Texas Instruments will showcase an ultra low-power coin cell demo using the upcoming Bluetooth low energy open standard on Tuesday at a Bluetooth conference in Munich. The device will use TI's future CC2540 single-mode system-on-chip, which TI says will consume so little power that it will allow wireless to run on devices for very long periods of time. Among other examples, it would allow for a small button cell battery to power such a device without recharging for more than a year.

A prototype carries flash-based firmware that can be updated in the field, while data can also be stored on the chip.

TI suggests that ideal applications for low-power and very diminutive devices such as this include sports gear, such as pedometers, as well as medical equipment. Ooutside of these recommendations, other handhelds using the Bluetooth chipset could use the short-range format more frequently without significantly impacting battery life.

TI's low-energy Bluetooth technology is available in dual-mode devices that supports existing and older Bluetooth technology as well as the new low energy protocols, or just with the new single-mode, low-power devices. The TI CC2540 system-on-chip will ship to customers in early 2010, though neither prospective customers nor prices have been announced.