Libelium has launched a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module to connect its Waspmote sensors to smartphones and other computing devices at the Internet of Things Asia conference. The Waspmote will work with both iOS and Android devices, and should allow all Waspmote compatible devices to connect to smartphones.
The module will allow the device in which it is fitted to connect to the internet via the bridged Bluetooth connection with a smartphone. This means that a device without the hardware to make a direct connection to the web can piggyback the internet connection of the mobile device.
The Waspmote sensor interfaces with six communication protocols via interchangeable radio modules that can be fitted to the main Waspmote circuit board, now with BLE as a module option.
The other available protocols include WiFi, 802.15.4 (6LoWPAN), NFC, 3G, GPRS and ZigBee. It was designed to connect any sensor to the cloud over any of the compatible protocols.
BLE (also referred to as Bluetooth Smart) is a low power short-range communication protocol that can provide contextual and locational awareness and interactivity to devices. The Waspmote module claims to enable ‘sensor devices to function as real time location systems with encrypted data transactions.’
Libelium says that the primary function for the new BLE module is found in iBeacon implementations, which push information and promotions to shoppers based upon their location in the store. This will allow a store to connect shop furnishings and displays to the web via a potential customer’s smartphone.
This will then allow the BLE-enabled fitting to engage a shopper in the hope of generating or influencing a sale decision, or as Apple has successfully trialed completing the transaction without the need for a teller. iBeacons
The very low power usage allows a device to enjoy a very long battery life, which can usually be measured in years.
The security of the connection should also be protected by the AES 128 encryption that can be used in both master and slave mode. Libelium claims that this will allow paired transmissions to be securely sent between the node and the smartphone.
The module has also achieved CE, FCC and IC certification, which allows it to operate globally. It can also operate in the 850/900/1900/2100MHz cellular bands for long range communication.
Libelium’s CTO David Gasc’n said that the company ‘sees Bluetooth Low Energy and Bluetooth Smart connectivity as an efficient, energy-saving option for everyday objects and new IoT applications in categories such as home automation, healthcare, retail mobile tracking, and security.’
Libelium has previously partnered with IBM to run the Mote Runner SDK on top of the Waspmote. The ‘infrastructure platform for wireless sensor networks’ consists of two parts, a run time environment for the hardware and a development environment for applications.
IBM said that the Mote Runner is based on a ‘virtual machine tailored from scratch for resource-constraint hardware environments which introduces a new byte-code language and run-time library on top to provide a purely event-driven and thread-free programming model.’
The Waspmote’s modular design means that one board is compatible with all of the 6 communication protocols simply by swapping a radio module around. However, this inevitably means that cheaper single-focus alternatives could be manufactured for companies which know what they want. Similarly, the ability to swap is not something that many companies will be interested in once they have deployed the Waspmote.
In its current guise, the Waspmote’s modularity is more useful for developers than end customers, but the product does prove the usefulness of a very small and flexible backbone for IoT devices and the diverse range of ever-shrinking sensors.
As of now, the Waspmote has been the core of water and air quality sensors, smart city and metering implementations, GPS and even radiation sensors ‘ powered by batteries, solar panels and fixed power lines.