IDA also hopes to attract foreign UWB players to establish a presence in Singapore, to use Singapore as a test-bed for their cutting-edge technologies, and as a springboard to the regional UWB market.

UWB can replace the USB cable with a short-range wireless link that allows the transfer of files between devices.

As UWB gets approval in more countries, the impact of the technology consumer devices will be a lot clearer. Devices embedded with UWB technology started to appear last year. An example is the wireless universal serial bus (USB) dongle that fits into the USB drive of a PC or laptop enabling the wireless transfer of very large data files between devices. Manufacturers are also starting to embed the technology in consumer electronic devices and cell phones, allowing users to transfer photos and videos between phones and laptops or desktop PCs.

According to a recent In-Stat report, although legacy wired interconnects will still be used on the PC platform for years to come, transition to UWB within a short period of time is inevitable. In-Stat foresees that UWB sales will overtake Wi-fi sales volume in the near future, though Wi-fi and UWB will continue to coexist in PCs. It is believed that the steady growth of the mobile devices and the consumer electronics segments will drive the transition to UWB interconnectivity.

How UWB works

UWB Applications

(1) High data rate applications

(2) Low data rate positioning and rracking applications

(3) Automotive applications

UWB is a wireless technology characterised by very low power radiation over a very large radio bandwidth. It has applications in areas as diverse as wireless personal area networks (PAN), home multimedia networking, peer-to-peer mobile communication, through-wall or ground penetrating radar imaging, asset tagging and tracking, and vehicle collision avoidance.

UWB will initially replace the USB cable that consumers use to transfer files between devices like digital cameras and laptops. Over time, the technology is expected to be embedded in laptops, desktop PCs, consumer devices like digital cameras, and ultimately, in cell phones.

A UWB device is capable of transmitting up to several hundreds of megabits of data per second. In terms of raw throughput, UWB ranks ahead of the other consumer wireless technologies in the market today. With these traits and its ability to support very high data-rates over short distances, UWB is particularly suited for portable wireless consumer products.

Laying down UWB rules

A UWB signal typically occupies very wide band of radio spectrum (typically a several megahertz). Previously, whenever a new wireless technology emerged, the regulator would identify and allocate a chunk of unused spectrum to the users of that technology. However, this approach fails in the case of UWB, because it is impossible to set aside a wide band of spectrum exclusively for UWB.

In developing the UWB regulatory framework, IDA’s goal is to balance the need to facilitate adoption of this emerging technology with the need to ensure that it does not interfere or disrupt existing radio-communication services. The set of technical specifications and operating conditions for UWB devices has been aligned with international standards such as those set by Europe’s Electronic Communications Committee.

Commercial developments

Countries like the United States (US), Korea and Japan have already adopted an unlicensed approach to the rollout of UWB devices. Commercial UWB products have been launched in the US and Japan since 2006 and are expected to be widely available within the next year or so.

The world’s first universal UWB solution for computers and consumer electronics, handheld and handset devices was introduced in 2006 by WiLink. According to the company, it offers an over-the-air 480 Mbps link.

In other developments, Toshiba has developed a PC-embedded UWB module and a Wireless UWB Port Replicator with an automatic connect and disconnect feature for ease of operation. The user can simply bring a notebook PC equipped with the UWB module within reach of the Wireless UWB Port Replicator to connect the PC to the replicator.

Lenovo has also announced a UWB-powered notebook, the T61p notebook (model 646074M). According to Lenovo, UWB offers an average data exchange of about 100 Mbps compared with Bluetooth's 3 Mbps.

Singapore has the opportunity to take a lead role in showcasing to the world the full potential of UWB. There is no better time than now to exploit this nascent technology to open up new avenues for growth, and reaffirm Singapore’s position as a leading adopter of new technologies.

Details of the IDA’s regulatory framework can be found here.

- This article is contributed by Dr Toh Bee Eng, Senior Consultant, Technology & Planning Group, IDA.