Google chrome as of version 53 comes with a trial version of a web Bluetooth API that you can use to communicate with Bluetooth devices. This will make Bluetooth more attractive as the protocol of choice for projects based around home automation, reading sensors, and switching on/off home appliances etc. Before web based Bluetooth you would have needed an app on each device you own solely for the purpose of using the Bluetooth connection. This made WiFi a more attractive option as you can already do lots of browser based stuff with it. The downside with WiFi is that the transceivers use a relatively high amount of power compared to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).
This BLE shield uses the nRF8001 chip to communicate via Bluetooth. Plug it onto an Arduino and straight away your browser can start sending and receiving information from the board. From here it really is up to your imagination, you can hook up whatever kind of sensors or actuators you want as normal. The only difference is now you can control it from any device you can install a browser on. As of yet, there hasn’t exactly been a huge influx of browser-based Bluetooth projects hitting the internet. There has to be some novel ideas that can come about with direct browser communication. If you make something cool, we would love to see it, let us know on Twitter: @tindie.
