Feature: What next after WLAN, Bluetooth? Germany developing new wireless standard

With rapid changes in technology, existing radio technologies are reaching their limits.

Scientists from the Institute of Industrial Information Technology (inIT) of East Westphalia-Lippe (OWL) University, dissatisfied with existing solutions, are taking a big step into the future by developing entirely new wireless standards.

The "factory of the future" requires wireless technologies that can do more, faster, more efficiently while being safer, according to researchers at the OWL University.

"In order to accomplish these demands, real innovations are necessary in the networking of industrial plants," said Juergen Jasperneite, managing director of inIT.

At inIT, new technologies and methods are being developed through the connection of the digital and automated worlds.

Wired installations mean restrictions in terms of flexibility, but none of the existing wireless radio solutions, such as WiFi, Bluetooth or ZigBee, can achieve the necessary transmission rates and reaction times, researchers said.

An inIT project named HiFlecs, which stands for "high-performance, secure wireless technologies and their system integration in future industrial closed-loop automation techniques," comes in to replace previously used radio technologies.

Their goal is to increase the efficiency and flexibility of the control and regulation processes. Meier said: "We are developing a new industrial radio system that is far beyond the state-of-the-art technology and provides new functionality and features to radio communications."

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the project to the tune of 544,000 euros (593,574 U.S. dollars). Endit