At CES® in Las Vegas, Nevada, Bosch Sensortec announced the BML100PI, an Interactive Projection Module that enriches smart homes with a virtual touchscreen on every surface – turning ordinary shelves into personal assistants.
The BML100PI module provides a complete, ready-to-use solution for interactive projection, enabling highly flexible virtual touchscreens. A generated laser beam creates a focus-free image on any surface and then scans it line-by-line to detect any gestures or finger movements. No calibration or adjustment is required for accurate gesture and touch recognition. Bosch Sensortec’s Interactive Projection Module provides a touchscreen with a highly intuitive user experience for any smart home appliances as a fully flexible alternative compared to a static, physical screen.
Personal assistants in smart homes
Home device manufacturers can use the BML100PI to create 'smart shelves' consisting of several simultaneous projections on the individual shelves for example in fridges, cupboards, kitchen cabinets or wardrobes. One module can provide touchscreen functionality on up to six different surfaces. For example, a single module can project a weather forecast, the user’s individual daily schedule as well as reminders of upcoming events on to a wardrobe. This information is processed and appropriate clothing is recommended to match the weather forecast and/or planned personal activities. The created look can then be shared with friends via social media – directly on the shelf surface.
If an item of clothing is missing or in the laundry bin, the smart shelf can suggest new clothing for the user to order in an online fashion store or it can schedule a date for the laundry service, which is directly synced with the user’s calendar.
"With this Interactive Projection Module any regular shelf can easily be transformed into a personal assistant for the user, greatly enhancing the level of convenience in people’s daily lives," said Dr. Stefan Finkbeiner, CEO of Bosch Sensortec.
The BML100PI is a compact plug-and-play solution that enables manufacturers of smart home appliances and furniture to create entirely new, exciting use cases. This creates a huge potential for product differentiation for manufacturers.
An allrounder for all environments
One key feature is that the module can project a sharp image on to any type of surface, regardless of whether it is dark, colored, wet, stepped or curved. It can thus provide interactive projection e.g. in bedrooms, home appliances or kitchen gadgets where suitable projection surfaces are often lacking.
Compact module – easy to integrate in any smart home appliances
The BML100PI offers low power consumption of typically 2 W. With its footprint of only 47 mm x 43 mm it is smaller than a credit card. This enables manufacturers to simply integrate it into practically all new and existing smart home appliances – significantly easier than existing projection or display solutions on the market.
In addition to the BML100PI module, Bosch Sensortec offers the BML100P variant, which provides the same projection features but without the touch functionality.
Availability The BML100PI and BML100P will be available in the second quarter of 2020.
YouTube: Watch the smart shelf in action!
Bosch at CES 2019
- PRESS CONFERENCE: In Ballrooms B, C, and D, Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas South Convention Center, Level 2, from 9:00 to 9:45 local time on Monday, January 7, 2019.
- BOOTH: Tuesday to Friday, January 8–11, 2019, in the Central Hall, booth #14020
- FOLLOW the Bosch CES 2019 highlights on Twitter: #BoschCES
Mónika Hack
+36 70 510 5516
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 402,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2017). The company generated sales of 78.1 billion euros in 2017. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT company, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility, and connected manufacturing. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to deliver innovations for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.” The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. At 125 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 64,500 associates in research and development.
The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant upfront investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.
Additional information is available online at www.bosch.hu, iot.boschblog.hu, www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPresse