Organization Name: Bluetooth SIG
Industry: Wireless communications
Name of contact if available: Suke Jawanda, Chief Marketing Officer
Web references: Bluetooth SIG
Description of how social media is used for business performance
To quote Wikipedia , “Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances (using short-wavelength UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz[2]) from fixed and mobile devices, and building personal area networks (PANs).”
Ericsson (established in 1876) is credited with the invention of the technology; however today the technology is managed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). Over 20,000 organizations make up this membership. Each member works on developing the strategy for Bluetooth development and also uses the technology in their products.
How did Bluetooth technology get its name? “The name “Bluetooth” is taken from the 10th century Danish King Harald Blatand – or Harold Bluetooth in English …. he had been instrumental in uniting warring factions in parts of what is now Norway, Sweden, and Denmark – just as the technology is designed to allow collaboration between differing industries such as the computing, mobile phone, and automotive markets”.
What started out as an alternative to a RS-232 data cable has evolved to open up a world of innovative applications.
BlueMaestro created the Pacifi which monitors a baby’s temperature and transmits the data, via Bluetooth Smart, to a smartphone app. It has a built-in proximity sensor that monitors where the child is and sends an alerts when the child wanders off or when the child loses or hides the pacifier.
With a stethoscope from 3M Littmann® the physician can listen to the heart while the stethoscope sends the information using Bluetooth technology to a PC, laptop or mobile device. And with wearable electronics the patient data can be transmitted on demand.
And what about “stuff” that just makes life easier.
The new Coolest, promoted on Kickstarter, takes the portable cooler to the next level. This 60 quart capacity cooler has among other features a built-in ice crushing blender and waterproof bluetooth speaker.
Kwikset has introduced an eKey, which is an encrypted electronic key that moves your physical key into the digital world through a phone app.
In a blog posting titled Bluetooth SIG on the Future of the IoT, the author, Nanci Taplett, discusses how the speakers at Bluetooth world “shared insights on how Bluetooth® Smart technology is making the Internet of Things a practical reality for billions of people by efficiently connecting everything from the novel to the life saving and everything in between”.
According to Suke Jawanda, Chief Marketing Officer for Bluetooth SIG “The major OS providers see the future. They also see Bluetooth Smart as enabling the connection to hundreds of millions of sensors to the phones, tablets, PCs and TVs, their OS powers. Now they are taking it a step further with streamlining data interoperability”.
Lessons for others
- Never underestimate where a technology can go
- Dream and find solutions to make it reality
- Partner with others to find complimentary technologies
References:
Submitted by: Sandra Kodis, SMBP Student, University of Waterloo
To contact the author of this entry please email at: sandra.kodis@nrc.gc.ca
If you have concerns as to the accuracy of anything posted on this site please send your concerns to Peter Carr, Programme Director, Social Media for Business Performance.