Brainboxes, specialists in Bluetooth and serial technologies, today announced it is supplying a customised Bluetooth solution to Microvision, Inc., the Washington State-based leader in high-resolution scanned beam display and imaging systems. Brainboxes’ Bluetooth converter being supplied to Microvision provides a simple way to convert any computer with a serial port into a wireless system, since, unlike some adaptors, it requires no software on the host terminal and no difficult configuration.

Microvision is making available the Brainboxes Bluetooth converters with its Flic® Cordless Bluetooth Laser Bar Code Scanner and is now starting to supply them for point-of-sale (POS) terminals such as those made by NCR and IBM. To meet Microvision’s specific requirements, Brainboxes has provided bespoke Bluetooth firmware, and has made specific modifications to its standard plug-and-play RS232 to Bluetooth converter, the BL-521.

The BL-521 becomes a wireless base station for connection between the POS terminal and Microvision’s Flic Cordless Laser Bar Code Scanner – allowing the user to roam freely within a range of 100m or more from the terminal – and with virtually unlimited range, using the Flic Scanner’s auto-reconnect feature and onboard 500 bar code memory. Brainboxes BL-521 contains a Class 1 Bluetooth device (Class 1 devices have a wireless operating range of at least 100m), and includes all the Bluetooth intelligence for the terminal, allowing the Flic scanner to connect to POS equipment without any configuration. Delivery has started and production is scheduled to ramp up in Q3 and Q4, 2004.

Ed Millet, senior product manager for Microvision commented, “Brainboxes has provided customised technology to meet our requirements and the solution they came up with provides exactly what our customers need – the easiest possible route for Bluetooth-enabling POS terminals to work with our Flic scanners.” Millet continued, “We have been extremely pleased with level of commitment to quality and satisfaction we have received from Brainboxes”.

Eamonn Walsh, managing director of Brainboxes, commented, “Brainboxes has vast experience in customising serial and Bluetooth devices to our customers requirements so relished the challenge presented by Microvision.” Walsh continued, “The BL-521 is seeing rapid take up in industrial and retail applications since it requires no configuration to be applied to cable-inconvenient, cable-averse or cable-impossible applications. The convenience and cost-effectiveness of Bluetooth wireless technology means it is seeing a much wider take up in these applications”.