[CEATEC 2014] LAPIS Semiconductor is currently parading the SynapSensor on the CEATEC 2014 showfloor, where it has jumped on the Internet of Things (IoT) bandwagon by developing the SynapSensor. Just what is the SynapSensor? It will work on the 920MHz radio frequency in order to communicate with other BLE-enabled devices, avoiding interference at the same time. One of its major advantage would be the ability to communicate across farther distances all the while sipping on very low power, which bodes well for future applications such as smart meters. In this particular case, it was developed to work alongside BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) enabled devices that can include the likes of a name tag, a watch (a Casio watch was used in the demonstration here), or a smartphone, among others, where it can recognize the location of the BLE enabled device within a particular radius.
What are some of the practical applications of the SynapSensor system? We were told that in the case of a hotel, it is easier to track where other staff are in order to use up the human capital as efficiently as possible. For instance, if your hands are currently full and another guest needs to be attended to, you can track down where other staff are who remain unoccupied in order to attend to that particular guest’s needs. No more skimping on work now, and if it were to be used within an educational institution, this would mean not having to skip class now within the campus, either.
The SynapSensor would make use of the 2.4GHz band on the beacon terminal side, while the 920MHz band will be used to let the SynapSensor units “talk” to one another. With half a dozen Bluetooth enabled watches with SynapSensor technology being tested out on the showfloor, it shows off the different kinds of beacons and positions through different sized circles and colors.