Today the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) announced the completion of the Media Agnostic (MA) USB v1.0 specification, which allows wireless devices and docking stations to communicate over the USB protocol without a physical USB connection. The standards group behind the USB standard is trying a second time to introduce a wireless variation of the connection technology, after a standard called Wireless USB that hit the market in 2007 was wildly unsuccessful.

The new MA-USB specification is designed to enable devices to achieve wireless gigabit transfer rates while leveraging existing USB infrastructure. The specification allows wireless devices and docking stations to communicate over the USB protocol, without the need for a physical USB connection. MA-USB supports multiple media types, including Wi-Fi operating in 2.4 and 5 Ghz; WiGig operating in 60Ghz; WiMedia UWB radios operating between 3.1-10.6Ghz, and other existing or new wired or wireless media types that want to use the USB protocol as the transport. MA-USB is compliant with SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.1 and USB 3.0) and Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0).

The USB-IF utilized the WiGig Serial Extension (WSE) v1.2 specification from Wi-Fi Alliance as the initial foundation for the MA-USB specification. Products that incorporate MA-USB as an underlying ingredient technology can identify MA-USB support with the USB-IF's ingredient brand "Powered by MA-USB." Use of the ingredient brand will require that products pass the USB-IF certification program for MA-USB.

The MA-USB v1.0 specification along with the MA-USB Adopters agreement is now available on the USB-IF website.