As of April 2013, we have ceased to trade as Kolila Consulting and instead started to trade as Kingston Wireless Ltd. We shall continue to provide the same high-quality product development service as before, with an ongoing focus on developing innovative low power wireless products on a consultancy basis. Our address and phone numbers will remain unchanged but our web site and email domain is changing to kingstonwireless.com.
Bluetooth SIG Names Tethercell as Overall Winner of The Bluetooth Breakthrough Awards 2013
26th February 2013
Congratulations to Tethercell who have been declared the overall winner of the 2013 Bluetooth® Breakthrough Awards by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG).
The Bluetooth SIG announced three category winners and the overall winner for its inaugural Bluetooth Breakthrough Awards competition at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain yesterday. The category winners are: Asthmapolis in the Product Category; Swissmed Mobile in the Application Category; Tethercell, in the Prototype Category. From these category winners, and a total of over 300 award submissions from around the world, the Bluetooth Smart enabled Tethercell battery adaptor was selected as the Overall Winner. The Bluetooth Breakthrough Award is an annual program that recognizes the best Bluetooth enabled products and applications on the market today, as well as innovative prototypes of products coming soon.
“Innovations made possible by Bluetooth® technology are exploding worldwide – every day we are seeing new companies, some in markets where wireless connectivity was previously impossible, developing innovative products using Bluetooth technology,” said Suke Jawanda, Bluetooth SIG CMO. “The winners of the Bluetooth Breakthrough Awards are extraordinary in that they take an everyday product, like a battery or an inhaler, and make it smarter. A standard inhaler can now gather data and turn it into useful, possibly life-saving, information thanks to Asthmapolis. A tiny adaptor for a battery can give wireless control to any AA battery powered device courtesy of Tethercell. Bluetooth SIG member companies are turning the Bluetooth SIG vision of the connected world into reality by making everyday products more convenient, smarter, and ultimately better with Bluetooth.”
Winners by Category
Breakthrough Product
Asthmapolis – Asthmapolis uses Bluetooth® enabled inhaler sensors, mobile applications, and advanced analytics to help patients and physicians with asthma management. Through crowdsourced information, Asthmapolis is creating the first real-time geospatial view of where asthma symptoms are occurring and inhalers are used, providing an objective, accurate and reliable record capable of correlating symptoms, locations, and temporal patterns of disease.
Breakthrough Application
Swissmed Mobile – MedM Platform application is a mobile and desktop patient-monitoring platform, which connects and collects data via Bluetooth® technology from medical devices made by different manufacturers. MedM compiles this information in one system, giving doctors a comprehensive picture of their patients’ health.
Breakthrough Prototype – Overall Winner
Tethercell, LLC – Tethercell is a battery adapter that enables users to connect and control any AA-battery-operated device from their smart phone or tablet via Bluetooth® Low Energy technology. The adaptor, along with an application, will control the device (power on/off), read remaining battery power and collect data on usage – making it possible to turn virtually any existing battery-operated object, from a toy to smoke detector, into a “smart” device.
The Bluetooth SIG also selected Novalia’s Viva La Revolucion printed electronics musical poster and the zSmart Mood LED 6-watt coloured LED bulb as honourable mention winners, with both of these prototypes exemplifying the connectivity and automation made possible with Bluetooth® Low Energy technology.
Bluetooth SIG Announces New Bluetooth Wireless Conference to Showcase Bluetooth® Technology Innovation, Growth, and New Product Opportunities
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) have announced the launch of a new annual conference, to be called “Bluetooth World”, to further support the development of the Bluetooth marketplace. The conference shall be open to “industry experts, wireless entrepreneurs, app developers and gadget makers, media and analysts along with current and prospective Bluetooth SIG members”.
“The Bluetooth revolution is underway. Every day, we’re seeing an abundance of ordinary objects made smart with Bluetooth, redefining the way consumers interact with their technology,” said Mark Powell, Bluetooth SIG executive director. “Bluetooth World has been specifically designed to support and encourage the wave of innovation from developers and our members, showcasing recent success stories, providing expert insights into how to use the technology as well as thought-provoking insights for the future. This is a can’t-miss event for anyone interested in the future of wireless technology.”
This year’s Bluetooth World Conference will take place in Shanghai, China from April 10 to 11 and will kick off with a keynote address by renowned technology expert and author, Robert Scoble.
Bluetooth SIG Announces Finalists For The 2013 Bluetooth® Breakthrough Awards
10th January 2013
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) have announced the finalists for the 2013 Bluetooth® Breakthrough Awards. Congratulations to Asthmapolis, FMC, LUMO BodyTech, MapMyFitness, Novalia, Orbotix, Parrot, Swissmed Mobile, Tethercell, Weartech, and zSmart. An overall winner, along with three category winners, will be announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2013 in Barcelona, Spain on the 24th February.
Kolila launches Mac OS X DFU Tools to support Device Firmware Upgrade of CSR BlueCore® devices over USB from Apple Mac computers
4th Oct 2012, Cambridge, UK
Device Firmware Upgrade (DFU) is an industry-standard way of updating the software contained within an embedded device. The DFU software update process is typically driven by a PC with the embedded device connected via USB.
have long supported DFU for their BlueCore® range of Bluetooth® chipsets. However, CSR only make DFU tools available for Microsoft Windows computers. Kolila are now able to offer equivalent DFU tools for Apple’s Mac OS X based computers.
Kolila’s Mac OS X DFU Tools are designed to allow 3rd party companies to embedded support for DFU-over-USB into their own Mac OS X applications. The tools consist of:
A compiled version of the example application can be provided to interested parties on request.
Features of the Kolila Tools include:
Benefits of the Kolila Tools include:
The Kolila Mac OS X SFU Tools are available now through license from Kolila Consulting Ltd. Further information can be found on the Kolila website at http://kolilaconsulting.co.uk/technologies/mac-os-dfu-tools/
Kolila Consulting is a Cambridge, UK, based company that provides hardware and software design services in low power wireless technologies such as Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Smart®, Zigbee®, Wi-Fi® and UWB. Kolila were established in 2008 and since then have served small and large companies with low power wireless design consultancy to bring innovative products successfully to market.
Email: info@kolilaconsulting.co.uk, Website: kolilaconsulting.co.uk , Tel: +44 (0)1223 750 140.
Bluetooth® and the Bluetooth logos are trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and licensed to Kolila Consulting.
Wi-Fi® is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Other products, services and names used in this document may have been trademarked by their respective owners.
CSR launches powerful, flexible, feature-rich dual-mode Bluetooth audio SoC with embedded Flash memory
1st September 2011
CSR plc have today released the CSR8670, the successor to the highly successful BC5-MM Bluetooth audio SoC. Unlike the older BC5-MM, the new CSR8670 supports dual-mode Bluetooth (that is, Bluetooth® Low Energy as well as Bluetooth® Classic) and incorporates a Flash memory into the Bluetooth controller chip (rather than needing an external Flash memory). The CSR8670 also includes a more powerful embedded CPU, a beefed-up DSP, support for up to six digital microphones and support for capacitive touch control.
The CSR8670 is being launched alongside it’s lower cost ROM-based equivalent part, the CSR8645. Both parts include support for CSR’s aptX™ high-fidelity audio technology and Clear Voice Capture (CVC®) acoustic echo and noise cancellation.
“The CSR8645 and CSR8670 provide flexible, audio system-on-chip solutions our customers can use to improve their competitiveness by creating more highly differentiated products and bringing them to market faster,” said Paul Wilson, Product Marketing Manager for Home business area at CSR. “With these two SoCs, we are setting a new standard for wireless audio quality, providing revolutionary consumer audio platforms that not only support traditional audio applications, but also enable entirely new consumer uses and form factors.”
The Wired Alternative
The CSR8645 and CSR8670 enable OEMs to easily create enhanced battery-powered wireless audio products that can also operate as wired devices that can be plugged directly into audio sources that do not have Bluetooth connectivity. The wired audio capability also allows a product to continue to be used when its battery runs down, or in situations where wireless operation is prohibited or impractical. With the CSR8645 and CSR8670, products can receive audio input through an analogue connection, such as a standard 3.5-mm audio jack, as well as through a USB connector, which has the further advantage of allowing the battery to be charged while listening to music.
High-Quality aptX Bluetooth Audio for Mainstream Products
The CSR8645 is the first CSR audio platform solution to feature aptX technology enabled in ROM, and marks a milestone in fulfilling the CSR promise to deliver its aptX high-quality audio technology to the mass market. The CSR8645 was designed to provide a superior audio experience with a rich assortment of essential, market-leading features—like fully configurable and tunable EQ with multiple presets—in a flexible, highly configurable ROM-based solution for more cost-sensitive, mainstream consumer audio products, where faster time to market is paramount.
The Best Gets Better
The CSR8670 is the most powerful, most flexible and most highly integrated wireless audio solution ever produced by CSR, with advanced features—like support for up to six digital microphones and capacitive touch control—customers can use to build a wide range of innovative and exciting consumer audio devices. With its compact packaging options and reduced need for external passive components, the CSR8670 can save manufacturers up to 60 percent of the printed circuit board area required by current solutions and enables minimum production costs.
With its integrated support for capacitive touch sensors, the CSR8670 enables aesthetically pleasing product designs with sleek touch-control interfaces. Sensor pads can be configured for slider or wipe-type operation. Overall control of the capacitive touch sensors is software controlled, making it easily configurable for each application.
The CSR8670 includes all the features of the CSR8645, but instead of a ROM-based solution, the CSR8670 includes embedded flash memory that supports maximum product differentiation by enabling OEMs to develop their own custom applications using the CSR software development kit and CSR eXtension Partner solutions coupled with bespoke software design to create products with truly unique features.
Enhanced Development Experience
The CSR8670’s dual-core architecture, which includes an applications processor and ultra-low-power Kalimba DSP, and embedded flash memory enable it to provide a very flexible solution for achieving the utmost in product differentiation. The enhanced Kalimba DSP coprocessor allows a broad range of signal processing functions to be performed simultaneously on data received through any of the inputs, including over-the-air, digital or analogue audio streams.
CSR’s comprehensive suite of configuration tools for the CSR8600 product family and audio development kit (ADK) for CSR8670-based product design enable manufacturers to develop highly differentiated, feature-rich solutions for wired or wireless consumer audio applications without incurring significant hardware or software development effort.
Through its eXtension Partner Program, CSR will deliver a wide range of third-party audio-enhancement software plug-ins for the CSR8670’s on-chip DSP, which will further reduce design cycle time by enabling consumer electronics manufacturers to select a broad range of solutions from several vendors and enjoy a range of benefits.
Availability and Pricing
The CSR8670 next-generation wireless consumer audio solution and the accompanying development kit and application software are available now in production quantities. Package options for the CSR8670 include a 6.5 x 6.5 mm, 0.5-mm pitch, 112-ball VFBGA, and a WLCSP for minimalist form-factor designs.
The CSR8645 is available now in sample quantities, with production volumes by the fourth quarter of this year. Package options for the CSR8645 include a 5.5 x 5.5 mm, 0.5-mm pitch, 68-pin BGA.
Kolila Consulting Ltd are pleased to announce that Andy Brown has joined the company as a full-time Programme Manager. This appointment strengthens the Kolila team by enabling us to put a stronger focus on project management.
Andy brings with him a wealth of experience of programme management and hands on embedded software design gained at a variety of small and medium size companies. He has particular experience of software and product design for low cost high volume products manufactured in the Far East. In his most recent role prior to joining Kolila, Andy was Programme Manager at CSR with responsibility for managing the relationship with Nokia‘s Bluetooth headset division. This entailed co-ordinating multiple product development projects undertaken at sites in the UK and Europe and at Far Eastern ODMs. Technical issues included software and hardware development, test, and product approvals. This relationship was responsible for a significant proportion of CSR’s Bluecore chip sales and has made a considerable contribution to CSR’s success.
At Kolila, Andy will be responsible for ensuring the successful delivery of all new projects. He will work closely with our customers to define the requirements and specifications for these projects, and will be responsible for managing the ongoing relationships between Kolila and our customers and suppliers.
The first Cambridge Start-up Weekend proved to be a great success!
More than 90 delegates took part and 45 innovative ideas were pitched, of those 17 went forward to be developed further.
The standard of entries was so high that the judging panel decided to create an additional prize for ‘Social Enterprise’.
The overall winners were Lessonista (http://www.lessonista.com/) an on-line resource sharing tool for English literature teachers.
Details of the other teams & products that were short-listed can be found here…
http://cambridge.startupweekend.org/
and here…
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Business/Property-locator-app-scoops-Startup-prize.htm
Kolila are looking forward to being part of the next Cambridge Start-up event!
Cambridge Start-up Weekend, the first event of its kind to be held in Cambridge, is taking place on 11-13 March at St Johns Innovation Centre.
The aim of this intense, 3 day event is to bring talented people together in teams to exchange ideas and skills, with a view to building a web or mobile application, which could form the basis of a credible business.
A panel of judges, from many local businesses, will decide on the winning team.
The winning team will then have the chance to be coached by, and pitch to the Keiretsu Forum, the world’s largest angel investor network.
There are specialist awards for innovative healthcare and wireless related projects.
Kolila’s CEO, Simon Kingston is supporting this event by being a mentor, and offering his expertise in the wireless sector to help teams bring their skills and ideas together. There will be a special award, sponsored by Business Weekly, for the best wireless idea generated at the event. The winners of which will receive additional mentoring and support.
For more information about this event and how to buy tickets visit…
http://cambridge.startupweekend.org/ or http://www.camtechnet.info/
This month Barcelona played host to the Mobile World Congress 2011.
Rob from Kolila attended the event where nearly 1400 companies showcased their organisations, exhibiting new and emerging products from phones, tablets, mobile accessories and applications to innovative new mobile technologies.
With a record 60,000 visitors from 200 countries, outstanding and creative exhibits and keynote speakers from some of the industry’s leading organisations, the event was sure to be a success.
Most talked about at the event were Samsung, who announced the launch of their new Galaxy S II smart phone, and Google’s Android platform.
Also being discussed extensively throughout the event was the introduction of Near Field Communications (NFC), many world leading operators have expressed their commitment to implementing this technology and launching commercial services by 2012.
NFC can be used in a whole range of exciting and innovative services and applications for consumers, such as a mechanism for making payments, mobile ticketing and information exchange, as well as access control to offices, cars, homes and hotels. The market potential for this type of product is quite significant.
Certification and testing standards for NFC will be developed by GSMA to ensure global interoperability of services.
For Kolila the Mobile World Congress was a great opportunity to network with new contacts and meet up with existing clients to brainstorm innovative ideas for new and exciting wireless products for the future.
Mobile World Congress 2012 will also be held in Barcelona.