New Technology Consortium Formed to Develop Innovative Integrated Bluetooth Low Energy Modules for SMEs

Wireless sensors enabled with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) are experiencing strong market interest. Initiated by RivieraWaves and CSEM, the European funded BLIM4SME project will develop miniature wireless modules targeting healthcare and lifestyle applications using BLE. The consortium announced that the project has officially been launched last month.

The demand for wireless sensors in healthcare and lifestyle areas is experiencing rapid growth. Such applications call for radio links which have to fulfill several stringent requirements, such as:.
• Standardized connectivity for plug-and-play interconnection with other devices.
• Ultra-portability with tiny modules for maximal comfort for the wearer.
• Ultra-low-power consumption for long autonomy.
• Flexibility for being easily embedded with a heterogeneous set of other components like sensors, signal processors, energy harvesters.

The BLIM4SME project addresses these challenges by developing an ultra-low-power Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE, also known as Bluetooth Smart) module focusing on healthcare and lifestyle. BLIM4SME aims at developing an optimized solution targeting the rapidly increasing landscape of EU small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and industries that require beyond state-of-the-art, highly integrated and ultra-low-power BLE radios for their next generation bio-medical, healthcare, sports and fitness products.

Concretely, the project will develop RF IP blocks, which in turn, will be embedded into a single “antenna-and-radio” miniaturized module leveraging an innovative “integrated passive devices” (IPD) technology platform. The consortium comprises key research partners and seasoned SMEs with broad expertise in the domain for bringing this project to life successfully:.
• RTD Talos Ltd., Cyprus, coordinator of the project.
• RivieraWaves SAS, France, SME participant, expert in BLE protocol.
• Prisma Electronics SA, Greece, SME participant, expert in modules.
• Nordic Components OY, Finland, SME participant, expert in IPD modules.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Finland, research performer, expert in IPD technology.
• CSEM SA, Switzerland, research performer, expert in low power integrated radios.

The BLIM4SME project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Program, managed by the Research Executive Agency under Grant Agreement No. 605264.