Wiliot’s chip sensor is the first of its kind and has the ability to communicate with devices enabled by Bluetooth Low Energy. Wiliot’s concept for their Bluetooth chip. (Photo via Wiliot)
A new startup called WIliot is getting a lot of attention and funding from some big-name companies. Wiliot makes semiconductors that harness ambient nanowatts of electromagnetic energy from cellular, WiFi, and Bluetooth networks allowing it to function without batteries or other traditional wired power sources. Recently, the startup received $30 million in a series B round of funding giving them a total of $50 million.
Backers include several high profile names, including Amazon, Samsung, and Avery Dennison along with previous investors Nortwest Venture Partners, 83North Venture Capital, Grove Venture Partners, Qualcomm Ventures, and M Ventures. There’s also an undisclosed “retail giant” who invested in this round, but their name is not being revealed.
It’s amazing that Wiliot managed to get so much funding without manufacturing or commercializing its chips, which have only been recently revealed to the public. But seeing how innovative and promising the chip sounds, it’s easy to understand what made backers so eager. It marks the first battery-free Bluetooth sticker sensor tag. The chip can be attached to a simple antenna printed on plastic or paper and then will authenticate the range of a product by transmitting an encrypted serial number along with weight and temperature data from a device as big as a postage stamp.
Using Wiliot’s nanowatt computing, it can communicate with any device enabled by Bluetooth Low Energy, like smartphones, WiFi access points, and Internet of Things devices. Since it doesn’t need most components used with traditional Bluetooth, the sale and maintenance costs are lowered a considerable amount. The chip also has the ability to measure air pressure and location and can send data back to the cloud.
So what can this battery-free sensor be used for? While it would be ideal for manufacturing, logistics, and tagging, Wiliot’s SVP of marketing Steve Statler says the first customers will most likely be in the apparel industry. The chips could be inserted on care labels to help track the clothing from the manufacturer to sale and provide services to people who buy them.
“That can cover anything from washing instructions to helping provide wardrobing recommendations,” he noted. That will, of course, depend on whether the customer opts in for such assistance and/or doesn’t cut the label off the clothes.
Wiliot also envisions the tag being used to track valuable items when they’re stolen and for customers at home who need instructions on how to use certain products. The chip hasn’t been rolled out commercially, but they hope this latest round of funding will help get the product out. The next steps for the company include figuring out how to produce the chips at scale and at a competitive price and how to earn its first customers.
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