Page 10 - Spring 2024

SUSSEX SCIENTISTS DEVELOP

POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE TO

BLUETOOTH

Researchers at the University of Sussex have
developed a potential alternative to Bluetooth
that could have wide reaching implications for
electronic devices such as mobile phones.

The underlying technical theory involves the use
of electric waves for data transmission, a method
which contrasts markedly with the traditional
approach of utilising electromagnetic modulation,
which is used for Bluetooth, WiFi and 5G.

The main advantages of this pioneering approach
lie principally in its low power consumption,
which is especially useful for the short-range
communication that is common in personal
We can improve the battery life of wearable
and smart home devices. It is expected to
extend battery life during everyday tasks such technology and home assistants, for example,
as streaming music or using fitness trackers, as by using electric field modulation instead of
well as paving the way for innovative interactions Bluetooth. This solution will not only make our
with technology. Wearables equipped with this lives much more efficient, but it also opens novel
technology could, for example, allow phone opportunities to interact with devices in smart
numbers to be exchanged with a handshake or homes. The technology is also low cost, meaning
doors to be unlocked with a simple touch. it could be rolled out to society quickly and easily.
If this were mass produced, the solution can be
Professor Daniel Roggen of the Engineering and
Design Department at the University of Sussex, miniaturised to a single chip and cost just a few
states: pence per device, meaning that it could be used
in all devices in the not-too-distant future. “
“ We no longer need to rely on electromagnetic
modulation, which is inherently battery hungry. Reference: West, P., Electronic Specifier, 2nd. January

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