Packetcraft CEO, John Yi, was invited onto the Elektronik Stage at Embedded World 2024 in Nurenburg, Germany this spring and interviewed on the topic of "Bluetooth 3rd Wave of Innovation Enables Commercial & Industrial Applications - Not Just Consumer." Bluetooth's recent topologies expand beyond basic data packet deliverability or applications in the consumer audio sector. Industrial implementations have included asset tracking, inventory management and condition monitoring.
Digital transformation is synonymous with the widespread use of connected devices (Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) within an industrial environment. In many cases, enterprises will seek to enable connectivity of these IIoT devices with low-cost, low-powered solutions capable of being deployed at scale. For these reasons, Bluetooth® technology is increasingly essential in digitalizing factories, warehouses, smart buildings, farms, hospitals, retail stores, mining sites, and other enterprise settings. The wireless technology facilitates various industrial applications by providing short-range communication capabilities. ABI Research forecasts more than 600 million annual shipments of Bluetooth®-enabled industrial devices by 2028, nearly a six-fold increase from 2022 -Andrew Zignani | Senior Research Director for ABI Research's Strategic Technologies
Examples of Industrial and Retail Bluetooth Applications:
Asset tracking and inventory management – energy harvested (throw away) sticker sensors can be added to shipment containers from factory to destination. We also see technology that will allow Bluetooth to be received by satellites when out of reach of gateway infrastructures.
Talking Sensor – deployed Bluetooth sensors can provide safety and warning alerts directly from sensors to the hearing protection devices
XR/VR/AR – low latency and low power isochronous connections are used to connect controllers. LE Audio delivers high fidelity audio in a synchronized manner.
Condition monitoring – Bluetooth offers large wireless networks for preventative and predictive machine maintenance and is set to grow with 32M condition monitoring solutions by 2026. Ambient IoT sensors can tag products environmental conditions of equipment or products shipped from factory to retail stores.
ESL (electronic shelf labeling) is the lead application for Bluetooth v5.4. ESL deployments in retail stores or warehouse inventory systems. As a star network topology one device can manage and communicate with up to 15,000 nodes in a single environment.
Recent advancement utilizing satellite assistance when out of reach of gateway infrastructure have also expanded viability in new environments offering scaleable solutions that are reliable, standardized, environmentally friendly and low cost. Bluetooth is a strong contender in the digital transformation of the industrial and commercial industries and also compliments other players including cellular and 5G in unique ways that provide enhanced versatility and cost-effective solutions. Below is the full interview.
If there is interest in exploring further applications utilizing these new Bluetooth topologies, Packetcraft is a Bluetooth software company that offers leading-edge, custom-designed licensed Bluetooth solutions to expedite production, reduce energy, scale communications and accelerate time to market. Book a meeting here.