5.1. IntroductionThe characteristics of ultra-wideband systemslarge bandwidth, high data rate, low power, and short rangeoffer many exciting opportunities for new applications as well as enhancements to existing products in the communications industry. As with any new technology, it is important to understand and analyze potential target markets and time-to-market advantages for the successful growth of UWB technology in the commercial sector of the wireless industry. Therefore, in this chapter we provide a detailed and quantitative look at some key UWB applications of widespread interest in the entertainment, military/government, and automotive industries. We identify and analyze both current and future potential applications of UWB technology, based on marketing research data from ON World Emerging Wireless Research.[1]
This chapter also covers the time-to-market advantages of ultra-wideband technology for the identified applications and provides forecasts of parameters such as the number of UWB chip sets and UWB chip set revenues based on specific applications through 2010. The chapter ends with a list of current UWB companies and their targeted areas of technology. |