As Old as the Radio Itself
The history of UWB goes as far back as the history of radio technology itself. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that it gained momentum, with advancements like Gerald Ross using transient impulses to characterize radar components and obtaining patents for UWB communications systems.
The term “Ultra-Wide Band” was officially coined by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1989, and the technology continued to evolve throughout the 1990s. A major milestone came in 2002, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updated its Part 15 rules. This allowed UWB devices to operate without a license in the 3.1 to 10.6 GHz spectrum, paving the way for the commercialization of UWB as we will soon know it.
Next-Level Precision and Versatility
Unlike popular short-range wireless technologies like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, UWB is magnitudes more accurate in location tracking. Because it is much higher (and more varied) than 2.4~5Ghz, it can pack in more information, while providing accurate location data without interference. Think of it like a continuously scanning radar, locking onto nearby objects and devices to determine their exact position and communicate with them in real-time.
For example, imagine approaching a counter full of groceries with both hands. You can simply walk to the counter for a true hands-free and secure payment, simply by accurately determining if the authorized user’s device is within the required proximity for a transaction. No need to point a device via NFC! Swarms of UWB-enabled robots, for instance, could also collaborate seamlessly, maintaining precise formations and motion coordination in dynamic industrial environments like assembly lines or construction sites.
Inherent Security Advantage
Another key advantage of UWB lies in its security structure. The IEEE 802.15.4z amendment made for the adoption of this new wireless standard adds a scrambled time stamp (STS) field at the PHY layer using cryptographic keys and pseudo-random sequences. This is on top of using short nanosecond pulses instead of continuous carrier waves, which, when combined with its location tracking functions, adds yet another verification layer to any information transmitted between.
In other words, by securely verifying the precise distance between devices through time-of-flight ranging, in addition to encrypting data transmissions from the physical layer up, UWB already has multi-layered security by default. Very difficult to compromise compared to traditional wireless protocols relying just on signal strength measurements.
Of course, this does not make it completely impossible to intercept. But the hurdle becomes much harder by default simply due to how its communication protocol is structured.
Other Notable Perks
Then there are also other minor things to look out for UWB, such as:
- Very low power consumption. After all, 24/7 location tracking is one of the technology’s best features. How can UWB gadgets transmit location non-stop if they are not power efficient?
- Real-time tracking, since it is officially described as 50 times better than GPS. (Within its intended range)
- Designed to coexist with WiFi and Bluetooth without interfering with them.
- Very high peer-to-peer data transfer rate. Should generally feel similar to WiFi 5 today, albeit exclusively within traditional ad hoc sizes/ranges.
- Significantly enhanced VR experiences via UWP’s highly accurate spatial awareness and tracking capabilities.
Coming Soon to a (New) Phone Near You!
Unsurprisingly, all of these advantages led to UWB garnering significant interest and adoption in recent years. For example, Google’s Jetpack library for Android 12+ provides a framework to build UWB apps, leveraging its unique capabilities for phone-to-phone or phone-to-IoT use cases. This further incentivizes developers to adopt the technology for next-generation optimized apps.
Smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung have also begun incorporating UWB chips into their latest devices over the last few years, further reinforcing the development loop.
And as for us ordinary digital peons? Well, like all other burgeoning data technologies as of late, I wouldn’t worry too much about UWB just yet. As fantastic as all of this sounds, it is easier to adopt the technology once its main platform has already stabilized. One or two killer apps should easily turn such a tide. But until then, we’d have to rely on early adopters to give us a better practical feel of its potential.
