When Nokia first started talking about Wibree, its new Ultra-Low Power(ULP) wireless communications technology, the gadget press was abuzz with talk about Wibree as a “Bluetooth replacement.” Bloggers bemoaned yet another wireless technology. Others questioned the timing of the announcement, considering Wibree products still only exist in the R&D department nearly a year later. With its goofy name, you might mistake it for a failed business from the 1999 dot-com era.
As it turns out, the speculation about competing with Bluetooth was premature. Far from competing, Wibree was clearly developed to integrate with Bluetooth. It operates in the same 2.4GHz range and can use the same antenna and radio as the Bluetooth component—making it inexpensive, piggybacking on the Bluetooth hardware. The protocol itself uses one of the 79 RF channels defined in the Bluetooth protocol for its data transmission. Oh, and the name? It’s a portmanteau of “Wireless” and the Old English word “bree,” meaning “crossroads,” which is an apt description of how Wibree interoperates with Bluetooth. With Wibree developed with the Bluetooth specifications so closely in mind, it was not surprising that the Bluetooth SIG made Wibree’s place in the Bluetooth family official: Wibree is now an official part of Bluetooth, allowing low-power devices to effectively communicate with their higher-powered hosts.
Relatively Speaking
It’s true that Bluetooth itself was designed to be a low-powered networking alternative to general wireless Ethernet (802.11b and its ilk) technology. As efficient as Bluetooth is, it is still not suited for every low-power task. The size of the components and antenna are easily fit into a cell phone, but look awkward on a wristwatch or a wireless keyboard. And the power consumption, while low, still leaves battery life measured in days or hours.
By contrast, Wibree operates off button-cell batteries—the same kinds used in digital watches, hearing aides, and pocket calculators for decades. The antenna is small enough to be integrated into very small electronics such as watches and sensors.
How it Comes Together
The Bluetooth SIG offers several scenarios where Wibree technology would be useful. One of these is in athletics. You might remember seeing the Gatorade commercial featuring the man running on a treadmill, sweating profusely, with a dozen sensors taped to his body as a laboratory technician writes on a notepad. Now imagine that instead of a lab, you’re at home on your own treadmill. Instead of a multi-thousand dollar EKG machine, you have a dozen Wibree-enabled sensors taped to your body. On a chair next to your treadmill, you have your laptop powered up with a Wibree/Bluetooth USB dongle attached. As you run, the sensors transmit their data to the laptop, where monitoring software displays the results.
Since Wibree can be easily integrated into a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone, you can take this scenario on the road so you can gather statistics to measure the effectiveness of your workout regimen. You might use similar sensors, except you’re going to the gym so you take your Wibree/Bluetooth cell phone. As you complete your workout routine, the cell phone captures the data and stores it on its internal memory. When you get home, you can then sync the data with your laptop for processing later.
Let’s say you’re a spokesperson preparing for a big speech. You have your speech stored on your Windows Mobile smart phone with Mobile Office. As you go over your notes, you spot a few errors that you need to fix. Instead of digging out your laptop or driving over to the office, you simply unfold a small portable keyboard and start typing. Thanks to Wibree’s energy efficiency, the keyboard can be light and compact—and work for days instead of hours off a wristwatch battery.
With a Wibree-enabled wristwatch, you may never need to worry about the time again. Or the date. Or the weather. It’s not quite Dick Tracy, but its pretty close. The watch simply synchronizes the date and time information from your cell phone in much the same way that your PC synchronizes its clock over the Internet. With the press of a button, you can instantly switch from time to date to weather report functions or other tidbits of data—all pulled effortlessly from the Wibree-enabled phone in your pocket.
Wither Wibree?
With all the hoopla over Wibree, the next obvious question is, “Where’s the beef?” The technology has been in development for more than half a decade and was finally given a name almost a year ago. When it was announced, Wibree products were expected as early as Q2 2007—a time that has come and gone. According to Wibree’s online “Frequently Asked Questions” list (FAQ), the final Wibree specification is supposed to become available in the first half of 2008—this means products will follow behind it a year later.
Posted August 14, 2007 by BlueTomorrow.com Editorial Staff
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