Semiconductor maker Wiliot has demonstrated what it’s calling the first-ever sticker-sized Bluetooth sensor tag incorporating an ARM processor powered solely by scavenging energy from ambient radio frequencies. The chip, glued to a simple antenna printed on plastic or paper, can authenticate the proximity of a product by transmitting an encrypted serial number along with weight and temperature data from a device the size of a postage stamp. Eliminating most of the components associated with traditional Bluetooth, these tags significantly lower sale and maintenance costs.
The tags use Wiliot’s nanowatt computing to communicate with any device enabled by Bluetooth Low Energy, such as smartphones, Wi-Fi access points and Internet of Things (IoT) devices that can connect to digital displays, Wi-Fi and LTE cellular networks. Applications and remedies include:
- Bluetooth tags can be embedded in the production phase of consumer goods, allowing real-time tracking through the manufacturing process, to the warehouse and from the store to the end consumer—all while being sensed for critical information.
- At the retail level, the Wiliot transponder can overcome the limits of human-readable product information on tags or packaging, unlocking interactive engagement through the consumer's own phone or displays.
- At home, consumers can communicate with their products to get instructions and reminders of when and how to use them, and Wiliot-enabled containers can automatically reorder themselves when empty.
- Valuable products can be tracked in case they are lost or stolen without having to add a dongle with limited battery life.
- Clothing with Wiliot tags can communicate with washing machines to ensure whites never turn pink.
For more information, visit Wiliot.