The 2010 Bluetooth Innovation World Cup will focus on applications for the sports and fitness, health care and home information and control markets.
“Bluetooth v4.0 technology, which introduces low energy technology, offers an enormous potential for the development of innovative wireless solutions within a very wide application range” stated Dr. Michael Foley, executive director of the Bluetooth SIG.
Foley continued: “The specification offers a global standard for obtaining and measuring real time performance data that can be transmitted directly to the internet via the mobile phone, which is without a doubt most important mobile information hub of the future. Through the Bluetooth Innovation World Cup, the Bluetooth SIG is fostering the imagination and creativity of developers seeking to create innovative new devices and to enhance existing Bluetooth technology applications.
Innovators from all over the world can submit their concepts through the online IWC database. Submissions will be accepted from 1 June through 15 September 2010. Concepts will be evaluated based on the criteria available at the competition web site.
The concepts of the three finalists for each of the three categories will be presented at electronica trade fair in November 2010. The official award ceremony will take place at ISPO 11 in February 2011, where the Innovator of the Year 2010 will receive a prize of $5,000, a Bluetooth Qualification Program voucher (QDID) worth an additional $5,000 to $10,000, and Bluetooth SIG marketing support.
Last year’s winner, Edward Sazonov, PhD, vice president of engineering at Physical Activity Innovations, commented: “Since winning the first Bluetooth Innovation World Cup in 2009, life has been truly fascinating. We have further developed our winning idea, the ‘Fit Companion’. After a first, positive, series of tests this spring, we are now ready for a final round of testing this summer. After that, the Fit Companion will be ready for extensive human trials, where we will continually refine the user interface so that people will be motivated to use the product every day to become more active.”
The capabilities of the product, including motivational feedback such as ‘you’ve been sitting for way too long’ to the actual calories they’ve expended during the day versus their plan, is sent through Bluetooth low energy technology to the user’s cell phone. “It’s a perfect product for people who need a little motivation to achieve a more active lifestyle that will help them lose weight, or maintain weight loss.” In May, 2009, Physical Activity Innovations received a substantial SBIR grant from the National Science Foundation for research on its shoe sensor design. “This is great news, as it will help us get our product to market quickly”.