Xylobands(TM)LED Wristbands Powered by Silicon Labs Microcontrollers and Wireless ICs Get Crowds Rocking at Coldplay Concerts
AUSTIN,Texas,Jun 04,2012(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nothing lights up a rock arena quite like a Coldplay audience with tens of thousands of flashing Xylobands(TM)LED wristbands powered by embedded technology from Silicon Laboratories Inc.,a leader in high-performance,analog-intensive,mixed-signal integrated circuits(ICs).Created by UK-based RB Concepts Ltd.,Xylobands use wireless ICs and ultra-low-power microcontrollers(MCUs)from Silicon Labs to receive and process wireless signals that trigger each wristband's LEDs to light up in sync with the music and stage lightshow.
The Xylobands are the unique,patented creation of inventor and Coldplay fan Jason Regler,a co-owner of RB Concepts.Coldplay's high-energy music and lyrics inspired Regler's bright idea to create a wireless LED wristband that could be controlled remotely through proprietary software and a laptop connected to a radio transmitter to enable fans to be part of the lightshow.Recognizing the brilliance of Regler's invention,the Brit Awards-and Grammy-winning rock band has used Xylobands to light up arenas and stadiums all around the world.
"Taking the LED wristband from concept to finished product required best-in-class embedded control and wireless technology,"said Jason Regler,director of technology and innovation at RB Concepts."Silicon Labs was the ideal choice for wireless technology,enabling us to achieve both FCC and Industry Canada Certification and deliver more than 30,000 Xylobands just in time for a recent Coldplay concert in Edmonton,Alberta,Canada."
"RB Concepts and Silicon Labs have been outstanding,"added Phil Harvey,Coldplay's creative director."They've delivered hundreds of thousands of units whenever and wherever we've needed them.The wireless LED wristbands have broken down that invisible wall between band and audience and put the audience right at the heart of the show.The mass feeling of joy and wonder when they all light up at the top of the show is hard to put into words."
Xylobands have a very broad appeal.In addition to lighting up rock concerts,Xylobands can generate interactive audience participation at a wide variety of sporting events,theme parks,festivals,parties and corporate activities.
"Xylobands and the low-power,long-range wireless technology behind the product is a game changer for how audiences can interact with performers and become an integral part of the concert experience,"said Diwakar Vishakhadatta,vice president and general manager of Wireless Embedded Systems at Silicon Labs."RB Concepts'wireless wristbands are also a versatile innovation that can be applied to a wide range of events and activities."
Seeing is believing.Visit www.coldplay.com to see Xylobands flashing on and off to Coldplay's hit song,"Charlie Brown,"performed at Rexall Place in Edmonton.
About Silicon Labs'Technology in Xylobands
Silicon Labs'EZRadioPRO transmitters enable Xylobands base stations to transmit wireless signals in the sub-GHz frequency bands.These transmitters offer industry-leading RF performance resulting in exceptional wireless range and compliance with stringent wireless regulatory standards.Xylobands LED wristbands include EZRadio receiver ICs designed for low-power sub-GHz radio applications.These receivers offload many RF-related activities from the system MCU,allowing extended MCU sleep periods and resulting in lower power consumption.The EZRadio products work in concert with Silicon Labs'ultra-low-power C8051F98x MCUs,offering the industry's lowest active mode current consumption,which saves power when the application is running,as well as the industry's lowest current consumption in sleep mode,making it an ideal choice for battery-powered wireless applications.
Silicon Laboratories Inc.
Silicon Laboratories is an industry leader in the innovation of high-performance,analog-intensive,mixed-signal ICs.Developed by a world-class engineering team with unsurpassed expertise in mixed-signal design,Silicon Labs'diverse portfolio of patented semiconductor solutions offers customers significant advantages in performance,size and power consumption.
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