Ralf Ackermann’s iPhone/Bluetooth hacks

Computers & Mobile
Ralf Ackermann’s iPhone/Bluetooth hacks

iPhone to iPhone Bluetooth

This is my kind of serial (pardon the pun). Ralf Ackermann has been hacking Bluetooth modules into the iPhone and iPod touch, and blogging about it in installments. This mod is different from the built-in Bluetooth in that it opens up possibilities way beyond just connecting a headset:

A Bluetooth stack in user space already existed for quite a while. The researchers at ETH Zurich provide software for their BTnodes. A BTnode has (among other features) an ATmega 128 micro controler and a BT module with an HCI interface that is connected via a UART.

Fortunately, you can do development and real-world tests with just the same software compiled for running on a host system (e.g. PC). The emulator runs in user mode and uses a BT module attached to the serial port.

Bluetooth stack in user space (will add: “for the iphone” finally)
Bluetooth comes to the ipod touch as well
Flickr set: dev for the iphone internal bluetooth module

6 thoughts on “Ralf Ackermann’s iPhone/Bluetooth hacks

  1. Colecoman1982 says:

    Do these devices require a jailbreaked iphone/touch?

  2. Brian Jepson says:

    Colecoman1982,

    I was wondering the same thing myself. I think the answer is yes, but we’ll know for sure when the story finishes unfolding.

    – Brian

  3. Csmiler says:

    the phones have a time difference of ten minutes

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I'm a tinkerer and finally reached the point where I fix more things than I break. When I'm not tinkering, I'm probably editing a book for Maker Media.

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