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Suprema joins FiRa Consortium

Suprema recently became a member of the FiRa Consortium, a consultative body that establishes standards for ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, the next generation of wireless communication.

The FiRa Consortium is a global organisation established for the goal of promoting widespread adoption of UWB by improving the stability of the technology, as well as its distance and location measurement accuracy. UWB is a short-range wireless (RF) communication technology that uses broadband frequencies to measure distances with an accuracy of centimetres.

According to a 2021 market analysis report by Techno Systems Research, the global UWB market, which exceeded more than 200 million units last year, is forecast to reach more than 1,2 billion units shipped by 2027.

Manufacturers in various industries, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Samsung Electronics and Apple, have recently begun using UWB technology for smart keys, finding lost items and transferring data between smartphones. Moreover, the UWB ecosystem is fostering the technology’s application to a wide range of areas such as payment services, medical sensors and indoor navigation. If UWB technology were adopted for access control systems, it would be possible for the system to recognise users when they approach a door, allowing the door to open automatically with no need for further authentication.

As a member of the FiRa Consortium, Suprema can cooperate with more than 100 FiRa members, representing global leading companies in a range of industries such as home appliances, automobiles, telecommunication, semiconductors, IT and security, including Samsung Electronics, Google and Apple. Furthermore, Suprema can receive professional support to develop higher-stability UWB-related technology that provides compatibility with member company products through FiRa certifications.

“UWB technology, which is characterised by very precise distance and direction recognition, is expected to be commercialised in services such as door locks, digital keys and high-security IoT devices,” said Seongbin Choi, head of Suprema’s R&D; centre. “Suprema continues to lead the industry by joining FiRa and expanding R&D; investment to introduce UWB into access control systems. Through this, we will develop a next-generation, walk-through access security solution using advanced UWB technology and will continue to strive to provide a more convenient and secure user experience.”

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