Bluetooth joins forces with UWB

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) this week announced plans to collaborate with ultrawideband technology developers in an effort to enable Bluetooth to meet the demands of high-speed synchronization and the transfer of large data files.

“The intent is to create an architecture that allows different radios to run alongside and underneath the Bluetooth protocols and profiles, so that a device implementing this architecture will be able to seamlessly negotiate up to higher speeds,” said Michael Foley, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG. “We have members that have invested in ultrawideband technology as well as Bluetooth, and all the members want to have higher bit rates available for applications such as streaming video.”

According to Foley, the collaboration will benefit both technologies. Ultrawideband will enable Bluetooth to deliver enhanced services requiring higher data throughput while maintaining existing values like low power, low cost and ad-hoc connectivity; meanwhile, UWB should benefit from Bluetooth’s brand equity and market penetration.

Details of exactly how Bluetooth and UWB developers will collaborate remain in the discussion phase.