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Intel showcases future tech at IDF




Wireless USB and UltraWideBand (UWB)

Alereon's wireless USB dongle
(click for larger image)
Perhaps one of the most-anticipated technologies to make its debut in the third quarter of this year, wireless USB is simply a wireless version of the popular Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection that's available on almost every computer in the market today. Like the current USB 2.0 standard, wireless USB offers a transfer speed of up to 480Mbps. This is achieved via an ultrawideband (UWB) radio communication technology which uses a range of frequencies from 3.1GHz to 10.6GHz, instead of the 2.4GHz employed on 802.11g wireless systems. One Wireless USB connection can be used to connect to as many as 127 compatible devices.

According to Jeff Ravencraft, Intel's Technology strategist, and President and Chairman of USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the new wireless protocol is expected to be used first in imaging products such as digital cameras and printers as well as external storage devices. He also expects Wireless USB products to ramp up much faster than the wired USB devices when they were first introduced.

Did you know?
Ultrawideband or UWB is a radio technology that allows high-speed wireless data transfers between devices within a short distance. It can also be used together with other wireless technologies such as wireless 1394 (FireWire) and IP over UWB.

While proprietary wireless USB technologies have been unveiled much earlier, the Certified Wireless USB specifications 1.0 announced at IDF is a certification program the USB-IF group hopes can ensure the interoperability and security of wireless USB equipment, Ravencraft said. A Certified Wireless USB logo will accompany all products which meet the necessary specifications.

Initial introduction of wireless USB will require a dongle or add-on card to be connected to enable connection between devices. This will be replaced by integrated modules in later stages. Ironically, wireless USB connection between devices can be first established by connecting a USB cable to both devices. Alternatively, a pin code can be used to connect the two devices, much like how Bluetooth devices are linked these days.

Why wireless USB when there is already Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in the market? According to vendors CNET Asia spoke to at IDF, the key advantage of wireless USB is its speed. Bluetooth offers up to 12Mbps transfer speeds while wireless USB can theoretically hit up to 480Mbps (within 3m or 110Mbps within 10m). More importantly, wireless USB is said to consume only half the power required for Wi-Fi. This is expected to be an attractive wireless option for use on mobile devices where battery drain has always been a critical issue.

 

 
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