. The devices will switch between two different modes: Active and passive. The power consumption for NFC is similar to what we see in Bluetooth Low Energy, although higher when communicating with a passive tag.

If you need your wearable to transfer data over a longer range, you should look for other options.

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)



Today, most wearables are running on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE, formerly called Bluetooth Smart).
This technology is known as an easy to implement, low-cost option that requires very little power from your wearable. Your product can be powered by a coin cell battery for months - even years in some cases. But BLE comes with a compromise: Your data throughput will be limited. As most wearables generally transfer very little data, product owners can usually live with this.
The BLE chip is small, and fits nicely into an esthetically pleasing wearable that is convenient for the user to wear. A line-of-sight range of up to 100 meters is possible.

Using BLE requires your device to be paired with a host, most usually a cellphone with an app activated.

If you plan for your wearable to transfer higher amounts of data frequently,Bluetooth Low Energy may not be the best choice. Limited data transfer capacity makes this technology unsuitable for audio and video streaming, for example.

ANT



The wireless network technology ANT is a good option for sports wearables. A subsidiary of Garmin, ANT is huge in the sports and fitness segment where it is typically used for monitoring of heart rate, cycling power, distance and speed. Many of today’s cycling and fitness brands use ANT for their wearables. In fact, it has almost become a de facto standard in cycling.

The sensors and other nodes will act as either slaves or masters within a wireless network. Each node can transmit, receive or even function as a repeater to increase the range of the network. You can configure the network to spend long periods in low-power sleep mode, consuming extremely little power.

Bluetooth Classic



Initially a standard intended to cover a lot of use cases for wireless communication, Bluetooth Classic (originally named slimply 'Bluetooth', of course) found its niche in audio. Today it is the de facto standard for audio streaming, whether from your smartphone to a headset, speaker or in-car multimedia system.
Compared to BLE, Bluetooth Classic requires much higher bandwith and therefore more power. The network topology is limited and not suitable for large sensor networks.

Wi-Fi


If your wearable needs to transfer a lot of data with as little lag as possible, Wi-Fi is your best option. The technology is best when streaming huge amounts of data, like video, but its main drawback is high power consumption that will require daily battery charging.


By using Wi-Fi, your wearable product can connect directly to the Internet via a Wi-Fi Access point.
Google Glass uses Wi-Fi to transfer graphics at high data rates for a better user experience. But the high power consumption of the display, and the high CPU load, requires the consumer to charge the device frequently. Be aware that such charging requirements will be a very important factor in overall customer satisfaction.

Cellular



In a similar way to how your smartphone operates, using a cellular radio means that your wearable device can talk directly to the cellular network. Although convenient, as there is no need for a bridge device such as a smart phone to access the cloud, today’s cellular technologies are not suitable for small wearable devices. Power consumption is high and the physical dimensions are usually rather large. In the future, we will see new cellular technologies that are more competitive in the wearable space. But we're not there yet.

The best of all worlds?



Some wearables combine different wireless technologies to take advantage of different aspects of each method. The Apple Watch uses Bluetooth Classic, BLE, Wi-Fi, and even NFC for mobile payments. Nordic Semiconductor is currently the only manufacturer delivering chips that support both ANT and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), as well as NFC - all in one low power, 'system on chip' solution.

Hopefully, you’re now a little clearer on which wireless technology is best for you. If you’re still struggling, consider your product priorities. Is it size, power consumption, user experience, cost, or something else? Once you're clear on the priorities for your wearable, your wireless communication options become a lot clearer, too.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Nordic nRF52 Module Ready For Evaluation

Raytac Corporation
A BT4.1 & BT4.2 module maker based on Nordic nRF51 & nRF52 solution 
(nRF51822 & nRF51422 & nRF52832 & nRF51802)
Tel: +886.2.3234.0208
email: service@raytac.com  
 https://raytacblog.wordpress.com/


Raytac's nRF52 module <MDBT42Q series> now is ready to ship for customer's evaluation.
Customers may access to Raytac's email for further request.

Part No.: MDBT42Q-512K







Thursday, May 5, 2016

Innovation Incentive Program - A cost saving way to enter into Bluetooth world.

Raytac Corporation
A BT4.1 & BT4.2 module maker based on Nordic nRF51 & nRF52 solution 
(nRF51822 & nRF51422 & nRF52832 & nRF51802)
Tel: +886.2.3234.0208
email: service@raytac.com  
 https://raytacblog.wordpress.com/


No doubt!
After 2014/2/1, Bluetooth trademark compliance does costs a lot and actually curb developers or brand owner to get into the Bluetooth world especially those start-up companies which always encounters limited financial resource.

Upon coming up widely application of IoT worlds, those star-up companies actually not only plays the critical role, but also the engine to lead the fashion and adventure.

SIG, The Bluetooth Special Interest Group, encourage start-up members has an easy and simple way to make use of the Bluetooth Technology, provides the Innovation Incentive Program.  

    Innovation Incentive Program

      The Innovation Incentive Program is available to our start-up members.  
      The program allows companies with less than one million in revenues and no prior product listings 
      to declare up to two listings for an introductory fee of $2,500 each.                                                                    
      (Original Declaration ID cost for Adopter membership is US$8,000 each)
      Eligible members can participate in the Innovation Incentive Program one time only.
      Qualification Criteria:
  • Applicant company does not have any prior product listings—no QDLs, EPLs, or Declarations
  • Applicant company’s total annual revenue is less than $1M USD
  • Applicant company is required to provide documentation showing total gross revenue for                              the previous year or most recent accounting period
        Format for total gross revenue MUST be one of the following:
  • Tax Documents which show total annual revenue
  • Yearly Profit and Loss Report/Statement                                                                                                   must be verified and signed by a certified accountant
  • Report or Letter which verifies total annual revenue is below $1M USD—                                                  must be provided on accounting firm’s letterhead and verified and signed by certified                        accountant, and must include official link to accounting firm’s website
  • Published Annual Report

      SIG will review the application and respond within 10 business days.Once approved.
       The member must purchase and use the Declaration ID(s) within 18 months.
       When the offer expires, the member must purchase a Declaration ID at full price.


Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Using Bluetooth Brand Correctly On Your Product.

Raytac Corporation
A BT4.1 & BT4.2 module maker based on Nordic nRF51 & nRF52 solution 
(nRF51822 & nRF51422 & nRF52832 & nRF51802)
Tel: +886.2.3234.0208
email: service@raytac.com  
 https://raytacblog.wordpress.com/


The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) owns and protects the Bluetooth brand. SIG provides following information that you need to know when using the Bluetooth trademarks.
  1. User must be a member of the Bluetooth SIG
  2. User's product must be fully qualified and list in order to use the brand
  3. Below pictures are an easy-to-follow guide available that must be followed when applying the trademarks to packaging, products, websites, and other marketing materials:
  4. The Bluetooth SIG does enforce the brand guidelines








Bluetooth 4.2 (BT4.2) Frequently Asked Question

Raytac Corporation
A BT4.1 & BT4.2 module maker based on Nordic nRF51 & nRF52 solution 
(nRF51822 & nRF51422 & nRF52832 & nRF51802)
Tel: +886.2.3234.0208
email: service@raytac.com  
 https://raytacblog.wordpress.com/

With recent coming up solution and updated Bluetooth technology, customers recently pay attention about Bluetooth 4.2 (BT4.2)
Raytac has received many query about the difference between BT4.1 and BT4.2.
Here, SIG has provide a comprehensive introduction to clarify all issues related in BT4.2.
To service readers have a quick and easy review, we quoted from SIG and provided for easy reading.





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