25-08-2017, 09:32 PM
ZigBee Wireless Home Automation
[attachment=47495]
Introduction — ZigBee Wireless
Home Automation
In 1995, the media revealed how Microsoft
founder Bill Gates built his $125
million high-tech dream estate on Lake
Washington. In fact, the description of
Gates’ revolutionary estate became so
famous, online encyclopedia Wikipedia
contains a definition. “The Gates home
is a modern design in the ‘Pacific lodge’
style, with classic features such as a large
private library with laser sensors on the
floor to kill small insects and pests...” Media
typically describes this kind of home
in a Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
manner that says only the very rich can
afford “sensors in the floor” and other
high-tech amenities.
Today, these user perceptions about
home automation have begun changing
because of an influential wireless standard
developed by a consortium called the Zig-
Bee Alliance. ZigBee is a group comprised
of international technology companies
that work together to enable reliable,
cost-effective, low-power, wirelessly networked,
monitoring and control products
based on an open global standard. The
Alliance’s membership grows every day
as international technology companies
adopt and embed ZigBee technology in a
wide range of products and applications.
Envision the Home Driven by ZigBee
Wireless Technology
So what does it feel like to live in a
wirelessly automated home? CE@Home,
an online magazine, describes the wireless
home automation experience like
this: “You arrive home from a long day at
work. As soon as you use your digital key
to unlock the door, your house adjusts
the lighting, heat, and window blinds to
your liking and puts on your favorite CD
in the kitchen. While you were at work,
the house fed the cat, turned off the
space heater your kids accidentally left
on in the basement, and recorded motion-
triggered video from security cameras
around the property. Your refrigerator
detected an almost empty milk carton
and added a gallon of two percent to the
shopping list that it will e-mail to you on
Friday. Your house was ready to detect
water or gas leaks, freezing pipes, and
fire and could have called you, the fire
department or a plumber.”2
ZigBee’s Role in the Market
While no direct correlation can be
drawn that ZigBee technology drives up
adoption and market value, analysts expect
ZigBee-related technologies to experience
a surge in market adoption over
the next several years. Wireless home automation
figures demonstrate significant
growth in 2006. “The market is huge already.
Peter King, director of the Connected
Home Devices service in Strategy Analytics’
Digital Consumer Practice
Eaton — Home Heartbeat
Eaton, a worldwide leader in power
distribution, power protection and power
equipment maintenance, advances a new
segment in the home automation market
called home awareness. Eaton’s Home
Heartbeat leverages the ZigBee wireless
standard and provides consumers with
anytime knowledge of their home. The
“plug-and-use” system monitors activity
and remotely alerts homeowners if a window
or door opens, a washing machine
leaks, or a coffee machine is left on while
the owner is away.
ZigBee Coming to Your Neighborhood
ZigBee wireless technology has already
become a leader in wireless home automation.
With so many major companies
recognizing it as the clear choice to build
the foundation for wireless home automation,
it seems clear that the road has
been paved to create a ZigBee-enabled
neighborhood full of automated homes
that could be owned by everyone. Thus,
ZigBee appears to be the key to unlock the
wireless automated home of the future.
[attachment=47495]
Introduction — ZigBee Wireless
Home Automation
In 1995, the media revealed how Microsoft
founder Bill Gates built his $125
million high-tech dream estate on Lake
Washington. In fact, the description of
Gates’ revolutionary estate became so
famous, online encyclopedia Wikipedia
contains a definition. “The Gates home
is a modern design in the ‘Pacific lodge’
style, with classic features such as a large
private library with laser sensors on the
floor to kill small insects and pests...” Media
typically describes this kind of home
in a Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous
manner that says only the very rich can
afford “sensors in the floor” and other
high-tech amenities.
Today, these user perceptions about
home automation have begun changing
because of an influential wireless standard
developed by a consortium called the Zig-
Bee Alliance. ZigBee is a group comprised
of international technology companies
that work together to enable reliable,
cost-effective, low-power, wirelessly networked,
monitoring and control products
based on an open global standard. The
Alliance’s membership grows every day
as international technology companies
adopt and embed ZigBee technology in a
wide range of products and applications.
Envision the Home Driven by ZigBee
Wireless Technology
So what does it feel like to live in a
wirelessly automated home? CE@Home,
an online magazine, describes the wireless
home automation experience like
this: “You arrive home from a long day at
work. As soon as you use your digital key
to unlock the door, your house adjusts
the lighting, heat, and window blinds to
your liking and puts on your favorite CD
in the kitchen. While you were at work,
the house fed the cat, turned off the
space heater your kids accidentally left
on in the basement, and recorded motion-
triggered video from security cameras
around the property. Your refrigerator
detected an almost empty milk carton
and added a gallon of two percent to the
shopping list that it will e-mail to you on
Friday. Your house was ready to detect
water or gas leaks, freezing pipes, and
fire and could have called you, the fire
department or a plumber.”2
ZigBee’s Role in the Market
While no direct correlation can be
drawn that ZigBee technology drives up
adoption and market value, analysts expect
ZigBee-related technologies to experience
a surge in market adoption over
the next several years. Wireless home automation
figures demonstrate significant
growth in 2006. “The market is huge already.
Peter King, director of the Connected
Home Devices service in Strategy Analytics’
Digital Consumer Practice
Eaton — Home Heartbeat
Eaton, a worldwide leader in power
distribution, power protection and power
equipment maintenance, advances a new
segment in the home automation market
called home awareness. Eaton’s Home
Heartbeat leverages the ZigBee wireless
standard and provides consumers with
anytime knowledge of their home. The
“plug-and-use” system monitors activity
and remotely alerts homeowners if a window
or door opens, a washing machine
leaks, or a coffee machine is left on while
the owner is away.
ZigBee Coming to Your Neighborhood
ZigBee wireless technology has already
become a leader in wireless home automation.
With so many major companies
recognizing it as the clear choice to build
the foundation for wireless home automation,
it seems clear that the road has
been paved to create a ZigBee-enabled
neighborhood full of automated homes
that could be owned by everyone. Thus,
ZigBee appears to be the key to unlock the
wireless automated home of the future.