Interview with Jim Katsandres, Bluetooth SIG
Networking thousands of sensors
Following its triumphant advance in consumer electronics, Bluetooth has also established itself in industry. Andrea Gillhuber asked Jim Katsandres, Director of Developer Relations at Bluetooth SIG, why Bluetooth is so successful in the industry.
Bluetooth is a widely used wireless standard. How do you find out which new functions and standards are required?
Bluetooth can be found in many applications. That is why the members of our user organization Bluetooth SIG come together in working groups and discuss possible new functions. In principle, it is our members who decide in which direction the technology will be further developed - be it in the commercial sector or in industrial automation. In addition, our business development strategists are constantly on the lookout for new technologies and trends in the various market segments and thus also bring further input from non-members into our organization.
Now Bluetooth is a useful standard in both the commercial and industrial sectors. How do you reconcile the different requirements of the two markets?
In fact, most people know us from the consumer environment and here primarily through the transmission of audio signals. However, all of our technologies can also be used in the commercial and industrial sectors. Which signals we transmit is ultimately up to the user.
Where is Bluetooth used today?
You will find Bluetooth at various levels. Bluetooth Low Energy, for example, is used in point-to-point communication. Applications for this can be found almost everywhere: in medical technology, for example in fitness trackers, in smart homes, industry and also in the office, for example when connecting a keyboard to a PC. There is also a broadcast topology, known as beacon technology. The transmitter-receiver principle also applies here: signal transmitters are placed in a room and send signals at set intervals. A receiver, for example a smartphone with the appropriate app, can use these signals to determine the position in the room and display the relevant information. This technology is also the fastest growing and can be used for asset tracking, in-house navigation and point of interests, for example. This technology is frequently used at many airports, but also in museums and sports stadiums.
Then there is Bluetooth Mesh, which allows over 30,000 Bluetooth devices to be connected to each other in a network without each individual Bluetooth device being connected to the others. This allows you to control thousands of lights at once, for example. This technology is also interesting for industry, as it can be used to control and monitor large sensor networks.
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