The new way of connecting the Internet of Things, only the microphone and speaker can be connected to each other

There are many ways to connect the Internet of Things, including Bluetooth, WiFi, ZigBee, Thread, NB-IoT, etc., but a few days ago we saw a new connection method at the 2017 high-tech fair. The device and device are connected to each other by sound. Its solution chief architect Adam Howard said excitedly, "As long as there are microphones and speakers in the device, we can let the devices communicate with each other."

The company that provides this technology is Chirp from London, UK. According to Adam Howard, many customers have deployed their technology to deploy a number of large-scale application cases covering telecommunications, financial services, internet of things, entertainment and broadcasting. Interactive games, toys, robots and transportation, etc. Currently they are looking for domestic partners and application vendors.

Highlights of audio data interaction technology

Adam Howard further introduced Chirp's audio data interaction technology, which encodes data and content into a series of pitches and tones to form a "sound wave barcode." This barcode can be transmitted by sound waves from any electronic device equipped with speakers and decoded on one or more receiving devices. This technology is suitable for both audible and inaudible full-band audio.

The core of Chirp's audio data interaction technology is its receiver algorithm. “There are several steps at the receiving end. Each step will have an algorithm to strip the noise to achieve the best reception. Our audio data interaction technology can eliminate interference even in a 98 dB noise environment. Transfer data," explains Adam Howard.

Chirp's audio data interaction technology transmission rate ranges from 100 bit/s to 1100 bit/s, depending on the transmission distance. It can transfer pictures, text, videos, files, etc., and is suitable for small data transmission.

At the same time, Chirp's chief technology officer James Nesfield pointed out that Chirp's technology has a complete SDK for engineers to support iOS, Android, JavaScript, Python, Arduino, and embedded devices.

It is also very convenient to use. "Only after you have obtained the authorization, download the SDK, add your application or product, and add 3 programs." James Nesfield told the EE Times.

"This technology is not only suitable for mobile phone application development, but also enables a seamless, scalable, low-cost and powerful interconnection of millions of old and new electronic devices, which recognizes existing audio and triggers the receiving device to perform various reaction actions. James Nesfield, CTO of Chirp, added.

Applications

Due to the characteristics of Chirp technology, it is currently used in many places. Adam Howard uses audio data interaction technology in nuclear power plants. "Because nuclear power plants have strict radio regulations, many sensors still use wired data transmission. However, since the emergence of our technology, nuclear power plants have used our technology to read and collect sensor data. This is mainly because our technology is simple enough, does not require straight-line transmission, and the cost is very low."

Because Chirp's technology can transfer data offline, they collaborated with creative toy company Hijinx to design and create a children-themed toy. Hijinx leverages the Hijinx Alive provided by Chirp (using audible and inaudible sound technology to replace traditional connections) to enable the interaction of toys and entertainment. After receiving the specific sound in the TV series, the toy can perform live or make certain actions. Because the interaction between the toy and the program does not need to be connected to the Internet, parents can be assured that they are still involved in the interaction of the program and the toy without worrying about the potential danger from the Internet.

James Nesfield also emphasized that Chirp's audio data interaction technology can improve the consumer's experience. For example, in the mall, the store can send the payment link directly to the consumer via broadcast, or use the broadcast. Send coupons and promotions."

Another case is the collaboration between Chirp and Amdocs. Amdocs is the market leader in providing customer experience software solutions and services to the world's largest communications, entertainment and media service providers. Amdocs chose to partner with Chirp on its MFS (Mobile Financial Services) digital commerce and payment platform and embed Chirp technology in its mobile wallet. By using audible and inaudible signals, Chirp offers a number of useful solutions, including creating a silent data transfer from TV broadcasts to smartphones and hotel stays, and personalizing mobile devices when entering physical stores. Welcome. Such a solution not only enhances the customer experience, but also provides them with a more modern interaction with the retailer.