For most people, Bluetooth is a short range technology which connects their mobile phone to a headset. However, Bluetooth is gaining traction in a wider range of cable replacement applications.
Whilst most consumers realise they have Bluetooth in their phones and PDAs, few know that it’s also driving their Wii and Playstation 3 controllers. Even fewer are aware of the way in which Bluetooth has quietly been replacing proprietary radios in a diverse range of embedded devices. Today, Bluetooth has become the short range radio of choice for many medical and automotive applications, as well as dominating the wireless Chip and Pin credit card reader, where it performs more than 5million secure financial transactions every day.
These embedded products are more demanding than most consumer applications. They depend on the Bluetooth wireless link as a key part of their functionality. They also need low power, robust construction, guaranteed performance and, most importantly, they need range.