We have an amazing collection of wireless projects this month. These articles showcase a number of different ways to go wireless. In this issue, you can learn how to build a wireless communication link from the ground up, a GPS-based vehicle tracking system, and a wireless interface.

Russ Lindgren designed a wireless communication link using the Xilinx CoolRunner-II (p. 10). As Russ explains, using a CPLD with fast output buffers enabled him to create a design that works well for small battery-powered applications. Based on only three ICs, the system is ideal for temperature and pressure data transmission.

Also interested in data transmission, Ken Merk chose GPS technology to devise a system that would track vehicles for his friend’s company (p. 20). His friend is an electrical contractor whose V6 power generators (on trailers) had a knack for walking off the job site at night. Ken’s solution was to design a GPS tracking system with an easy user interface that his friend could use virtually anywhere. His wireless system is activated when the GPS detects vehicle movement. Then, data including longitude and latitude coordinates, bearing, and the vehicle identification number is converted to speech and relayed via the user’s cell phone. One of the best features of this design is that it does not require a computer interface, so the user can be notified of a problem quickly whether he’s on-site, on the road, or at home.

Gaining in popularity (or perhaps notoriety) is another device for wireless transmission: radio frequency identification devices. With basically a coil, a capacitor, and a transistor, Larry Martin designed a wireless interface that emulates RFID tags. In case you have any questions about how the technology works, Larry provides a thorough explanation. What intrigued him about RFID is how inexpensive it is to implement. Turn to page 50 to learn how Larry used an Atmel e5551 tag to develop a wireless communication system that fits into anyone’s budget.

One of our special features this month is an overview of some of the short-range RF projects being developed at the MIT Media Lab (p. 28). Associate Professor and Director of the Responsive Environments Group at MIT Joseph Paradiso and graduate student Mathew Laibowitz discuss the wireless wearable platforms they’ve been working on, including high-tech digital name tags and shoes that help physicians detect gait defects. Combining their personal interests in the lab, they have also incorporated wireless RF links in shoes for theatrical performance. Mat has studied film and animation at NYU and designs electronic musical instruments. And, Joe designs synthesizers and musical interfaces. With the Responsive Environments Group, they designed a card that attaches to a dancer’s shoe to acquire data based on the dancer’s movements. A PC then interprets the data to generate music based on the movements.

The variety of projects in this issue is a testament to the limitless nature of wireless communication. With the ever-increasing quality and continual decrease in cost of transmission methods, it’s clear that the only limitation is imagination.