Up until now, nearly all short-range wireless technologies relied on two forms of communication: Infrared and using radio waves. A third rare method of communication is using magnetic induction. Although it was developed back in the 1950's, it never became popular, as it required four-foot wide coils and cumbersome gear to work. Up until recently, it was only used for industrial, scientific and medical use.
Aura, a nine-year-old chipmaker as it claims has managed to shrink the equipment required for magnetic induction wireless technology down to a single chip. This makes it possible for use in cordless headsets for mobile phones as well as in home entertainment equipment to communicate with a personal computer to access music and movies. The Department of Defence also makes use of this technology for rifle-mounted video cameras wireless transmission to the user's helmet-worn monitor.
While Bluetooth and Infrared are other very popular short-range wireless technologies, but they are prone to interference and drain a lot of power from batteries. As Bluetooth uses radio waves, the signal they transmit travels endlessly in every direction. This makes them prone to interception. Magnetic induction also creates waves, but they don't grow beyond four-feet (~1.2 metres), thus making them more secure than radio waves. Magnetic induction also consumes very little power compared to generating radio waves and are less prone to interference unlike the unlicensed crowded bands assigned to bluetooth, Wi-Fi and so on.
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This week, Troy, Mich.-based manufacturer Fonegear began selling cordless cell phone headsets that use the properties of a magnetic field. The headsets, which cost between and each, are the first wave of mass-market electronic devices that use a new generation of magnet-powered wireless technology. The next to debut will likely be routers that let home stereos and televisions wirelessly connect with a personal computer to play songs or movies, sources said.
The Department of Defense is also using a magnetic approach with rifle-mounted video cameras that can wirelessly beam images to a helmet-worn monitor. Using the gear, next-generation warriors won't have to expose themselves to enemy fire during battle by poking their heads out of a foxhole or around a corner. At the heart of the new interest in what's known as "magnetic induction" is Aura, or so claims the nine-year-old chipmaker, founded by a group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduates. The company has spurred a fresh look from manufacturers because it's managed to take an approach that used to require four-foot-wide wire coils and other cumbersome gear, and shrink it onto a single chip, said Aura Vice President Dan Cui. Developed in the late 1950s, magnetic induction never really caught on commercially because of the equipment size. It's now sporadically used by museums, for self-guided tour devices that can sense when a user has entered a given gallery. Aura's goal is to make magnetic induction a major new option for manufacturers looking to snip wires from electronic devices, Cui said. Among the most popular methods now is Bluetooth, a standard that creates a powerful but short-range wireless connection between devices. Bluetooth is supported by giants like Microsoft and cell phone maker Nokia, even though the technology, developed by Ericsson, is prone to interference and is a renowned power drain. |
It would be nice to have wireless equipment that would run months with recharging its batteries. Examples would include cordless headphones, speakers, microphones, web-cams, mice, keyboards and so on. It would be most suited for laptop users who use an external mouse or connect to their mobile phone or PDA. True wireless headphones could be the future if CD Players, MP3 players, personal stereos, etc. take on the technology. At the moment, wireless headphones require a bulky must using a mains operated power supply, thus making them unsuitable for use while jogging, in the car/bus and so on. Fonegear claim their wireless headset for mobile phones will run up to three months on a single AA battery using magnetic induction technology. This compares with just a few hours from the equivalent using bluetooth technology. The only disadvantage is the 4-foot maximum range from the base. Which would make this technology unsuitable for cordless telephones, doorbells, etc., unless they have RF as backup.
Source: CNET Technology news
