A journalist recently said to me:
“The trouble with IoT is that it isn't making a visible difference yet.”
I had to disagree, at least in part. IoT IS making a difference but a key part of that difference isn't visible: The connected microcontroller, which is changing the rules for developers and designers.
One day all devices will be connected and here are three reasons:
Bluetooth Low Energy has enabled a vast range of new devices to be developed that connect to your smartphone.
Perhaps the most popular of these new devices has been the activity monitor. Devices like Fitbit, or Misfit Shine have almost no user interface on the device. Instead they relay their data to the smartphone where it can be viewed and interpreted with rich, vivid visualizations.
Misfit Shine 2 with its minimal user interface
Fitbit iOS App provides rich user interface for coaching
By building a device that has a wireless connection to a smartphone, the designer has the freedom to create rich and changing user interfaces that are delivered through our treasured smartphones.
Perhaps more importantly, it enables the user experience to evolve. In the short term, that means benefitting from the latest screen technology, touch and gesture control of the smartphone. In the future, it means that the embedded device will be able to interact with augmented or virtual reality headsets or wearable technology.
In addition to user interface, the wireless connection adds value to the device in that it expands the device’s capabilities beyond the boundaries of the hardware. App developers can interact with the device, combining additional services and other devices to create much greater value. For example an activity tracker can gain mapping and social competition experiences from third-party designers, or can share updates that can be viewed on other products.
Embedded microcontrollers used to require the developer to lock the features before the device shipped. Once in the hands of the user, therefore, it wasn’t possible to adjust the behavior to the needs of new applications or changes in social trends. Adding connectivity to the microcontroller frees the developer and designer to add features and enhance the product after it has shipped.
All embedded devices want to connect, and the value to the designer and the developer is far greater than the marginal cost of the technology. So I believe that all embedded devices will add connectivity.
The only question is which technology. At the moment the technology that is leading that innovation is Bluetooth Smart. In the ARM Wireless Business Unit, we are delivering that radio technology as IP to enable the next generation of connected devices. We call it ARM® Cordio® and today it is qualified to the latest Bluetooth 4.2 standard.
Next week is Bluetooth World the event where developers and designers congregate to discuss the future of the technology.
I will be presenting a keynote explaining why Bluetooth Smart adoption will continue to grow and the reasons for its success. I’ll also be explaining how ARM and its partners are delivering the technology to support this growth.
My colleague Charlene Marini (charlenemarini) will also be participating in a panel looking at whether the Internet of Things is Hype or Hope, with participants from Amazon and Google among others.
You can read about ARM presence at Bluetooth World here and here as well.
I hope to see you there!
Paul Williamson is general manager of the ARM Wireless Business Unit.