.KEYWORD bluefish
.FLYINGHEAD INFRARED CONNECTIVITY
.TITLE 802.11b, Bluetooth, wireless modems, why not infrared?
.OTHER
.SUMMARY When you start to make the wireless decision for your company, you’ll no doubt consider solutions such as 802.11, Bluetooth, and other new technologies. However, you’ll also want to remember to keep infrared on the list. In this article, James Fisher, founder and CEO of Bluefish Wireless, will remind you of the many strong advantages of infrared connectivity, a technological staple of handheld computers both old and new.
.AUTHOR James Fisher
Every few months or so, PDA device manufacturers wow us with their latest product. Not only are they making smaller, sleeker devices, but they are also increasing the processing power, expanding application offerings, and making the little gadgets virtually irresistible. We can do more with a 3"x4" device today than we could with the computers we grew up using. And they fit into our shirt pocket–no power cord needed. Imagine what that would have cost in 1984.
But I’m not here to write about what great devices PDAs have become, rather to address the complexity of connectivity issues they present when building applications and, even more so, when extending those applications to your workforce.
Many handheld applications are single-user and don’t require communication with any back-end system (we’ve all, I’m sure, played solitaire in our down time). However, PDAs need to network for the same reason computers initially did: In order for business applications to be efficient, they have to be able to communicate with one another. Data needs to be shared.
Currently, there are two ways a handheld can communicate with the Internet or company back-end system: 1) through the user’s PC (via a cradle or similar connection) or 2) through a wireless modem and service. There is a time, place, and relevance for both of these options. For example, I’m at my computer for at least part of the workday and can synchronize through my cradle at that time. The cradle is a great way for me to get updated information on my handheld and to back up my data. But what about people who aren’t at their computers regularly? Are PDA enterprise applications less useful for them? Certainly not, as they can use one of a handful of wireless services.
However, wireless network service is still in its infancy. While coverage, pricing, and processing speed will certainly improve in the years to come, today’s reality is that data rates are poor at best and coverage is patchy. To build an application that relies on a wireless connection to your back-end is flirting with disaster. Furthermore, for many individuals and enterprises, spending $50-$100 or more per person per month for wireless connectivity may not be justified by the potential benefit of mobile connectivity.
.H1 Infrared: the common denominator
The industry is addressing these issues by offering more connectivity options with varying costs. Palm is releasing a Bluetooth expansion card. 802.11 add-ons are in development. Converged devices will be able to act as an at-will connection. However, choosing a wireless technology on which to build business processes can create a headache, and asking these to be true to their proposed value can be risky. Every day you can read a new expert opinion on which wireless is going to win. But it’s not that kind of race. In fact, all these solutions can easily live side by side in harmony. But what happens to the millions of users who have already invested money in a Palm Vx? Or in a later device free of add-ons? There is one thing these all have in common, and it’s a wireless form of information exchange that people often overlook: IR (Infrared).
People have been using infrared for over a decade to control their televisions and stereos. Handheld owners have also used it to transfer business card information and cool applications they have downloaded from the Web to one another’s devices. Every handheld is equipped with an IR port, so why not use it for more? There are companies today that enable you do just that, and it can be a great cost-effective way for you to exchange data with your employees and customers.
.H1 IR in action
The first question I get when I explain the benefits of an IR platform is: Infrared is line of sight communication, so how can it benefit my employees? What people are seeing is the perceived weakness of IR as a communication tool. Yes, it’s line of sight. Yes, you will need to be near some sort of access point in order to exchange information. So, yes, it can be prohibitive. But, imagine these scenarios:
You are the Chief Technology Officer for a university. You see your students, faculty, administrators, and security personnel all using PDAs for one reason or another. Some have older models, some the latest release. How can you easily get information to them while they’re on the go? With a network of integrated infrared access points that can both send and receive updates, your students can download their schedule changes, your faculty can distribute lecture notes, and your security guards can beam to an access point to confirm the stadium has been checked.
You run a major public transportation company and have hundreds of computer-less employees in the field performing paper based QA collection, selling tickets, and fixing problems in the stations. Transferring paper-based solutions to the handheld can decrease the amount of time utilized for data entry. But they need to somehow get that information back to you. With a network of infrared access points deployed at the station, your employees can easily send the data from their device to you. In the meantime, when not in use by your employees, travelers can beam on the access points to receive schedule and fare information or other important news.
You are the operations manager for an outdoor advertising company. Your business is comprised of two things: inventory and customer satisfaction. Often creative changes and sign maintenance are confirmed by word of mouth. But errors in reporting updates to clients can be costly. So you place an infrared access point on each of your signs and your field workers beam updates as the work is completed. At the same time, they can receive new work orders. The access points in the signs can also be utilized to send marketing information to the public viewing these ads (your clients’ prospective customers), enabling you to charge extra for that premium service.
.H1 Who can benefit?
Can you see infrared working now? Basically, a network of integrated infrared access points can be useful for a variety of companies and corporate environments, especially if any of the following attributes apply:
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET You need to distribute or receive time sensitive, customized, and/or dynamic information to your employees, partners, or customers;
.END_LIST
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Your employees or customers are likely already own or can be given PDAs for the purpose of using a corporate application;
.END_LIST
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Your employees or customers are mobile, but often mobile within defined areas;
.END_LIST
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.BULLET The precise time that information is exchanged is important;
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.BULLET Your employees or customers need to receive or send information when they are away from their PCs, or they don’t use PCs at all in their work.
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.H1 How does it work?
Once people understand the benefit of infrared, the next question I get is: How does it all work? Bluefish Wireless (at http://www.bluefishwireless.com) is one of the companies providing a communication solution for enterprises and institutions that utilize infrared as a vital part of data exchange. Other companies that offer similar solutions but whose primary focus is the consumer market are AdAlive, Streetbeam, and WideRay. As you can see in Figure A, Bluefish access points communicate with end-users via infrared (there is also a Bluetooth version for future devices). The hardware components fit in a 7"x7" box that’s battery operated and can be placed pretty much anywhere.
.FIGPAIR A Bluefish access points communicate with end-users via infrared.
Access points can communicate with back-end systems in a variety of methods. If the environment is able to host an on-location server with a designated network connection, then the access point can communicate with that server–either by 802.11, proprietary 900MHz RF, or a direct cable. The server acts as a conduit to send and receive data. Updates are generated from one central location and can be sent to up to 200 access points within range. The range depends upon which form of wireless connectivity you use. For example, a system using 900MHz RF can cover up to two square miles. An 802.11 network provides significantly shorter range but higher data transfer rates.
Data is cached in the access point for quick dissemination to the handheld. Uploaded data is sent to the server to be relayed to your company network. In the case where there’s no secure place to host a server, the access points can communicate via a two-way paging system. The user only sees and interacts with the access points. Once the hardware is installed, besides routine light maintenance, you primarily interact with an administrative site to update content and applications.
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While there will always be people who can not exist without the latest device in their pocket, they are a minority. What infrared data exchange enables that no other wireless platform can is a means to communicate to all devices–old and new. Infrared is a low-cost, effective, and secure means through which data can be exchanged with your employees. And public access points enable location-based information to be distributed to your customers. So, when you sit down to make the wireless decision and research 802.11, Bluetooth, and other future solutions, remember to keep infrared on the list. Its flexibility may surprise you.
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.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on Bluefish Wireless, visit http://www.bluefishwireless.com.
For more information on AdAlive, visit http://www.adalive.com.
For more information on Streetbeam, visit http://www.streetbeam.com.
For more information on WideRay, visit http://www.wideray.com.
For more information on Palm handhelds, visit http://www.palm.com.
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.BIO James Fisher is founder and CEO of Bluefish Wireless and has led the design, architecture and strategic positioning of the Bluefish concept since its inception. A skilled entrepreneur, James brings more than 15 years of experience in product design and development to the helm of Bluefish. Prior to his current position, he worked at Australia’s largest electronics company, AWA Ltd., and founded and operated two successful companies.
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