The Green Geek

Universal chip for wireless devices

UCLA researchers report that within 3 years wireless devices could be built with a universal chip, allowing the devices to access multiple frequency ranges. In order for a wireless device to access wifi or bluetooth, multiple chips are required, increasing the size, complexity and manufacturing cost of the device. The new universal chip would have a frequency range of 800 megahertz to 5 gigahertz, with software frequency selection to allow access to wifi, wimax, cellular, GPS, bluetooth, and local radio and tv frequencies.

A universal wireless chip would allow for smaller and cheaper devices that would also be more energy efficient, which would further reduce costs and extend battery life. Devices could also be made thinner and smaller, while offering more functionality. Ultimately this could lead to a cell phone that accesses a local wifi network for VoIP instead of a cellular network, and near ubiquitous GPS service for realtime mapping and location services.

via Technology Review