Bluetooth 4.0 devices to "run for years" on watch battery

 

Gallery

By Nicole Kobie

Posted on 7 Jul 2010 at 10:32

Get ready for wireless homes and bodies, now that the spec for Bluetooth 4.0 has been approved.

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group has approved the latest specification, which focuses on dramatically reducing power consumption, paving the way for tiny wireless sensors.

Some of these new low energy devices will be able to operate for years on just a tiny, button-sized battery

"Some of these new low-energy devices will be able to operate for years on just a tiny, button-sized battery," said Mike Foley, executive director of the SIG in a blog post.

"The ability to run on such a miniscule amount of power - as little as 10% of the energy used by classic Bluetooth devices - will enable a host of new uses for wireless products in everything from sports and fitness to healthcare and home entertainment," he said.

Such devices could include wireless heart-rate sensors, pedometers and GPS locators for athletes and health monitoring, as well as home automation tools to control security, lights, appliances and temperature.

The SIG even suggests Bluetooth-enabled watches, which would notify users if they leave their mobile phone behind.

Products using the Bluetooth 4.0 spec should be on the market by autumn of 2011, Foley said.