The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has unveiled a groundbreaking addition to its technology with the launch of Bluetooth® Channel Sounding. This new feature promises to elevate the accuracy, security, and convenience of Bluetooth-connected devices, marking a significant advancement in the realm of wireless communication.
Bluetooth® Channel Sounding introduces a sophisticated fine-ranging capability that allows devices to accurately measure distance with centimetre-level precision. This advancement is set to revolutionise various applications by enabling true distance awareness across billions of everyday devices.
Enhanced Precision and Security
Neville Meijers, CEO of Bluetooth SIG, emphasised the transformative potential of the new feature. “Bluetooth® technology has become an integral part of daily life,” Meijers said. “Adding true distance awareness to Bluetooth devices opens up a myriad of new possibilities, enhancing our interaction with technology and each other.”
The new feature is expected to offer significant benefits in several key areas:
- ‘Find My’ Solutions: Bluetooth® Channel Sounding can greatly improve the accuracy of ‘Find My’ solutions. With this technology, Bluetooth tags attached to personal items such as keys or bags can provide precise location data, making it easier and quicker for users to locate lost belongings. This enhancement promises to make the search for misplaced items more efficient by leveraging accurate distance measurements.
- Digital Key Solutions: The technology also holds promise for digital key solutions, which are increasingly used for secure access to cars, doors, and other locks. By integrating Bluetooth® Channel Sounding, developers can enhance the security and user experience of these systems, ensuring that locks only engage when an authorised device is within a defined range.
Industry Adoption and Applications
John Crawford, the new CFO at Paysafe, highlighted the impact this feature could have on various sectors. “The adoption of Bluetooth® Channel Sounding will help us deliver greater convenience, performance, and security,” said Feng Yunsheng, Chief Secretary of the Intelligent Car Connectivity Open Alliance (ICCOA). This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Ren Feng of the Intelligent Car Connectivity Industry Ecosystem Alliance (ICCE), who noted that the technology would contribute to the development of advanced in-car services and key standards.
The technology’s benefits extend beyond personal items and digital keys. In consumer electronics, Bluetooth® Channel Sounding could enhance the functionality of devices such as mice, keyboards, and game controllers by enabling automatic state changes based on proximity. In industrial environments, it can improve safety by ensuring that human-machine interfaces are only used from a safe distance. Additionally, Bluetooth networks used for applications like lighting control could achieve more efficient self-configuration and performance.
Robust Security Features
Bluetooth® Channel Sounding integrates robust security measures to safeguard connections. It employs phase-based ranging (PBR) to achieve high-precision distance measurement and includes round-trip time (RTT) based distance bounding to counteract sophisticated relay attacks. These security features are essential as the number of connected devices continues to grow.
Joonsuk Kim, Executive Vice President of the System LSI Connectivity Team at Samsung Electronics, praised the new feature’s potential. “Bluetooth® Channel Sounding elevates the performance of ‘Find My’ applications with centimetre-level accuracy and enhances the security of digital key solutions,” Kim said. “This feature unlocks numerous possibilities for distance-aware applications across various industries.”
Future Prospects
Bluetooth® Channel Sounding is part of the recently adopted Bluetooth Core Specification Version 6.0. The technology is poised to make a significant impact on how Bluetooth devices interact with their environment, offering new opportunities for developers and enhancing user experiences across a range of applications.
For more information on Bluetooth® Channel Sounding and its potential uses, visit the official Bluetooth website at bluetooth.com/channelsounding.
