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What affects real world RF performance? RF is sometimes seen as a kind of “Black Magic”, where things behave in some mysterious unfathomable way. In other cases, it is treated like just an add-on to standard digital electronics with little special attention needed. The truth is, RF follows predictable rules, but it is a fundamentally

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) encompasses a wide range of products, and many of the most common and useful are in the low tech category, such as the humble hard hat or face mask. Such products are low cost and effective. However technology based solutions are supplementing simple physical protection to an increasing degree.  In the

Wearable devices generate unique challenges for radio communications. Radio solutions are designed for the “default case” of the RF component sitting on a PCB, mounted in a plastic box, with an air gap around the PCB, and an optimised keep out zone and ground plane. This is logical for an all-purpose design, but not for the

Early IOT devices were typically based on quite simple architectures. Typically, they would incorporate a simple microprocessor, a sometimes separate radio chip (often Bluetooth Low Energy), and some sensors; their only function would be to gather some data and transmit it onwards to other systems. Since then, IOT devices have developed enormously in terms of

Bluetooth Low Energy has established itself as one of the most successful communication technologies over the 15 years of its existence. Arguably it was the technology that launched the IOT revolution. However, whilst its success in the domain of low power data transfer is undisputed, attempts to use it as a locating technology have had

Many of the demonstrations of Bluetooth Channel sounding seen at Expos or other similar event have used Multiple Antenna solutions (MIMO). This has been promoted as giving the most accurate result, which is true, but not quite the whole story. To recap briefly, in Bluetooth Channel sounding, you measure the phase difference between different channels

Keys are an invention so ancient that we don’t even think of them as a technology. The earliest lock and key mechanisms date back to ancient Egyptian times, with the ancient Romans introducing metal keys like the mortise locks of today. Nevertheless, key technology has continued to evolve, and there has been an increasing trend

The Artificial Intelligence revolution is well underway. We actively use AI via services like ChatGPT, DeepL natural language translation services and the “Assistants” in the latest phones, smart speakers and photo editing services. We are also  passive users when we interact with many entities via phone or online services, with AI being used at least

When the Bluetooth 6.2 specification update was announced, most of the attention seemed to focus on Channel Sounding as the hot new technology now available with Bluetooth devices. As a result the other new features slipped by under the radar. This article looks at the Short Connection Interval feature of the update; what it is,

The “Smart City” sounds like a science fiction vision of the future. In reality, we already live in Smart Cities, at least to a degree. We travel – whether by car, foot or public transport – with the aid of mapping software. We pay for tickets or parking with our phones. The numbers of people

The “Internet of Things” is something of a catch all term, but at heart it is all about providing connectivity between electronic devices and the internet. In a large fraction of cases that involves wireless connectivity, because frequently the connectivity is being added to existing devices, and adding a wireless connection is an order of

(First Published in IOT Insider) We all know what WiFi is for – fast wireless connections between computers/phones or other devices and the internet. And what we expect from a WiFi upgrade is more of the same – faster speed. This is what the progression from WiFi 3 to 4 to 5, has offered – speed

On 9th December 2020, the Bluetooth SIG released revision 5.2 of Bluetooth. One of the key upgrades was the addition of BLE Audio (“Bluetooth Low Energy Audio”). Releasing a spec is just the start of a process. It is only today that real IOT devices are finally available with BLE Audio capability. Read the article on Electronics

We increasingly manage our lives via a bewildering array of technological devices and services. The IOT revolution offers us the promise of “everything connected” to make our lives simpler, freer and healthier. However, our reliance on technology could also be a threat if malign actors can gain control of our devices and systems. IOT devices

Bluetooth Low Energy is arguably the technology that “launched” the Internet of Things. The issue with “classic” Bluetooth was that it needed a continuous connection, which in turn meant it had rather limited battery life, and thus battery powered devices required frequent recharging. It also limited the use cases for which it could be easily

Anyone following the development of Bluetooth Low Energy will have heard about Bluetooth Low Energy Audio. But what is it, exactly? Is it the same as Bluetooth 5.2? And does that mean Bluetooth 5.2 compliant devices support BLE Audio ? There are a lot of misconceptions around what BLE Audio is, and what is available

Combining UWB and BLE radios can create efficient secure entry systems. To understand why this is so, it is important to have knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the two underlying radio technologies and how they fit together to create practical and secure entry systems. Introduction to UWB Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) radios have been

The market for wearable electronic devices has undergone dramatic growth over the last decade, from a small starting point in 2010 to a major segment of the electronics industry. Precise figures vary, but a CAGR in excess of 20% seems common to most reports with an overall market size of multiple billion dollars under a

Nick Wood, President, Insight SiP explains how design engineers can use SIP (Systems-in-Package) to squeeze ever more functionality into ever smaller spaces. System in Package is a way of providing a complete system in what looks externally like a single component (like a chip in a QFN package), but which inside are increasingly sophisticated systems,

Designers often want to test the performance of RF products such as Bluetooth modules as part of the product selection process. However, they may find the final performance of their products in the field bears little relationship to their lab tests. This article discussing some of the issues around testing RF products and in particular

Angle of Arrival – Where are we? Bluetooth “Angle of Arrival” was included in the Bluetooth 5.1 Core Specification, which was released in January 2019. As with all Bluetooth updates, there were several changes within the specification, but Angle of Arrival (AoA) was the only one that gained any real attention. Read full article on EPDT

The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) came into force on 10th December 2024, with a 36 month period permitted for its previsions to be implemented. We are now roughly halfway through that implementation period, so time is getting short to ensure product compliance. The obligation to report “severe incidents and security breaches” starts even sooner, being

There has been an explosion in the use of Short Range Wireless Solutions in recent years, driven principally by the arrival and development of the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard. Whilst plenty of short range wireless solutions existed previously, their uptake was limited. This was either because they focussed on narrow niches such as Zigbee

The healthcare/medical and wellness wearables market flourishes, thanks in part to wireless IoT connectivity provided by RF modules. In this article, we look at the market, key trends and innovative wearables in this space including some in which our RF modules are embedded. Wearable healthcare and wellness devices market   Juniper Research estimates that the worldwide

Over the last decade, processors used in embedded systems have become increasingly sophisticated. Not long ago, simple 8 or 16-bit microprocessors were common. Now ARM core 32-bit processors are almost standard. Read full article on CIE Online. Dual core processors arrive The latest innovation has been dual core embedded processors. For instance, Nordic Semiconductor and ST

The management of workplace health and safety risks in the Covid-19 era has highlighted the importance of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for workers across industries including healthcare. Designers are now integrating technology, and often wireless solutions into equipment to create smart PPE. However, RF devices worn close to the body pose challenges, which Nick Wood,

Ultra-Wide Band has been a kind of “Cinderella” technology for some time – attractive in many ways, but not really invited to the technological party. Or perhaps the classic “solution in search of a problem”. This article will look at Ultra-Wide Band technology (UWB), what it has been used for, why it hasn’t really become