Ixana's Wi-R: The Future of Personal Device Networks?

Indiana-based startup Ixana is advancing Wi-R, a novel wireless protocol and chipset engineered for ultra-short-range, high-bandwidth, low-latency connections between wearable devices. This technology promises to create a seamless personal network, allowing devices like smart glasses, watches, rings, and earbuds to communicate directly without the common issues associated with Bluetooth. Ixana's demonstrations showcased information sharing across multiple wearables with a combined 5 Mbps data throughput.

Wi-R operates effectively up to 5 centimeters from the skin, even through clothing, and its localized signal emission enhances privacy and security, a feature already leveraged in military applications. The protocol is designed to be significantly more power-efficient than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, potentially enabling smart glasses to stream live data for up to eight hours.

Ixana aims to enable continuous streaming for AI-driven wearables and offers Wi-R as a potential alternative to local data transfer solutions like AirDrop. While still a proprietary protocol, Ixana is engaged in discussions with major tech firms, suggesting a future where this technology could become an industry standard, enhancing the reliability and functionality of next-generation smart devices.