Indoor fixes to aid GPS in location-based applications
Based on ultra-low power impulse radio technology developed by Belgium-based research organisation imec, and the Eindhoven, Netherlands, Holst Centre, the new chip delivers real-time information to track and trace people and objects in indoor environments. Its combination of high accuracy, long range and low power consumption is ideal for both business and consumer applications.
BlinkSight CMO Guus Frericks comments, “Adding highly accurate indoor capabilities to connected devices such as smartphones paves the way for a broad range of consumer applications across ‘Internet of Things’ segments such as smart homes, offices and retail.”
BlinkSight’s system solution uses the ultra-low power ‘impulse-radio’ (IR) developed by imec and Holst Centre which enables real-time 3D location information that is accurate to within 10 cm. The device combines digital processing elements and sophisticated analogue radio functionality in a single chip, enabling superior performance at a low cost of ownership. It can operate in both the 3.1-4.8 GHz and 6-10 GHz bands for use around the world and seamless co-existence with other wireless technologies.
With an operating voltage range of 1.5 to 3.6 V, the new device is suitable for battery-powered applications. Together with its small form factor and low power consumption, this makes it suitable for integration into tags, wireless sensors, base stations and mobile devices. A base station equipped with BlinkSight’s technology could track and trace thousands of fast moving tags in real time. In addition the tags are interactive and capable of sending dynamic data for example, temperature.
The company says its solution is easy to install, and thanks to the collaboration with imec it has been able to bring a working solution to market very fast; there was a focus on minimising power consumption, tags powered by energy harvesting should be available soon. BlinkSight aims to bring a complete turnkey system to market and wants to work with industry leaders to bring accurate indoor fixes, to augment GPS capabilities, to connected devices.
“Imec was a pioneer of impulse radio and the first to demonstrate an integrated impulse radio prototype. We are thrilled that BlinkSight is now successfully bringing the technology to market.” said Harmke de Groot, Program Director Ultra-Low Power Wireless and DSP at Holst Centre/imec.
Fabricated in standard 90 nm RF-CMOS, the chip is manufactured at TSMC in Taiwan; its features include; single chip impulse radio transceiver optimised for indoor GPS applications, in standard 90 nm RF-CMOS technology; uses a single 1.5 to 3.6 V power supply; has embedded-software-programmable ultra low power 128 bit vector DSP using less than16 pJ / cycle; offers range of over 60m LOS (Line of Sight) or over 20m N-LOS (No Line of Sight); offers 3D positioning accuracy better than 10 cm; and will run for over 5 years operation from a standard coin battery.
www.imec.be and www.blinksight.com
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