Motorola To Provide Embedded Bluetooth Computing Solutions - Company Business and Marketing

Computer Technology Review, April, 2001 by Nick Schultz

Motorola Computer Group, a business unit of Motorola Inc., announced its strategy to provide Bluetooth wireless technology for the first time on embedded infrastructures running on a choice of three operating systems (Linux, VxWorks, and Windows 2000) and two architecture processors (PowerPC and Intel). This wide computing choice, offered on Motorola's embedded Bluetooth computing platforms, will help provide the infrastructure needed for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to add wireless communication capabilities to stationary equipment, including MRI machines, desktop printers, and copiers.

Motorola's platform provides OEMs with a one-stop-shop Bluetooth solution. As a result, equipment manufacturers gain a competitive edge with faster time-to-market, decreased material costs, and increased revenue opportunities.

Motorola is involved in the development and implementation of Bluetooth wireless technology, with a company-wide roadmap of Bluetooth products and as a member of the Promoter group, which leads the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). Their commitment to integrating innovative solutions will help spread the adoption of Bluetooth wireless technology. With Motorola's new embedded Bluetooth computing solutions, equipment manufacturers will now have a wider choice in the computing platforms they use to design Bluetooth capabilities, without having to design and manufacture these platforms themselves. They will also be able to get the latest Bluetooth products to market faster by purchasing the embedded computing platforms already configured for their needs.

Printing and remote access to the user interface of an embedded computer over a Bluetooth wireless link is one possible application of Bluetooth. Other possible applications lie in the medical market. For example, Bluetooth wireless technology can be included in diagnostic equipment to help provide physicians with immediate access to patient's test or treatment information.

Patient information can be wirelessly transferred to the stationary diagnostic machine, eliminating manual input errors, increasing patient accuracy, and providing the doctor added convenience.

With this new initiative, Motorola will collaborate with OEMs throughout the year and anticipates the first Bluetooth wireless technology platforms to be available early in 2002.