A wireless haptic vest from Actronika creates an immersive sensory experience for the wearer. Touch produces vibrations that people use to understand the nature of an object they interact with. The company’s haptic technology uses vibrations to create tactile illusions that people interpret as touch—from the pitter-patter of raindrops to the reverberation of an explosion. Wireless connectivity to the vest increases ease of use and enhances the visceral, tactile experiences created by game developers, training professionals, and artists.
ChallengeWhen Actronika wanted to transform the VR gaming industry by introducing an innovative haptic vest called Skinetic, a challenge lay in ensuring seamless wireless connectivity between the vest and the VR system to minimize latency. The lag would compromise realism, so the company needed a high-speed, real-time solution that was also small, power-efficient, flexible, scalable, secure—and capable of transferring massive amounts of data.
Recognizing the role of wireless connectivity in achieving its product goals, Actronika embarked on a collaboration with Clarinox, a leading provider of wireless connectivity products for embedded systems across many industries—from patient monitoring to sports intercom headsets and from in-vehicle infotainment to satellite connectivity. This strategic decision alleviated the time-consuming task of merging separate wireless stacks and enabled the engineers at Actronika to focus on their core technology.
For Clarinox engineers, the initial challenge revolved around hardware limitations, particularly constrained RAM. The amount available for a simultaneous Bluetooth and Wi-Fi system was significantly smaller than what they had previously worked with.
SolutionClarinox created a high-performance wireless connectivity solution for the Skinetic vest through a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies. The ClarinoxBlue and ClarinoxWiFi protocol stacks served as the backbone of the solution to achieve smooth and reliable connectivity. The vest runs on an NXP i.MX RT1050 chipset featuring 512 KB of SRAM in conjunction with an NXP 88W8977 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth system-on-chip (SoC).
To get around the RAM limitations two steps were taken, firstly a less memory hungry, previous version of the NXP radio chipset driver was employed. The second step involved a shift from the previous cryptographic library to a more streamlined alternative, enhancing the WPA3 encryption implementation. This allowed Clarinox engineers to skillfully deliver all requested functionalities while overcoming memory limitations in a final package size of 168 KB, rather than the more standard 500 KB plus.
Modular design simplifies wireless complexityThe modular design of Clarinox solutions streamlined an otherwise complex integration process. The use of Clarinox SoftFrame abstraction-layer middleware ensured fast adaptation to the Actronika embedded platform. In addition, The ClariFi embedded wireless debugger, provided protocol analyzer support for faster debugging of complex wireless devices. Together these tools enabled Actronika to swiftly resolve issues and optimize their Skinetic vest.
“Our collaboration with Clarinox was instrumental in our tech journey. Their seamless code integration and unwavering support streamlined our development processes remarkably. Using ClariFi made debugging an efficient task, enabling us to navigate the complexities of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi,” said Hugo Bouchard, the software team lead at Actronika.
Expert support speeds up product developmentThroughout the product life cycle, Clarinox provided Actronika with valuable technical support, including customized solutions and debugging tools that enabled Actronika to swiftly resolve issues and optimize its wireless-enabled devices. The collaboration shortened development timelines and improved product performance and reliability.
“Our partnership with Clarinox was a game-changer. Not only did it save us valuable time, but their unwavering dedication to exceptional customer service truly set a new standard. Their team's enthusiasm for innovation and the future of our industry is infectious, and we're excited to continue pushing boundaries together,” said Gilles Meyer, CEO of Actronika.
TakeawaysActronika built a groundbreaking wireless haptic vest that elevates the virtual reality experience with robust wireless connectivity provided by Clarinox. The partnership shows how multiple technology stacks, skillsets, and innovations can come together to sculpt new user experiences that capture the imagination.
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In the ever-evolving automotive industry, efficient and accurate diagnostic processes are crucial to ensure optimal vehicle performance and customer satisfaction. Traditional diagnostic methods have often involved time-consuming manual inspections and direct physical connections to onboard systems. However, the landscape of automotive diagnostics is undergoing a remarkable transformation with cutting-edge wireless technologies.
Clarinox, a leading provider of wireless software stacks for embedded systems, is proud to announce its software has been integrated by a leading firm in the automotive and industrial tools industry. The integration included both ClarinoxBlue and ClarinoxWiFi for the target platform, which used an NXP i.MX RT1170 with MQX RTOS and an 88W8987 wireless chipset also from NXP. This milestone has paved the way for the seamless communication between the vehicle's onboard diagnostic systems and external devices, enabling real-time data streaming and analysis for quicker and more accurate troubleshooting.
Despite encountering major integration issues during the project, the Clarinox ClariFi tool was able to provide the necessary information and ultimately solve the debugging challenges. This collaboration between Clarinox and the customer resulted in a robust solution for wireless connectivity in the products and enabled the product development to complete on time.
Trish Messiter, CEO of Clarinox, expressed her pride in supporting the leading firm in the development of their wireless connectivity solutions. "Clarinox is committed to providing embedded software engineers with powerful and flexible software and tools for creating innovative and efficient embedded systems," said Messiter.
The integration of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology has revolutionized the diagnostic landscape, offering a more streamlined and dynamic approach. The successful implementation of the ClarinoxBlue and ClarinoxWiFi software stacks, streamlined and simplified using the ClariFi tool, has resulted in a cutting-edge solution for wireless connectivity. The result is seamless wireless communication between the vehicle's onboard diagnostic systems and external devices, enabling real-time data streaming and analysis, leading to quicker and more precise troubleshooting outcomes.
Clarinox is a leading provider of wireless software stacks for embedded systems. The company is dedicated to delivering effective software solutions for developers in their quest for innovation and efficiency in their embedded systems. For more information, please visit www.clarinox.com.
For further information on Clarinox, please contact us at info@clarinox.com.
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Clarinox Technologies, a leading provider of wireless solutions for embedded systems, has partnered with SpaceLabs, a renowned provider of patient monitoring systems, to improve their wireless technology. The collaboration has resulted in a robust and secure solution for SpaceLabs that has improved patient care and reduced operational costs.
In a rapidly evolving healthcare industry, the demand for wireless communication and patient monitoring is increasing. SpaceLabs, a trusted name in patient care, was seeking a reliable solution to integrate wireless technology into its products. After evaluating multiple options, they chose to partner with Clarinox Technologies due to their expertise in wireless technologies and support for the required target platform.
The SpaceLabs team was highly impressed with Clarinox's wireless solution, ClarinoxWiFi, which provided a complete solution for their wireless needs and addressed key integration challenges such as compatibility and security. In addition, Clarinox's ClariFi tool allowed the SpaceLabs team to troubleshoot and optimize their device with ease, enabling a faster development timeline and improved performance and reliability of their products.
Clarinox's technical support throughout the product life cycle was critical to the success of the project. The company's commitment to providing reliable and secure solutions was evident in its support, which ensured SpaceLabs had the resources and expertise they needed to integrate wireless technology with confidence.
The partnership between SpaceLabs and Clarinox has been highly successful, with both companies leveraging their respective strengths to deliver cutting-edge solution to their customers. The result is a patient monitoring system that is more efficient, secure, and cost-effective.
This case study highlights Clarinox's commitment to providing reliable and secure solutions that meet the unique needs of its customers. The partnership with SpaceLabs demonstrates the company's ability to collaborate effectively and deliver innovative solutions that drive progress and improve lives.
About ClarinoxClarinox is a leading provider of wireless software stacks for embedded systems. The company is dedicated to delivering effective software solutions for developers in their quest for innovation and efficiency in their embedded systems. For further information please contact us at info@clarinox.com
Return To TopFrancotyp-Postalia engages Clarinox Technologies and Green Hills Software to help bring Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity to franking machines
In 1920s Germany, postal workers had to write values on stamps manually, but as hyperinflation took hold of the country, values would change every hour.
The situation was untenable, but resolution was on hand. Innovative designers transformed a cash register into the world’s first franking machine with adjustable postage value. The legacy of those early innovators led to the company that is today known as Francotyp-Postalia (FP).
For the next 100 years innovation continued. FP brought the first fully automatic franking machine to the world in the 1980s, and in 2004 was the first franking company to meet the stringent Deutsche Post machine-readable requirements. A decade later, FP became the first franking machine supplier to earn an Energy Star 2.0 rating.
Increased connectivity with embedded software solutions
Coming into the modern era, FP strongly acknowledged that the future is digital. Consequently, the company has focused sharply on the development of innovative software solutions for secure digital communication and document processes. At the same time, FP has maintained its dedication to its franking machines, making them ever-more connected and functional.
As FP moved further into the digital and highly connected arena, company leaders recognized a pressing need for new suppliers—suppliers that would uphold the high standard of engineering integral to FP’s culture for the connectivity project. Among them were Green Hills Software and Clarinox Technologies (Clarinox).
Founded in 1982 by Dan O’Dowd and Carl Rosenberg and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, Green Hills Software builds operating systems and programming tools for embedded systems. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, Clarinox licenses short-range wireless protocol software and debugging tools for embedded systems.
FP engaged the services of both Green Hills and Clarinox to help the company achieve its vision of the future. Green Hills Software was engaged to provide its INTEGRITY Real Time Operating System (RTOS), GHNet TCP/IP and MULTI toolchain as a robust and secure foundation for FP’s embedded software platform. Clarinox was engaged to provide ClarinoxBlue Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth Low Energy and ClarinoxWiFi Wi-Fi capability on the INTEGRITY RTOS and Texas Instruments WiLink8 target platform to provide robust and flexible connectivity.
Referring to the strategic importance of the connectivity project, Dirk Rosenau, Manager R&D at FP InovoLabs said, “The ability to connect using wireless has become a necessary part of all internet-capable devices today, from mobile phones through to office equipment. At Francotyp-Postalia, we see this capability as a ‘must have’ in our latest generation of franking machines. At the same time, transparency of the data flows in our communications is exceptionally important to us. This is one of the reasons why we opted for an in-built solution, rather than buying-in an external module.
To achieve this, and to get our offering off the ground, our cooperative relationships with Green Hills and Clarinox is vital. We feel well supported through what began as a brand-new area of technology for us. The result is our PostBase Vision, one of the most advanced franking machines on the market.”
“We are honored to have been chosen by Francotyp-Postalia for this project. Our INTEGRITY RTOS provides the secure and reliable foundation that is needed for a product such as this, and our MULTI toolchain and complier reduced risk and enabled bugs to be found and fixed early in the development cycle,” said Chris Tubbs, Business Development Director, EMEA, Green Hills Software.
Trish Messiter, Clarinox CEO, added that “We at Clarinox are proud that FP has given us the opportunity to work on this world-leading project. Our robust and comprehensive Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity stacks and powerful debug tool ClariFi facilitated a high level of visibility and collaboration between FP, Green Hills Software and Clarinox to achieve complex functionality. It has been a pleasure to learn the long history of innovation at FP and to work with the FP team across all levels, from procurement to management and engineering.”
Conclusion
Shaping the future requires a step into unknown territory and adoption of different technologies. With the right partners, FP has successfully established a platform for launching a range of new products and services.
About Francotyp-Postalia
The stock-listed and globally operating FP Group, headquartered in Berlin, is an expert in solutions that make office and work life easier and more efficient. As the market leader in Germany and Austria and the world's third-largest provider of franking systems, the FP Group is a well-established player with almost 100 years of corporate history. FP is represented in ten countries by its own subsidiaries and in 40 other countries via a dealer network.
In addition to its Franking & Office Solutions, the FP Group has business units for Software & Business Process Automation, IoT and Mail Services. In Software & Business Process Automation, FP optimizes customers’ business processes and offers solutions such as electronic signatures, hybrid mail, input/output management for physical and digital documents and the data-driven automation of complex business processes. In the growth areas of Internet of Things (IoT), the company develops platform- and software-as-a-service solutions not only to record and transmit data, but also to format this data and make it easily usable for customers. In Mail Services, FP offers the consolidation of business mail and counts among the leading providers in Germany. The FP Group generated revenue of around EUR 196 million in fiscal year 2020.
For more information see https://www.fp-francotyp.com/fpgroup.
About Green Hills Software
Founded in 1982, Green Hills Software is the worldwide leader in embedded safety and security. In 2008, the Green Hills INTEGRITY-178 RTOS was the first and only operating system to be certified by NIAP (National Information Assurance Partnership composed of NSA & NIST) to EAL 6+, High Robustness, the highest level of security ever achieved for any software product. The company’s open architecture integrated development solutions address deeply embedded, absolute security and high-reliability applications for military/avionics, medical, industrial, automotive, networking, consumer and other markets that demand industry-certified solutions. Green Hills Software is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, with European headquarters in the United Kingdom.
Visit Green Hills Software at https://www.ghs.com.
About Clarinox
Clarinox Technologies provides Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy & Wi-Fi protocol stacks, ClariFi-based debug tools and related engineering services to handle the inherent complexity of wireless throughout the whole product life cycle, thus freeing Clarinox customers to concentrate on their applications. Clarinox keeps pace with new releases of wireless standards, and ClarinoxBlue has achieved qualification of Bluetooth Core Specification V5.2 including Bluetooth Low Energy audio profiles.
Clarinox was founded in 2001 and is an ISO 9001–certified company. Many international brand names, including Fortune 100 customers, have used Clarinox software in their products for many years. Clarinox has received industry awards for its innovative architecture and ClariFi debugger.
Clarinox is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, and has offices in India and Turkey as well as a network of sales representatives worldwide.
For more information visit https://www.clarinox.com
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Broadcasting major international sporting events involves a lot of technology behind the scenes. Multiple cameras for live streaming, lighting, on-air talent, and production teams need to be coordinated. Sporting venues are supported by vast IT infrastructure including switches, routers, file transfer systems, storage, communications, and high-powered processing capacity.
RTS, part of the Bosch Group, is a leading supplier of professional intercom solutions, with more than 40 years of experience in the market. RTS systems are the choice of major broadcasters worldwide, trusted for coordinating coverage of the world's largest sporting events. These include the recent Summer Games in Tokyo, where RTS's unique Trunking technology enabled all the local and global locations of a major US-based broadcaster to act as a single virtual location. The installation for coverage of the Games was fully IP, comprising over 600 ports and leveraging two more singular and superior RTS technologies: OMNEO high-quality audio for local communication and RVON for international comms.
Improved Bluetooth connectivity with ClarinoxBlue
The RTS product line-up also includes high-quality partyline intercom solutions, including the new Digital Belt Pack (DBP). To ensure the highest quality Bluetooth connectivity to headsets and smartphones, RTS defined several objectives during the belt pack's development, addressing both hardware and software in the process.
First, it was a priority for the user to be able to place the DBP on a fixed stand or bench for freedom of movement within a limited range, without the restriction of wires. Next, it was desirable to allow the user to receive calls on their phone and talk or listen on the belt pack headset. Finally, it was required that the user be able to make calls on their smartphone and bridge these calls into the intercom so that the phone could act as a telephony bridge. To address these objectives, RTS chose Clarinox Technology to supply the ClarinoxBlue Bluetooth protocol stack software for RTOS.
ClarinoxBlue is a developer-friendly software protocol stack, designed exclusively for the development of embedded Bluetooth applications. The stack handles complex applications using both multiple profiles and multiple local Bluetooth devices, enabling an application to interact with several local Bluetooth devices simultaneously. The simplicity of the ClarinoxBlue API greatly reduces application development times. For most applications, the code written based upon ClarinoxBlue will comprise only one-third of the number of lines required for other stacks.
Clarinox tailored, compiled, and tested its ClarinoxBlue protocol stack software based on RTS's requirements. Bluetooth Classic handsfree, audio streaming, and cable replacement profiles were packaged, tested on the target hardware, and provided by Clarinox along with a reference application. In addition, Clarinox used its ClariFi debug tool to quickly resolve issues as they arose in the development phase.
"Reliability and quality in engineering are hallmarks of the Bosch brand, along with products that are innovative and spark enthusiasm," says Kevin Moore, Vice President of Engineering at Bosch Critical Communications Systems. "We chose Clarinox because the company and its products exceeded our requirements and our expectations."
Part of the Bosch Group, RTS is the industry leader in professional intercom systems, providing solutions that combine forward-thinking functionality, real-world reliability, and superior sound quality.
About ClarinoxClarinox Technologies Pty Ltd was formed with the aim of providing cost-effective and innovative wireless embedded systems solutions for businesses developing embedded products. Members of the Clarinox team leverage their experience with embedded systems design to develop leading-edge Bluetooth and Wi-Fi solutions. ClarinoxWiFi provides STA, AP & P2P as well as security protocols. ClarinoxBlue is qualified as Bluetooth version 5.2 covering both Classic and LE, inclusive of Bluetooth Low Energy audio profiles/services and LC3 codec. Clarinox is passionate about delivering flexible and robust wireless protocol software for embedded systems developments. For more information, visit
When Harris Corporation, one of the largest technology companies in the USA, went looking for a partner to add a Wireless Personal Area Network to their highly success Harris RF-7850S radio, it found the solution in Melbourne, Australia. Clarinox Technologies is an innovative specialist in the development and integration of wireless embedded systems. The partnership between Harris and Clarinox resulted in a market changing radio capability.
In 2014, the Harris RF-7580S radio was the ultimate integration of radio, edge device, GPS and application software in a single platform. It provided superior connectivity for soldiers and enhanced the sharing of information through the command chain as well as supporting assets such as helicopters and UAVs. However, Harris recognised the product could be improved further by significantly reducing cumbersome cables through wirelessly networking numerous end-user devices. This enhancement would significantly increase operational effectiveness for users.
Although the strategy to add a wireless personal area network (WPAN) communication capability to the existing RF-7850S radio was straightforward, the execution was not. Harris approached a number of leading technology specialists in the US, searching for a wireless solution which would fit within the very limited available footprint of the product. The challenge proved to be beyond some of the biggest names in the industry. Eventually, Harris was referred to a company with a reputation for developing innovative and leadingedge solutions in wireless embedded systems, on the other side of the world – Clarinox Technologies, based in Melbourne, Australia.
Clarinox took on the challenge, and a productive partnership with Harris was formed. The project was extremely challenging from the outset, requiring more than 12 months of technical planning and management of the necessary ITAR and other export restrictions. The biggest obstacle, however, was the technical challenge presented by trying to fit significant functionality in a much smaller than needed footprint. This challenge required careful consideration and innovative solutions to both hardware and software. The Harris team, based in Rochester, New York, and the Clarinox team based in Melbourne, Australia, collaborated through the many complex challenges encountered across the life of the project. The ultimate success of this endeavour is a testament to the great skill, enthusiasm and dedication of both teams, working together across continents and time zones.
The success of the Harris and Clarinox team created a world-leading capability, and to date, there is no other radio that combines wireless networking and intra-team radio communication like the RF-7850S WPAN radio. The system has received excellent reviews from users and Defence has indicated an interest during the Army Innovation Day 2018 with potential linkages to future Army requirements.
The dynamic collaboration between Harris Defence Australia and Clarinox is an example of the exciting growth of the Australian Defence Industry’s content and capability, and the world-class innovation and tenacity on Australian shores. Encouraging, promoting and supporting such partnerships will continue to bring local talent to the attention of the world, and provide a significant enhancement to Australia’s Defence capability.
When Navico, known for unsurpassed quality and innovative products, went fishing for a smarter connectivity solution, they chose ClarinoxBlue™ dual mode Bluetooth® protocol stack.
Navico is a market leader in marine electronics. The company is rightly proud to be the world's largest developer, manufacturer and distributor of marine electronics for the recreational market. Their distribution supplying over 100 countries around the world.
This pride extends throughout all levels of the company. It results in a demand for quality from all suppliers. So when seeking new technology for Navico's connectivity requirements, quality and service were high on the list of priorities. Navico chose the ClarinoxBlue solution as the winning provider for Bluetooth functionality in the Lowrance® Elite-7 TI. Navico's decision was due to the Clarinox innovative approach, simple APIs and enhanced in-built debug capabilities.
The Clarinox experience in wireless product development, combined with the Clarinox portfolio of robust wireless protocols and software tools, placed us in a unique position to ensure the success of this innovative product. The extensive Clarinox experience with Freescale iMX61, and the ability to support both Linux and a variety of Bluetooth chipsets made the decision even easier.
“As the market leader, Navico works hard to stay ahead of the pack. Improvements and upgrades are carefully considered and planned. I am very pleased to say that working with Clarinox made the job of integrating Bluetooth technology quick and relatively painless. This was a great result for Navico.”
Andrew Corbett
Chief Technical Officer, Navico Asia Pacific
Target Platform Specification
Clarinox Products
Navico
Navico is a global provider of marine electronics and the name behind the Lowrance® Elite-7 TI. Navico products are at the forefront of technology ensuring truly innovative product functionality.
Clarinox
Clarinox Technologies Pty Ltd provides robust and proven Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi protocol stacks. The Clarinox solution handles complex usage scenarios. This includes simultaneous profiles and roles across a wide range of target platforms as well as simultaneous Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability. This is enhanced by advanced debug tools to speed up embedded Bluetooth and Wi-Fi developments. With 15 years of experience in short range wireless, the Clarinox team is the ideal partner to simplify embedded wireless.
When the going gets tough, Clarinox steps up. Why Logitech chose Clarinox as their preferred wireless supplier when exploring new markets.
When Logitech started an expedition into new market segments, they began a search for the best wireless supplier to support and fully deliver on their challenging requirements.
The specifications were clear from the onset. The Logitech product was to incorporate a custom CPU and TI WiLink8 chipset for simultaneous Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth®. Development was to take place with uC/OS-III RTOS using the custom SDK, and with the ADS 1.2 toolchain.
These challenging demands fitted perfectly with Clarinox, both in our areas of specialization and our philosophy that “nothing is impossible”. Clarinox worked with Logitech to bring the ClarinoxBlue™ and ClarinoxWiFi™ solutions to the Logitech product. ClarinoxBlue provided the necessary GAP, ATT and GATT profiles and protocols for Bluetooth Low Energy development. ClarinoxWiFi enabled AP, STA and WPS roles for Wi-Fi integration. Both Clarinox products feature encapsulation within an award-winning C / C++ based ClarinoxSoftFrame™ framework, which allowed these technologies to be used concurrently.
During the design and development phase, Clarinox provided technical support with the use of a binary library code compiled specifically for the Logitech platform. Assistance was provided in the setup of the ADS 1.2 toolchain, on which Clarinox API libraries were built. This was an immensely challenging task; ADS 1.2 was an obsolete toolchain with origins to the early 2000s.
Clarinox was also responsible for the configuration of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth drivers for the platform; the Bluetooth driver was configured over a serial port with HW flow control and the Wi-Fi driver over the SDIO interface. Clarinox developed a custom GATT profile specifically for Logitech’s requirements and a Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi end-application was delivered.
With the dedicated team of software engineers, Clarinox ensured the delivery to the Logitech specifications. As Logitech’s Head of Technology – Seed’s Initiatives, Aron Rosenberg, puts it: “I was pleased with the porting work, the communication and the relationship – and would be very happy to work with Clarinox again.”
Target Platform Specification
Clarinox Products
Logitech
This 2 billion USD household name is a global provider of personal computer and tablets accessories with EMEA headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland and American headquarters in Newark, California. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, trackballs, microphones, game controllers and webcams. Logitech also makes home and computer speakers, headphones, wireless audio devices, as well as audio devices for MP3 players and mobile phones. More recently, the company has begun making keyboards and covers for tablets.
Clarinox
Clarinox Technologies Pty Ltd provides robust and proven Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi protocol stacks. The Clarinox solution handles complex usage scenarios. This includes simultaneous profiles and roles across a wide range of target platforms as well as simultaneous Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability. This is enhanced by advanced debug tools to speed up embedded Bluetooth and Wi-Fi developments. With 15 years of experience in short range wireless, the Clarinox team is the ideal partner to simplify embedded wireless.
At Daimler AG we always monitor innovative Technologies. --Markus Hammori (HMI Architecture and Instrument Cluster, Daimler AG)
Daimler AG has been at the leading edge since the inception of the automotive technology and remains the market leader in research and innovation.
Before technology is selected for inclusion in future models, Daimler carries out significant investigation to determine how to enhance the user experience. For In-Vehicle Infotainment, this means selecting technologies that will make the user interface in the car even more intuitive, and provide maximum functionality, without distraction to the driver.
When Daimler sought technology partners for an innovative predevelopment project they assembled a team of niche engineering experts from around the world.
Together, Green Hills Software and Clarinox provided a robust real time operating system (RTOS) and wireless connectivity platform, combined with extensive experience in wireless product development. This placed the team in a unique position to ensure the construction of a robust multimedia streaming architecture.
Clarinox Product
ClarinoxWiFi™
Green Hills Product
INTEGRITY RTOS and Middleware (TCP/IP)
Clarinox/Green Hills Role
Provide RTOS and Wi-Fi® Direct functionality covering wireless SD card hardware and wireless connectivity software. To perform this task Clarinox used the Jannal IDE to generate and debug the system which enabled the design, manufacture and assembly of the wireless SD card hardware as well as customised protocol stack software within five weeks of project start. Green Hills Software had to provide full board support package (BSP) for the iMx6 and TI WiLink6 target platform. Given that an extensive set of drivers were already available, the only required customization was an enhancement to the SD Card driver to support the Clarinox hardware. A long-term partnership between the two companies ensured efficient integration of the TCP/IP networking and WiFi stacks.
Daimler, as a prestige automobile manufacturer, is at the leading edge of technology embracing innovative product functionality.The expectation for leading edge technology is extended to all component vendors, so when Daimler AG sought a supplier for the RTOS and connectivity functionality the vendor had to be innovative. Green Hills Software and Clarinox were selected based on the pedigree and quality capabilities of the platform, combined with clear application program interfaces (APIs) and enhanced debug tools. The Freescale iMx6 Quad-core platform and Texas Instruments WiLink6 wireless chipset completed the major components of the target IVI platform.
Customer comment
The prototype enabled us to test out new technologies in a manner that otherwise would not have been possible. The combined offering of Clarinox connectivity on the Green Hills INTEGRITY RTOS provided a robust, safe and flexible foundation upon which many innovative telematics features could be tested.
Final comment
Daimler AG, known for unsurpassed quality, chose the combination of Green Hills and Clarinox software for their pre-development project needs.
“Our relationship with Clarinox is in the best interest of the product/platform and also offers a cost-competitive solution compared to stack-on-chip drop-in solutions.” - Evan Ross, SMART kapp™ firmware design lead
The SMART kapp™ digital capture board from SMART Technologies instantly transfers written content onto any connected device “as if by magic”. Content can be shared from the SMART kapp via your device easily and intuitively to anywhere in the world.
SMART Technologies is well known as a leading collaboration company and global provider of visual collaboration solutions.
The technology chosen for the SMART kapp was comprised of Texas Instruments TMS320C6748, SYS/BIOS and WiLink8 WL1835MOD onto which target Clarinox integrated the ClarinoxBlue Bluetooth Smart Ready protocol stack. Together these technologies provided the ideal base for SMART Technologies to add the “as if by magic” functionality of the SMART kapp product.
The Clarinox experience in wireless product development, combined with the Clarinox portfolio of robust wireless protocols and software tools, placed us in a unique position to ensure the success of this innovative product.
SMART Technologies is a global provider of visual collaboration solutions and the creator of the SMART Board® interactive whiteboard(Figure 1). SMART Technologies products are at the leading edge of technology to ensure truly innovative product functionality.
The expectation for leading edge technology is extended to all component vendors so when SMART Technologies sought a supplier for the Bluetooth functionality the vendor had to be innovative. ClarinoxBlue were chosen as the winning provider due to the innovative approach, simple APIs and enhanced debug capabilities built in. The TI TMS320C6748; SYS/BIOS ; and TI WiLink8 WL1835MOD completed the major components of the target platform.
Figure 1: SMART Board® interactive whiteboard
Customer Outcome
The Clarinox team worked well with SMART Technologies and provided good support through crucial phases of the project. The product was launched at InfoComm in Las Vegas June 18-20 2014 and the reception exceeded expectations.
Customer comment
“Innovation is at the heart of what we do,” says Warren Barkley, Chief Technology Officer, SMART Technologies. “SMART kapp is the biggest innovation to the dry erase board since it was created more than 35 years ago. It’s a whole new product category and we were overwhelmed by the positive reaction it received at InfoComm.”
Final comment
SMART Technologies, known for unsurpassed quality, innovative products, chose ClarinoxBlue Smart Ready for their short range wireless technology needs.
SMART Technologies is well known as a leading collaboration company and global provider of visual collaboration solutions.
The technology chosen for the SMART kapp was comprised of Texas Instruments TMS320C6748, SYS/BIOS and WiLink8 WL1835MOD onto which target Clarinox integrated the ClarinoxBlue Bluetooth Smart Ready protocol stack. Together these technologies provided the ideal base for SMART Technologies to add the “as if by magic” functionality of the SMART kapp product.
The Clarinox experience in wireless product development, combined with the Clarinox portfolio of robust wireless protocols and software tools, placed us in a unique position to ensure the success of this innovative product.
SMART Technologies is a global provider of visual collaboration solutions and the creator of the SMART Board® interactive whiteboard. SMART Technologies products are at the leading edge of technology to ensure truly innovative product functionality.
The expectation for leading edge technology is extended to all component vendors so when SMART Technologies sought a supplier for the Bluetooth functionality the vendor had to be innovative. ClarinoxBlue were chosen as the winning provider due to the innovative approach, simple APIs and enhanced debug capabilities built in. The TI TMS320C6748; SYS/BIOS ; and TI WiLink8 WL1835MOD completed the major components of the target platform.
Customer Outcome
The Clarinox team worked well with SMART Technologies and provided good support through crucial phases of the project. The product was launched at InfoComm in Las Vegas June 18-20 2014 and the reception exceeded expectations.
Customer comment
“Innovation is at the heart of what we do,” says Warren Barkley, Chief Technology Officer, SMART Technologies. “SMART kapp is the biggest innovation to the dry erase board since it was created more than 35 years ago. It’s a whole new product category and we were overwhelmed by the positive reaction it received at InfoComm.”
Final comment
SMART Technologies, known for unsurpassed quality, innovative products, chose ClarinoxBlue Smart Ready for their short range wireless technology needs.
The Internet of Things era is driving demand for numerous connectivity options into a whole range of products across multiple industries. The global positioning market is experiencing this demand and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) product vendors are now incorporating a number of short range wired and wireless standards into their products.
NovAtel is well known as a high quality vendor of high precision OEM GNSS positioning technology.
The Clarinox Bluetooth and Wi-Fi stacks, ClarinoxBlue and ClarinoxWiFi, enable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi functionality inside the new Novatel ProPak6 GNSS receiver.
NovAtel® designs, manufactures and sells high precision OEM GNSS positioning technology. NovAtel products are built to the highest standard to ensure robust, reliable products that can be integrated rapidly into customer applications.
NovAtel sets this high quality expectation for all component vendors. So when NovAtel sought a supplier for the Bluetooth and WiFi functionality of its ProPak6 receiver, robustness and reliability were key priorities. ClarinoxBlue and ClarinoxWiFi running on INTEGRITY passed this test and were chosen as the winning combination. The OMAP 3 general processor and LSR TiW-R2 module (based upon TI WiLink chipset) completed the major components of the target platform.
Clarinox Role
Clarinox stacks, ClarinoxBlue and ClarinoxWifi, and Clarinox debugging and protocol analyzer were used to provide Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity to the ProPak6 product. This project demonstrated the simultaneous running of the ClarinoxBlue and ClarinoxWiFi on a Texas Instruments OMAP DM3730 board running GHS INTEGRITY operating system and Texas Instruments WiLink6 based wireless modules.
Outcome for Client
The Clarinox team worked with NovAtel to provide valuable support throughout crucial phases of the project. The product was released on time and has been exceptionally well received in the marketplace.
Future Plans
Now that short range connectivity has been included in the product, the possible future additions of features and applications are almost unlimited. As new versions of the technology used come to market, upgrades to the system will be quickly considered and the addition of further wireless technologies is also a possibility.
“NovAtel is very grateful for the contribution Clarinox made to our ProPak6 GNSS (Figure 2) product development efforts. The integration of onboard Bluetooth stack and WiFi functionality held major design challenges and we relied on Clarinox’s technical expertise and customer support to help overcome technical integration issues in a timely manner. Our development teams worked successfully together, despite differences in location and time zones, ensuring a highly successful product launch.”
- NovAtel
The NovAtel ProPak6 GNSS Receiver
Figure 2: ProPak6 GNSS
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“The rapid development of a demonstration wireless system provided our business with new ways of looking at things and new opportunities for growth.”
- Cochlear
Clarinox developed a wireless system to provide additional information to the carers of hearing aid users.
In this project Clarinox provided the technology and engineering services to support innovation in the health and medical industry. The Clarinox experience in wireless product development, combined with the Clarinox portfolio of wireless protocols, software tools and hardware reference designs place us in a unique position to ensure the success of wireless health device developments.
Clarinox worked inline with the client requirements to enable the rapid assessment of an innovative concept.
Clarinox Role
Clarinox was engaged to develop a system that would display the information available in a child’s hearing aid in a clear, simple and convenient way to the child’s carer. It was decided that a mobile phone would be the most convenient and commonly available device for the carer to use.
Figure 3: Example of Gateway Button
The hearing aid used a proprietary ultra-low power wireless protocol, so using this was a mandatory requirement, however given that off-the-shelf mobile devices do not use this proprietary protocol it was not possible to interface directly. The solution was to construct an intermediate electronic device that acted as translator from the proprietary format into a standard format; this is shown as the “Gateway Button” in Figure 3. The standard protocol chosen was Bluetooth, due to its high prevalence on mobile phone devices.
Figure 4a (Left): Example user interface for adjusting volume and auto-tuning.
Figure 4b (Right): Example error message.
Clarinox provided the product development services to construct the gateway prototype, which included the necessary porting and integration services for the embedded hardware and software. The device also made use of the ClarinoxBlue protocol stack. In addition Clarinox implemented embedded and smart phone user interface software. Information to the users was presented on a standard smart phone of the day, examples updated to present off the shelf devices can be seen in Figures 4a and 4b.
Outcome for Client
The goal for Cochlear of this project was to test the value of quick and easy access to diagnostic information. The Clarinox modular approach to embedded development ensured that a test unit was achieved within half the time that would have been required by conventional approach. The gains were possible due to the in-built portability and reusability of the Clarinox middleware. The simple API ensured the application layer was quickly developed and the enhanced debugger ensured testing was completed on time and on budget.
Future Plans
The future plans include use of the prototype for demonstration and testing of new concepts.
Clarinox worked with volunteers from Vision Australia to demonstrate a wireless audio guidance system. The system provided instructions to assist a person to easily navigate through the Melbourne CBD without the aid of sight. The information provided included notification of building work, trip hazards on footpaths and the location of tram stops.
This is one example of Clarinox providing the technology to support innovation in the health and medical industry. The Clarinox experience in wireless product development, combined with the Clarinox portfolio of wireless protocols, software tools and hardware reference designs place us in a unique position to ensure the success of wireless health device developments.
By working closely with all the project stakeholders Clarinox helped to make this demonstration a success.
Vision Impairment
The chance of vision difficulties increases with age and so this is a problem that is becoming more apparent with the aging of the Australian population. Vision Australia is a not for profit organization that assists people to deal with the everyday practical issues that arise when dealing with visual impairment.
Clarinox Role
Clarinox provided electronic handheld devices to the volunteers. Bluetooth streamed audio wirelessly to the volunteer’s handheld upon their approach to location servers (X on the Figures). The audio notified the location of tram stops (Fig. 5a), pedestrian crossings (Fig. 5b) and trip hazards (Fig. 5c).
Figure 5a: The system solved the issue of inconsistency in tram stop location (left).
Figure 5b: Information on how to navigate intersections was provided (right).
Figure 5c: Advance warning of the location of construction zones and other trip hazards was provided along with instructions on how to move by an alternate path (right).
Figure 5d: Main system elements from the user perspective is the individual portable device and the location server that streams information to the user. These elements are supported from a web enabled system to allow remote updating of information and the relaying of these updates through the information server and then to the user (left).
Project Outcome
The City of Melbourne is proud of the fact that Melbourne has received the world’s most livable city award many times over. The trial of the system for the vision impaired allowed the City of Melbourne to promote its proactive approach to improving access to the city for all citizens.
Future Plans
Participants expressed enthusiasm in the demonstration of the system and were keen to raise funding to provide such a system on a large scale, more permanent, basis.
In large busy manufacturing environments misplacement and loss can have large impact upon efficiency. Electronic tracking of assets helps to reduce the possibility of such events impacting upon production schedules by ensuring that the location of critical or expensive components and finished goods are known at all times.
On Hand When Required
Within their assembly line plant Ford had some issues with expensive components not being able to be found on time, or sometimes at all. This issue was overcome by an electronic system that provided constant information about the location of these items and could be linked to building security to ensure appropriate action, such as alarms, could sound should the components move outside of their designated area.
Wireless Data Transfer
Collection of data automatically removes the time consuming and error prone method of manually keeping asset management systems continuously up to date in a fast moving assembly line environment. The implementation of the system by Clarinox improved operational efficiency and quickly repaid the return on investment. The generic framework provided by Clarinox together with the innovative electronic designs of Turkish partner, Edel Technologies, opens the opportunity to integrate a number of electronic systems such as building access rights with asset tracking giving flexibility and enhanced customisation to the individual needs of each site.
Clarinox Role
Clarinox, together with Edel Technologies handled the project from the design of active RFID tags and readers through to the customisation and integration to meet reading distance and accuracy criteria in different regions within the installation. This active system was integrated with a passive system for building access and the information combined and made available via a web based user interface.
Future Plans
This system was installed with one site to provide full feedback upon useability and system improvements. Over time the system will be upgraded and rolled out to Ford’s many other facilities.
Police, ambulance, fire fighters, in fact all emergency personnel, have to work efficiently under enormous pressure. Any reduction in time required to perform, even the smallest of tasks, has the potential to save lives.
Clarinox has worked with a number of the leading radio communications companies including Cobham, Simoco & Tait Communications. These companies supply both mobile and portable products to emergency service personnel.
The Clarinox experience in wireless product development, combined with the Clarinox portfolio of wireless protocols, software tools and hardware reference designs place us in a unique position to ensure the success of wireless communication developments.
Clarinox worked inline with the customer to successfully incorporate additional wireless technologies into existing emergency personnel radio and communication products.
Clarinox Role
In the project for Tait Communications, Clarinox assisted by designing a robust short range wireless extension for the Tait DMR TM9300 products. This Bluetooth wireless extension enabled emergency personnel the freedom to access the radio communication system from a wearable device, thus saving precious time in critical situations. Improving efficiency and allowing emergency personnel to continue with their job.
Bluetooth was used to make it possible to develop a secure wireless extension to the existing radio product. This solution was developed a platform comprised of SPARC LEON processor with eCos operating system. Bluetooth hardware used in the project was the MuRata BlueModule Type66 part number LBEH19UQJC.
Clarinox provided ClarinoxBlue Bluetooth stack license and engineering services. The engineering services covered the Bluetooth subsystem items of porting, customisation, application level software development, integration and test. Additionally Clarinox provided Bluetooth qualification consultancy services. Bluetooth stack profiles included Headset (HSP), HandsFree (HFP) and Serial Port Profile (SPP).
Outcome for Client
Tait succeeded in their aim of developing upgraded handsets to offer their clients. The upgraded handset concept was so well received by the market that this device is to be deployed to the Victorian Country Fire Association (CFA), a valuable and high profile account to win.
Future Plans
The project provides a system to enhance efficiency of emergency personnel. Future plans involve extending functionality to a multitude of other devices and so develop a network of personal devices to assist emergency personal with the handset as the central, co-ordinating device.
The plans include extending beyond the needs of the CFA and addressing the needs of other major segments such as police, such as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6: The Bluetooth short range extension can allow emergency personnel to communicate via radio without discontinuing his/her task.
“Wireless in-vehicle applications remain an area of intense interest for many in the automotive industry. In addition, global vehicle sales are increasing and it is forecast that sales in 2012 will reach over 78 million cars sold.”
- Filomena Berardi
IMS Research, The Communications & Wireless division
Clarinox worked with Sumitomo Wiring Systems Australia on the Bluetooth subsystem of an in-vehicle infotainment system.
This is an example of Clarinox providing the technology to support innovation in the automotive industry. The Clarinox experience in wireless product development, combined with the Clarinox portfolio of wireless protocols, software tools and hardware reference designs place us in a unique position to ensure the success of connectivity components of In-Vehicle Infotainment system developments.
By working closely with the project stakeholders Clarinox helped to make this project a success.
Clarinox Role
ClarinoxBlue stack, Clarinox debugging and protocol analyzer were used extensively to provide high visibility of the communications occurring throughout the operability test phase. This provided the information required to debug the IVI code and also mitigate interoperability issues with third party devices.
This project demonstrated the simultaneous running of the ClarinoxBlue Bluetooth automotive profiles (A2DP, AVRCP, HFP PBAP and MAP) proven on a FreeScale i.MX31 ARM Cortex based hardware running QNX operating system.
Additionally Clarinox role included assistance with the qualification process.
Outcome for Client
The visibility provided by the Clarinox tools enabled the detection of non-compliant behaviour of third party Bluetooth devices The work from Clarinox contributed to the success of the interoperability testing leading to overall project acceptance from the end client.
Future Plans
The ability to run simultaneous profiles, the Clarinox support for additional wireless protocols (e.g. WiFi &/or Bluetooth Low Energy) within the same framework opens up numerous new connectivity opportunities. An example of the multiple simultaneous use case is shown in Figure 7. Sensor feeds via Bluetooth Low Energy e.g. keyless entry, driver health signs, auto detection of passengers for seat belts, tyre pressure measurement, wireless reverse camera are some of the potential future extensions.
Figure 7: ClarinoxBlue running on a head-unit with GAP, SDAP, HFP, PBAP, MAP, A2DP, AVCRP, VDP and DUN
In recent years governments everywhere have taken security issues as a major priority. This has had repercussions through industry to be aware of the location of products and reactants that could be used or could form dangerous materials. Clarinox assisted major mining explosives, Orica, with a trial system for investigation of occupational health and safety implications of tracking their product.
Electronic tracking of explosives
Tracking explosives using electronic means poses technical challenges as the electromagnetic field around the product must be kept below particular limits. This must be balanced against the functionality of the system desired be those using.
Wireless data transfer
The trial system was based around 13.56MHz RFID technology for the identification of individual product. Bluetooth was then used to transfer the information gathered back to a centralised server station. A locking mechanism was used to ensure the higher power radio frequency technology could not be used simultaneously with the 13.56MHz technology.
Clarinox role
Clarinox successfully developed and provided a system that could read the individual product identity and relay this information back to the server. This facilitated the fast and automatic identification of product along with details of the last point of handling and identity of handler to quickly allow investigation should product go missing.
Future plans
The project provided a trial system to demonstrate and perform thorough occupational health and safety testing. The system placed Orica in a position to be ready to implement quickly when required.
