The aim of the partnership is to create a high efficiency, front-end system to increase battery life and double the range of nearable sensors (in relation to other systems on the market).
Lost and found
Interest in nearable technologies is growing in parallel with the rise in mobile technologies and the perhaps inevitable outcome that people tend to mislay a device every so often. According to information supplied by XY Findables, a typical person engages in five hours lost time each month searching for a device. This extends to smartphones, television remotes, wallets, watches and so forth.
Even for those who are more circumspect, a device will occasionally go missing. It is for these reasons that the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency has predicted that personal tracking devices will become one of the fastest growing markets within the Location Based Services sector. The prediction is that there will be a compounded annual growth rate of 18 percent, between now and 2025.
XY and Skyworks
The new partnership between XY Findables and Skyworks aims to come up with a faster and improved solution for searching for lost devices. Among the existing offerings from XY is the XY4+ Bluetooth Item Finder, which has a wide range and works through audible technology. Skyworks manufactures semiconductors for use in radio frequency and mobile communications systems.
Commenting on the new arrangement, Arie Trouw, CEO of XY told Smart2zero: “By leveraging Skyworks’ fully integrated solutions, we were able to accelerate the introduction of the most powerful Bluetooth item finder available today.”
He adds: “XY4+’s platform radically improves performance and extends battery life up to five years, supporting our goal of providing consumers both peace of mind and assistance when locating their most valuable items.”
The aim is for XY4+ item finders to utilize Skyworks integrated front-end modules, which are designed for Bluetooth Low Energy range extension devices, which operate in the 2.4 to 2.485 GHz range. Applications include wearables, beacons, sensors, home automation and other IoT platforms.
The companies hope that the new improved search functionality will be adaptable with Internet of Things applications. Also benefiting will be the use of wearables and home automation.
