This Week in Bluetooth & UWB |
Feb 20, 2026 |
|
|
|
In This Issue
→ Bluetooth LE sniffer tracks a pacemaker in kidnapping case
→ National Theatre pilots Auracast for deaf audiences
→ Tesla gets FCC nod for UWB wireless Cybercab charging
→ Smart sleep mask leaks EEG brainwave data via Bluetooth LE
→ Battery-free Bluetooth LE tags powered entirely by ambient light
|
|
|
|
|
BROUGHT TO YOU BY INFINEON
Need accurate distance measurement in your next Bluetooth LE product? Channel Sounding makes that possible — and Infineon's whitepaper covers the protocol fundamentals, security architecture, and hardware considerations to get you started. Essential reading for smart lock, vehicle access, and positioning designs.
|
|
|
Bluetooth LE |
|
Liam O'Dell
The National Theatre is piloting Auracast assistive listening technology in its 450-seat Dorfman Theatre for a production of Man and Boy. The trial invites deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members to experience audio streamed directly to Auracast-compatible hearing aids and earbuds. This is one of the first deployments of Auracast in a major performing arts venue, ahead of a wider public launch planned for later this year.
|
|
SoundGuys
LG's new xboom Buds Plus earbuds feature a charging case that doubles as a Bluetooth transmitter for Auracast broadcast audio. Plug the case into a TV or audio source via USB-C, and it broadcasts audio directly to the earbuds — no separate dongle needed. The $179.99 earbuds ship with 10mm graphene drivers, Dolby Head Tracking, and an IP55 dust and water resistance rating.
|
|
Android Authority
A Tracfone carrier listing has leaked details of Google's upcoming Pixel 10a, confirming Bluetooth 6.0 support — potentially making it the first mid-range smartphone with the latest Bluetooth specification. The listing shows a Tensor G4 chip, 8 GB RAM, and a 6.3-inch display. Bluetooth 6.0 includes support for Channel Sounding, the new secure distance-measurement capability.
|
|
CBS News
In the search for Nancy Guthrie, investigators deployed a custom-built Bluetooth LE signal sniffer to track the wireless signal from her pacemaker. Former Marine David Kennedy built the device using amplifiers to extend its detection range to approximately 800 feet. The signal sniffer was deployed via helicopter over the search area, scanning for the Bluetooth LE advertising signal emitted by the pacemaker's wireless telemetry system.
|
|
Gigazine
Security researchers discovered that a popular smart sleep mask exposes users' EEG brainwave data through a Bluetooth LE vulnerability. The companion app contains hardcoded MQTT broker credentials, allowing anyone who connects to the shared broker to read EEG data from approximately 25 other active users. The vulnerability highlights the ongoing challenge of securing IoT devices that rely on Bluetooth LE for data transfer.
|
|
RFID Journal
Paragon ID and Dracula Technologies are partnering to scale production of the XgenTag-L, a Bluetooth LE tag powered entirely by ambient light. The tag uses Dracula's LAYER organic photovoltaic modules to harvest indoor light, eliminating the need for batteries. The companies aim to produce several hundred thousand units per year, targeting asset tracking in logistics, retail, and healthcare.
|
|
CNX Software
The LR2021 LoRa Plus development board combines a Semtech LR2021 transceiver with a Nordic nRF54L15 microcontroller, providing Bluetooth LE 6.0 with Channel Sounding support alongside LoRa, FSK, and FLRC radio modes. Priced at $99 for a pair of kits, the board targets applications needing both long-range LoRa connectivity and short-range Bluetooth LE in a single design.
|
|
|
Ultra-Wideband (UWB) |
|
Interesting Engineering
Tesla has won an FCC waiver to use Ultra-Wideband radio technology for wireless charging alignment on its autonomous Cybercab. The system operates in the 7.7–8.3 GHz band and initiates with a Bluetooth LE handshake before a UWB ranging session lasting less than 150 milliseconds. The waiver allows Tesla to exceed standard UWB power limits for outdoor vehicle positioning, enabling precise alignment over the charging pad.
|
|
Business Wire
The FiRa Consortium has launched FiRa Plugfests, a new industry initiative designed to accelerate ultra-wideband interoperability through hands-on, real-world testing and collaboration. The Plugfests are in-person, pairwise interoperability testing events where members validate adopted FiRa specifications, exchange technical insights, and build real-world confidence in FiRa-based products across the ecosystem. Leading the way, FiRa Sponsor members Qualcomm Technologies and STMicroelectronics will host the first two FiRa Plugfests in 2026.
|
|
AppleInsider
Users of the Apple Wallet app can now use a digital Car Key to lock and unlock the 2026 Toyota RAV4, but the feature's availability has yet to expand to other Toyota vehicles. Toyota's version relies on Ultra-Wideband technology, requiring an Apple Watch Series 6 or newer, or an iPhone 11 or newer. Owners will need a Toyota Remote Connect subscription, priced at $15 per month, though new Toyota purchases in the United States include a free one-year trial.
|
|
|
|
P.S. That pacemaker signal-sniffing story is very interesting — anyone ever used Bluetooth LE scanning for something unexpected outside the lab? Hit reply, I'm genuinely curious.
— Mohammad Afaneh
|
