IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - January/February 2020 - 69

change the SSID. If a visitor wants to print, I
should not have to worry about which network
the printer is on. I should just be able to give
permission.
The power of IP packets is that they are fungible, so that any capacity I add improves all applications. Any routers I use to extend the range benefit
all devices. This is not true of protocols like Bluetooth and Zigbee. And, WiFi direct does not have
routing. We need to build on the idea of generic
connectivity and improve the ability to route
locally using any available wired or wireless segments without depending on single access points
nor connectivity through a distant backbone.
I also want innovations in radios with techniques like spreadspectrum. There are some good
ideas in Bluetooth, such as low energy and location beacons we can build on.
This generic connectivity applies to the USB
devices. The USB has two faces. One is that it is
a special-purpose data path. It would be better
to use generic IP connectivity with device relationships defined in the software with trust
based on shared secrets rather than requiring
specialized wiring.
This would also benefit televisions. Imagine if
we did not need a pile of HDMI cables to connect
all the TV boxes.

POWER TO THE DEVICE!
Broadcasting power is not yet feasible
beyond a short-range, but I can take advantage
of the fact that USB has become the universal

January/February 2020

power supply, at least for a class of devices. The
USB-C's ability to negotiate power has enabled it
to reach up to 20 V and 100 W. This covers most
of the devices we have, most importantly, LED
lights and portable computers.
It should be easy to provide USB outlets
throughout the house, but to take advantage of
this, I want USB power cords that I can tape on
the wall and paint over with tiny connectors at
the ends.
The dc makes it practical to share and
integrate disparate sources including batteries
and solar and, using software protocols, manage the flows. This is a more general model
than the distribution-based one that is today's
norm.

MODEST WISHES
As we become dependent upon these new
powerful technologies, we need to see beyond
today's use cases and imagine what is possible.
Because I can write my own applications, I can
experience the future. I look forward to a merry
CES. . .or, at least, I can dream of one when I land
in Las Vegas.
Bob Frankston is best known for writing
VisiCalc-the first electronic spreadsheet. While at
Microsoft, he was instrumental in enabling home
networking. Today, he is addressing the issues
associated with coming to terms with a world
being transformed by software. Contact him at
IEEECEMagazine@bob.ma.

69



IEEE Consumer Electronics Magazine - January/February 2020

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