App building with BLE (bluetooth low energy)
Why BLE is different from the classic Bluetooth?
Bluetooth low energy (or Bluetooth Smart) provides much lower power consumption, and this way we can develop apps for devices that have low power requirements like medical and fitness devices, which run for a long period of time on batteries.
It is a new, application-friendly version of Bluetooth that was designed to power the Internet of Things. BLE works with all kinds of smart devices, or devices that connect to a smartphone or smartwatch and enhances heart rate monitors, fitness accessories, TV-s, safety cameras, kitchen and entertainment devices and so on. All these wirelessly connected machines use the Bluetooth Low Energy technology.
Not only it makes the users lives easier, it is also developer-friendly with its flexible development structure, that makes it possible to let your imagination fly and create new products that communicate with the smart devices already on the market. BLE also makes it possible to add new functionalities into devices that are already enabled with Bluetooth technology.
If you could use an app with BLE, we can help you at Swiss Tomato, please contact us.
The technology can be used in the field of:
- Health care
- Fitness
- Proximity sensing
- Internet connectivity
- IoT (Internet of Things)
Advantages of BLE:
- Low cost
- Enhanced range
- Runs for a long time on coin-cell batteries
- Low power consumption
- Multi-vendor interoperability
Examples of BLE apps and use:
- Transportation and charging: Evpass: it is a charging station network solution of Green Motion for electric cars. After registration, you receive a card that you can use at all of the charging stations in Switzerland. With an Evpass registration, you get all the information about the nearest charging station, like its address, the description of the place, number of available plugs and types of plugs.
- Medical use: Uroflowmeter: this medical app developed by Swiss Tomato, is connected to a urological device with Bluetooth connection, it displays and automatically evaluates the data measured by the device. It also keeps a database of the patients, and is also capable of exporting the data.
- Sports and fitness: Fitbit: it is a fitness tracker that uses BLE to synchronise the data measured by the tracker on your wrist to your phone through an app. It tracks your exercise, sleep, food and weight in order to track your progress and make you more fit.