The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has ushered in a new era of possibilities to transform traditional homes into smart, automated spaces. This comprehensive project plan delves into the essential components of building a smart home with IoT, covering goal definition, device selection, network architecture, security considerations, integration strategy, testing, optimization, and ongoing maintenance. Let’s take a look!

What is IoT?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an innovative paradigm that envisions a network of interconnected devices, physical objects, and systems, all of which can communicate and exchange data over the Internet. Essentially, IoT transforms everyday objects into intelligent data-generating devices that can be monitored, controlled, and optimized for a variety of purposes.

The core of IoT is based on integrating sensors, actuators, and communication technologies into devices to enable data collection and transmission. These devices range from common household items such as thermostats and refrigerators to industrial machinery and portable devices. Data generated by these devices can be analyzed to derive insights, automate processes, and improve decision-making.

The key components of IoT include:

Sensors: Devices with sensors can collect information from the environment, such as temperature, humidity, movement, and light.

Connectivity: IoT devices transmit data to a central system or other connected devices using various communication protocols such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and cellular networks.

Data Processing: The collected data is processed through cloud-based platforms or edge computing where it is analyzed, stored, and transformed into actionable information.

Actuators: Based on insights gained from data analysis, IoT devices can activate actuators to perform specific actions, such as: adjust settings, trigger alarms, and control other connected devices.

I. Defining Smart Home Goals

Before starting a smart home project, it is important to define clear goals to guide the implementation process. Consider specific areas you want to improve, such as home automation, security, energy management, or entertainment.

Prioritize these goals to ensure your projects stay focused and deliver tangible benefits. For example, if energy efficiency is a priority, you might set a goal such as reducing your energy consumption by a certain percentage or optimizing your heating and cooling system. If security is a concern, define goals such as implementing robust surveillance systems, smart locks, and intrusion detection mechanisms. Also, ensure your contractor uses field service management software to manage your project.

II. Device Selection

Selecting the right devices is the cornerstone of a successful smart home. Consider the following categories of IoT devices and their potential applications.

Smart Lighting:

• Choose energy-efficient smart light bulbs that can be controlled remotely via a dedicated app.
• Introduce motion sensors and automating lighting according to occupancy, contributing to both energy savings and comfort.

Smart Thermostat:

• Choose a thermostat that learns your preferences over time and adjusts temperatures for maximum comfort and energy efficiency.
• Integrate your thermostat and weather forecast to proactively adjust heating and cooling settings based on external conditions.

Home Security Camera:

• For added security, choose a high-resolution camera with motion detection.
• Ensure compatibility with central security systems for an integrated approach to monitoring and responding to potential threats.

Smart Door Lock:

• Choose a smart lock that can be controlled remotely via a mobile app.
• Implement features such as virtual keys and access logging to improve security and user accountability.

Smart Sensors:

• Install sensors that monitor environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and air quality for a comprehensive understanding of your home’s health.
• Integrate security sensors to detect anomalous activity like an unexpected door opening.

III. Network Architecture

Network architecture forms the backbone of a smart home and enables seamless communication between devices. Consider the following:

Network protocols:

• Choose wireless protocols such as Zigbee or Z-Wave for low-power, short-range communication between devices.
• Ensure compatibility with Wi-Fi for high-bandwidth applications such as video streaming.

Hub or Controller:

• Select the central hub or controller that matches the selected device and protocol.
• Evaluate whether the hub supports the integration of various devices and has the computing power to handle the communication load.

Bandwidth considerations:

• Evaluate the bandwidth requirements of each device to ensure a stable and responsive network.
• Select devices with low latency requirements like security cameras and smart door locks to maintain real-time responsiveness.

IV. Security Considerations

With the interconnectedness of IoT devices, ensuring the security of your smart home becomes paramount. Implement the following security measures:

Device Authentication:

• Enable a robust authentication mechanism for each IoT device that requires unique credentials.
• Update your passwords regularly and consider implementing multi-factor authentication as an additional layer of security.

Encryption:

• Implement end-to-end encryption to secure communications between devices and the central hub.
• Always ensure that data sent over the network is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access or interception.

Regular Software Updates:

• Keep all central hub devices and firmware up to date to address security vulnerabilities.
• If possible, enable automatic updates to help your smart home remain resilient to new threats.

Network Segmentation:

• Segment your network to separate IoT devices from critical systems such as PCs and work-related devices.
• Create separate virtual local area networks (VLANs) to increase security and control access.

V. Integration Strategy

Achieving a seamless, integrated smart home experience requires careful planning and execution. Consider the following strategies:

Platform Compatibility:

• Ensure that the selected device is compatible with popular smart home platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.
• For better interoperability and future-proofing, choose devices that adhere to open standards.

Automation Rules:

• Define automation rules based on user settings and routines.
• Leverage the power of the Intelligent Assistant to create voice-activated commands for your users.

Mobile Application:

• Choose a device with an easy-to-use mobile application for easy control and monitoring.
• The mobile app provides real-time updates and alerts to keep you informed of the status of your smart home.

VI. Testing and Optimization

Once your smart home is set up, thorough testing is essential to identify and resolve issues. Run the following test:

Functional testing:

• Verify that each device functions as intended and responds accurately to commands and triggers.
• Testing automation rules ensure a seamless and reliable experience.

Security Audits:

• Conduct periodic security audits to identify and remediate vulnerabilities.
• Test the responsiveness of security features such as intrusion detection and video surveillance.

User Experience Testing:

• Gather user feedback to evaluate the overall experience of interacting with your smart home.
• Make adjustments based on user settings to address vulnerabilities identified during testing.

VII. Maintenance and Upgrades

Smart Homes require regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance.Create a maintenance plan that includes:

Periodic Equipment Checks:

• Schedule periodic checks to ensure that all equipment is functioning properly.
• Replace or upgrade end-of-life equipment to maintain peak performance.

Firmware Updates:

• Keep both devices and the central hub up to date with firmware updates.
• Quickly implement updates to address security vulnerabilities, introduce new features, and improve overall performance.

Scalability:

• Plan for future expansion by choosing devices and infrastructure that can easily scale.
• Consider integrating new technologies to keep your smart home at the forefront of innovation.

VIII. IoT and Sustainability

The convergence of IoT and sustainability represents a powerful partnership that has the potential to address environmental challenges and contribute to a more resource-efficient and greener future. IoT technology plays an important role in promoting sustainability through several key mechanisms.

Energy Efficiency: IoT-enabled devices with sensors and intelligent algorithms enable precise monitoring and control of energy consumption. In the context of a smart home, this means intelligent lighting systems that adjust brightness based on occupancy, thermostats that optimize heating and cooling, and appliances that operate at peak efficiency. By minimizing energy waste, IoT reduces overall energy consumption and reduces carbon emissions.

Smart Resource Management: IoT sensors can monitor and manage valuable resources such as water and gas. In smart homes, water and gas sensors can instantly detect leaks, preventing unnecessary waste and potential environmental damage.

Waste Reduction: IoT devices help reduce waste by optimizing waste collection processes. Smart containers equipped with sensors can monitor the filling level and send a signal when it needs to be emptied. This not only increases the efficiency of waste management systems but also reduces unnecessary transport and associated emissions.

Environmental Monitoring: IoT plays an important role in monitoring and controlling environmental pollution. Air quality sensors can detect pollutants in real-time, allowing authorities and communities to take timely actions to address air quality issues. This information allows individuals to make informed decisions about their daily activities, contributing to a healthier living environment.

Renewable Energy Integration: IoT technologies improve the integration of renewable energy sources into the power grid. A smart grid can integrate energy generated from solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable energy sources and dynamically balance energy supply and demand. This not only promotes the use of clean energy but also contributes to the stability and resilience of the entire energy infrastructure.

There You Have It

Building a smart home using IoT is a dynamic and challenging process that requires careful planning, device selection, network configuration, and ongoing maintenance. Improve comfort, security, and energy efficiency by defining clear goals, choosing the right devices, establishing a robust network architecture, prioritizing security, and implementing an effective integration strategy. You can build a smart home that not only makes your home more accessible but also more adaptable to new technologies. Regular testing, optimization, and maintenance are key to ensuring your smart home continues to meet your changing needs in the ever-changing landscape of IoT technologies.

The post A Comprehensive Project Plan For Building A Smart Home Using IoT appeared first on IoT Business News.

Imagine a home that anticipates your needs, responds to your preferences, and ensures your safety with minimal input. Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT), this vision has become a reality in the form of smart homes. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of IoT in smart homes, exploring the key applications, benefits, challenges, and the bright future it holds for modern living.

The Rise of IoT in Smart Homes

Smart homes are residences equipped with IoT devices and systems that enhance comfort, security, energy efficiency, and convenience. IoT technology is at the core of this transformation, connecting various devices and sensors to create an interconnected ecosystem within the home.

Key Applications of IoT in Smart Homes

1. Home Automation

IoT devices in smart homes allow for automation of various tasks. For example, lights, thermostats, and appliances can be controlled remotely or set to operate on a schedule. Smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home enable voice commands to control devices, making daily routines more efficient.

2. Security and Surveillance

IoT is revolutionizing home security by offering smart doorbells, cameras, motion sensors, and smart locks. These devices provide real-time monitoring, allowing homeowners to check on their property and receive alerts about potential security breaches.

3. Energy Efficiency

Smart thermostats, lighting systems, and appliances help homeowners reduce energy consumption. These devices can be programmed to operate more efficiently, and some can learn user preferences over time, further optimizing energy use.

4. Entertainment

IoT in smart homes offers integrated entertainment systems. Smart TVs, streaming devices, and audio systems can be controlled from a central hub or through smartphones and voice commands.

5. Health and Well-being

IoT devices in the healthcare sector are making their way into smart homes. Remote health monitoring, medication reminders, and telemedicine applications are improving the quality of life for patients and the elderly.

6. Home Maintenance

IoT sensors can monitor the condition of home systems such as HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. Alerts can be sent when maintenance is required, preventing costly breakdowns.

7. Home Appliances

IoT-enabled appliances can communicate with homeowners, notifying them of issues, providing information on usage, and even ordering replacement parts automatically.

8. Voice Assistants

Devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home have integrated voice assistants that control various IoT devices and answer queries, making the smart home experience more interactive.

Benefits of IoT in Smart Homes

The integration of IoT in smart homes offers numerous advantages:

1. Convenience

Smart homes are designed to make daily tasks more convenient. Devices can be controlled remotely, and automation simplifies routines.

2. Enhanced Security

IoT-based security systems provide homeowners with real-time monitoring and alerts, offering peace of mind.

3. Energy Efficiency

Smart homes are more environmentally friendly, as energy-efficient devices help reduce energy consumption and costs.

4. Personalization

IoT devices in smart homes learn user preferences and adapt to individual needs, creating a personalized living environment.

5. Safety

IoT technology enhances safety with features like smart locks and security cameras, allowing homeowners to monitor and secure their property.

6. Accessibility

Smart home features can be accessible to individuals with disabilities, improving their quality of life.

Challenges and Considerations

While IoT in smart homes offers numerous benefits, it also poses challenges and considerations:

1. Data Security and Privacy

Collecting and transmitting sensitive data in the home raises concerns about data security and privacy. Robust security measures must be in place to protect personal information.

2. Interoperability

IoT devices and systems must be compatible and standardized to ensure seamless data exchange and integration. Common protocols and standards are essential for achieving this.

3. Reliability

The performance and reliability of IoT devices can be a concern. Devices must work consistently to maintain the trust of homeowners.

4. Cost of Implementation

The initial cost of implementing IoT in smart homes can be a barrier for some homeowners. An assessment of the return on investment is necessary to justify the expense.

5. Workforce Training

The successful adoption of IoT in smart homes often requires workforce training and a cultural shift within households.

The Future of IoT in Smart Homes

As technology continues to advance, the future of IoT in smart homes looks promising. Here are some trends and developments to watch for:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

IoT and AI will work together to provide more intelligent and adaptive automation, making homes even more responsive to residents’ needs.

2. Enhanced Security

Security systems will become more sophisticated, with machine learning and AI used to detect and respond to security threats.

3. Interconnectivity

Smart home ecosystems will become even more interconnected, with devices seamlessly communicating with each other for a more unified experience.

4. Sustainability

IoT will play a more significant role in sustainable living, with devices designed to minimize resource consumption and waste.

5. Integration with Smart Cities

Smart homes will be integrated with broader smart city initiatives, contributing to more sustainable urban living.

Conclusion

The Internet of Things is revolutionizing smart homes by offering enhanced convenience, security, energy efficiency, and personalization. Challenges related to data security, interoperability, and workforce training must be addressed to ensure that the benefits of IoT in smart homes are fully realized.

As IoT technology continues to evolve, it will remain a driving force in smart homes, offering a glimpse into a future where homes are more responsive, efficient, and aligned with the individual needs and preferences of their occupants, ultimately improving the quality of life for homeowners.

The post The Smart Home Revolution: How IoT Is Transforming Modern Living appeared first on IoT Business News.

Berg Insight, the world’s leading IoT market research provider, today released a new market report covering the Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) market.

In this study, a HEMS is defined as a system that at minimum consists of a solar PV system, battery storage system and a web-based management portal or smartphone app that allows for remote monitoring and control of the system. A wider HEMS also integrates backup generators, EV chargers, heat pumps, home appliances and other connected products and systems in the home.

There were an estimated 950,000 HEMS installed in European homes at the end of 2022. An estimated 320,000 systems were added to the installed base during the year. This figure includes both new installations of solar PV + battery storage systems as well as installations of battery storage systems in existing solar PV systems (i.e. retrofits). The penetration rate is still very low in Europe, below one percent. Germany is by far the leading market. Growing at a CAGR of 40.3 percent, the installed base of HEMS in Europe is estimated to reach 5.2 million systems at the end of 2027.

There were at the same time an estimated 520,000 HEMS installed in North American homes at the end of 2022. Shipments including both new installations and retrofits reached 250,000 systems during the year. Only about 0.5 percent of the houses and MDUs in the region now have a HEMS installed. The installed base of HEMS in North America is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 49.4 percent to reach 3.9 million systems at the end of 2027.

The HEMS value chain spans various companies from different industry sectors. Some companies are vertically integrated, offering a complete HEMS based on in-house developed hardware and software solutions. Other companies develop and manufacture one of the components of HEMS. Some of these companies integrate components from third-party companies to be able to offer a complete HEMS. There are also several companies that specialises in providing a software platform that enables other companies to offer HEMS. US-based Enphase Energy, Tesla and Generac, Israel-based SolarEdge, and Germany-based E3/DC (Hager Group), Senec (EnBW) and Solarwatt are leading companies in the HEMS market in North America and Europe. All seven companies offer a range of software and hardware solutions that make it possible to control the electricity generation, storage and usage at home.

Additional important players in the European and North American HEMS market include Germany-based Kostal, SMA Solar and Sonnen (Shell); Italy-based FIMER (McLaren Applied); Austria-based Fronius; France-based Schneider Electric; and US-based Eaton, SimpliPhi Power (Briggs & Stratton) and Tigo Energy. There are also a number of Asia-based companies active in Europe and North America. Key players include BYD Electronic, LG Energy Solution, Huawei, Growatt New Energy and Pylon Technologies.

“A number of factors indicate that the market for HEMS is on the verge of entering a strong growth period that will last for several decades”, says Martin Backman, Principal Analyst at Berg Insight. The residential sector accounts for about a fourth of the total energy consumption in North America and Europe. As the adoption of electric cars and heating systems are expected to grow fast during the coming years, household electricity consumption is also expected to increase.

Mr. Backman, continues:

“The ability to control and optimize the household energy consumption and even generate and store electricity in the home will be of key importance for both individual households and the society as a whole going forward.”

HEMS help homeowners to reduce the electricity bill and increase independence from the electricity grid.

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Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global IoT solutions provider, has launched its latest Quectel FCM360W Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module, combining a high-performance processor with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 capabilities.

With large memory including 512KB SRAM and 4MB of flash memory, the FCM360W is highly versatile, offering a blend of processing power, memory, connectivity and security.

The module features standard security features such as WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK and WPA3-PSK security standards and provides 128-bit AES encryption for added security. The FCM360W supports multiple interfaces including UART, SPI, I2C, I2S, ADC and PWM alongside many low power consumption modes and keep-alive mechanisms, making it ideal for smart homes and industrial IoT (IIoT) use cases.

Quectel’s FCM360W module is offered in the LCC form factor with an ultra-compact package size of 25.5mm x 18.0mm x 3.2mm, providing great flexibility for developers. The module offers support for multiple interfaces across 19 GPIOs, allowing for multi-channel SSL connections and local caching of large amounts of data. This makes it ideal for use cases such as photovoltaic inverters, energy storage batteries and other smart devices that require long-term data monitoring and storage. Additionally, the module has an operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C and comes with antenna options that include RF coaxial connector, external antenna pin or PCB antenna.

Norbert Muhrer, President and CSO, Quectel Wireless Solutions, said:

“We’re proud to launch the Quectel FCM360W to help enable a wide range of smart home and industrial IoT devices.”

“By bringing together Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 in a compact form factor yet with a high-performance processor and large memory, we’re providing greater choices and flexibility for developers and device OEMs. With added support of QuecOpen and its powerful processing capabilities and array of interface options, the FCM360W is an excellent option for developers looking for a compact, versatile, and secure module for their IoT devices,” Mr. Muhrer continued.

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According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of smart homes in Europe and North America reached 120.5 million in 2022.

North America is the leading market in terms of penetration and 39.2 percent of all households in the region had at least one smart home product or system at the end of the year which equals to 57.5 million smart homes. During 2022, the number of smart homes in North America grew by 12.0 percent year-on-year. The strong market growth is expected to continue in the next five years. By 2027, Berg Insight estimates that about 88.1 million homes in North America will be smart, equal to 58 percent of all homes in the region.

The European market is still somewhat behind the North American, in terms of market penetration. There was a total of 63.1 million smart homes in Europe at the end of 2022. The number of smart homes in the region is forecasted to reach about 112.8 million at the end of 2027, representing a market penetration of close to 47 percent.

The most popular smart home products include smart thermostats, smart light bulbs, smart security cameras, smart door locks, smart plugs and smart speakers. These products have sold in the hundreds of millions and are marketed by incumbent OEMs such as Signify, Resideo, Danfoss, Belkin, Chamberlain and Assa Abloy and newer entrants such as Ecobee, Mysa, Nuki, Arlo, Netatmo and Wyze Labs. The market for whole-home systems is served by traditional home automation specialists, home security providers, telecom operators and DIY solution providers. On the North American market, interactive home security systems have emerged as one of the most common types of smart home systems. The largest home security providers include ADT, Vivint, Comcast and Telus. In Europe, traditional home automation systems and DIY solutions are more common as whole-home systems. eQ-3, Centrica, Verisure and Somfy are estimated to be the largest vendors of whole-home systems in the region. The installed base of whole-home systems in Europe and North America amounted to 26.5 million systems and 35.7 million systems respectively at the end of 2022.

The smart home market continues to grow as more consumers realize the value of connected products and systems. Developments of new products and services as well as connectivity standards that facilitate setup and control of devices from different vendors are also fostering growth in the market.

Martin Backman, Principal Analyst at Berg Insight, says:

“The new Matter standard is likely to become a key driver for mass-market adoption of smart home devices in the coming next few years”

There are also other new industry collaborations, such as the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA) for connected home appliances, that aim to simplify control of various devices for end-users. Surging electricity prices are also creating demand for smart home solutions that can help households reduce their electricity consumption. “Smart ACs, heat pumps, thermostats and other products that enable households to reduce expenditures are anticipated to increase in popularity over the coming years”, concludes Mr. Backman.

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Company to leverage 30+ years of security lifecycle management expertise to bring trust and interoperability to consumer IoT devices.

Kudelski IoT, a division of the Kudelski Group, the world leader in digital security and IoT solutions, today announced that it will provide a wide array of security services and technologies to device manufacturers adopting Matter, the leading standard for smart home devices from the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA).

Kudelski IoT has also been approved by the CSA as a Product Attestation Authority (PAA) and Certificate Authority (CA) and will deliver signed certificates to manufacturers whose devices have been Matter certified, allowing them to create trusted devices that provide a frictionless and secure smart home experience.

The Kudelski IoT Matter CA Service enables companies to quickly and easily get scalable access to Device Attestation Certificates (DACs). The service is a managed, scalable “PKI as a Service” platform with Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) on Kudelski premises to secure private keys. Each manufacturer using the platform can manage the security lifecycle of certificates and devices in their own dedicated, cloud-based application. Kudelski IoT can also provide solutions for the secure provisioning of certificates into devices, both in the factory and in the field.

Kudelski IoT’s Certificate Authority is not only cost effective, but device and silicon manufacturers will also have access to a more complete portfolio of services to help them effectively design, build and test security as well as manage it throughout its lifetime. These services include threat & risk assessments, security architecture, device security assessments, firmware monitoring and secure firmware update services. Kudelski IoT also provides a Secure IP portfolio for silicon manufacturers interested in embedding lifecycle security into their chipsets.

“The Alliance is honored to be working with experienced security partners like Kudelski IoT to provide manufacturers with a Matter device attestation resource,” said Chris LePré, Head of Technology at the Connectivity Standards Alliance. “Device attestation is an integral part of ensuring new devices can be properly and securely accepted into a Matter network. Kudelski IoT is providing a very important resource that ultimately benefits consumers, who simply need to look for the Matter logo to receive a secure experience.”

Kudelski Group companies have worked with device manufacturers to enable and protect their devices and associated services for more than 30 years. Kudelski is a pioneer in pay media and has been protecting digital cable, satellite, terrestrial set-top boxes, and streaming services since their inception, providing a wide range of security technologies and services with a strong focus on device security and certification. The company has provided certificates, keys, and credentials to more than over 500 million devices.

“Matter is clearly becoming an important force in creating a more secure connected home where everything just works, data and devices are protected, and consumers can enjoy devices and services without having to worry about privacy breaches,” said Hardy Schmidbauer, SVP of Kudelski IoT.

“We look forward to helping all the members of the Matter ecosystem create trusted, safe, and profitable connected devices and services, and to supporting the Matter ecosystem’s growth with not only Product Attestation, but also a range of other services and systems that help secure long-term success.”

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Combined Company Fueled by Investment from Comcast. Combination will Accelerate Growth for Pepper’s Turnkey IoT Platform and Enable Insurance Carriers to Deploy Seamless IoT Solutions.

Pepper and Notion announced today they have combined, creating a leading IoT and smart home platform business that will offer insurance carriers customized, seamless and connected solutions in the fast growing Insurtech and IoT industries.

Pepper enables businesses worldwide to build, deliver and monetize secure connected devices and services to consumers through a sustainable revenue model. Notion is an easy-to-use DIY smart property monitoring sensor system and app to enable home and small business owners to proactively monitor and reduce loss from costly property damages. Comcast, the previous owner of Notion, has made an investment in the Pepper/Notion combination.

The global InsurTech market is poised to grow to $167 billion by 2023 and the US consumer IoT services market is expected to reach $25 billion by 2025. Together, Pepper and Notion will provide an opportunity for insurance carriers to access these high growth markets and evolve from the legacy “repair and replace” business model to a “protect and prevent” approach. By pairing next generation IoT and smart home technologies, insurance carriers can reduce the frequency and dollar amount of insurance claims filed by policy holders while home, property and small business owners can save up to 20% on insurance by proactively monitoring for water leaks, fire, carbon monoxide, mold, open doors and windows, drastic temperature changes, and more.

Scott Ford, CEO of Pepper, said:

“We believe connected insurance tech is the next frontier of innovation in consumer IoT.”

“Combining Notion’s leading smart property monitoring sensor system with Pepper’s full-featured platform and service offerings will provide insurance carriers a customized suite of connected solutions through a seamless white-label approach. This acquisition will allow us to leverage Notion’s leadership as an InsurTech solution supplier while expanding the offering to include popular smart home and security services.”

Pepper-powered solutions will open the door to real time, actionable data for carriers and customers through its seamless and secure consumer IoT platform. The data generated through these programs will be controlled and owned by the carrier and its customers. In addition to improving key carrier business metrics like underwriting and claims reduction, the combination of Pepper and Notion will enable the sale of new value-added services, including additional insurance products and create attractive recurring revenue streams through a variety of connected home premium services.

“Partnering with a trusted, next-generation consumer IoT platform like Pepper aligns perfectly with Notion’s mission to deliver innovative, smart insurance and home security offerings,” said Thomas Fad, vice president and general manager of Notion. “By joining Pepper, we will be able to further accelerate in a high-growth market and expand into new product offerings, all while continuing to deliver the best in InsurTech for our customers.”

Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

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The Connectivity Standards Alliance’s Matter Launch Event showcased industry leaders and the first Matter products, showing adoption from silicon to storefront

In the month since Matter 1.0 was released, Matter momentum has continued to accelerate.

Today members showcased their Matter products at a launch event in Amsterdam with a wide array of categories including motion blinds, occupancy sensors, weather devices, smart plugs, door locks, lighting, gateways, platform components, and Matter-based software applications. Since the release, 190 products have received certification or are in queue for testing and certification.

The transition from standards development to standards adoption is clearly accelerating, with 4,400 downloads of the new Matter specification since its release and 2,500 downloads of the Matter software development kit (SDK) from GitHub. With the launch of the Matter certification program for both hardware and software products, there are now eight authorized test labs in 16 locations across nine countries, making it easy to bring Matter products to life.

Tobin Richardson, President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance, said:

“This is a major inflection point for the IoT. As we become more connected and break down the walls between the digital and physical world, we need to work together to make those connections meaningful. Matter and our membership are tackling this challenge head-on.”

“With collaboration, inclusiveness, and a deep sense of responsibility to the market and consumers, Matter has the power to create a more connected, safe, and useful Smart Home.”

CCS Insight, a leading European-based analyst firm, notes that purchase intent for smart devices is on the rise, with 35 percent of households in key European markets intending to purchase smart home products in the next 12 months. Additionally, in recent research by Parks Associates, a US-based firm, interoperability is top-of-mind with consumers, where 73 percent of US households that own or are planning to buy a smart home device say interoperability amongst products is important when choosing which smart home device to buy.^*

As part of the Matter launch event in Amsterdam, over 100 media and analysts representing 15 countries learned about the latest certified Matter devices, and heard from member leaders on key topics including energy management, security, and empowering Matter developers. Those attending in person were able to see live Matter product demonstrations from 20 companies^**. A similar event will be held in China.

Members including Silicon Labs, Schneider Electric, Tuya Smart, and Amazon spoke individually about their perspectives on Matter as they relate to their position in the IoT ecosystem.

“The promise of Matter is the accelerated proliferation of connected things by bringing simplicity and interoperability to consumers who can now mix and match products from different ecosystems with greater ease and reliability. And the foundation of Matter’s interoperability begins at the silicon level,” said Matt Johnson, CEO of Silicon Labs. “Silicon Labs is proud to have contributed our breadth of protocol support, depth of wireless expertise, and focus on the IoT to Matter’s development.”

“As a global specialist in energy management and automation, we believe open standards, technology andinteroperability of connected products are essential in bringing energy to all, making our homes more sustainable, and energy efficient,” said YiFu Qi, Executive Vice President, Home & Distribution Division, Schneider Electric. “We are innovating to bring Matter-ready technology to help homeowners globally achieve net zero homes, by making it easier to utilize the full power of sustainable home energy management systems.”

“Tuya Smart is committed to breaking down barriers between different smart product brands and categories and creating a more open and neutral IoT ecosystem for the global intelligence market,” said Alex Yang, Co-Founder and COO of Tuya Smart. “As a Board member of the Alliance, Tuya participated in Matter’s early development, application, and promotion. We also believe that with our extensive and growing partnerships in the IoT industry, the era of connecting everything in a smart way will come soon.”

“As services like Alexa continue driving rapid smart home adoption, Matter presents a new opportunity to further simplify development for device makers and add to the customer experience of smart home devices from a range of different companies and brands,” said Marja Koopmans, Director of Smart Home & Health at Amazon. “As an Alliance board member, founding company and long-time contributor to Matter, we look forward to introducing this open standard to over 100 million Echo and eero devices to make it easier for customers to set up and control their Matter-certified smart home devices.”

With the initial launch of Matter, a variety of popular smart home product categories are supported including lighting and electrical, HVAC controls, window coverings and shades, safety and security sensors, door locks, video players, protocol bridges, and controllers embedded in many different kinds of products.

Looking beyond the initial release, work has begun and is ongoing for new device categories. In addition to teams working on cameras, home appliances, and more advanced energy management use cases, at the event the Alliance announced the formation of new teams to work on closures (such as doors and gates), environmental quality sensors and controls, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and ambient motion and presence sensing. The Alliance called on all interested companies looking to develop connected solutions in these areas to join the Alliance and build what’s next in Matter.

Since the release of the specification, twenty companies have joined the Alliance.

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ByteSnap Design, a specialist in embedded systems design and development, has released its predictions for the smart home sector ahead of World Smart Home Day on 3 November 2022.

Smart home devices are becoming more common every day. They allow us to control our homes remotely, monitor our health, automate tasks, and even provide entertainment.

Dunstan Power, Director at ByteSnap Design explains:

“World Smart Home Day celebrates new technologies, devices, and appliances in our homes. We asked our engineers to reveal the trends to watch, including the rise of Matter standard, homes powering the move to off-grid, and consumption dictated by energy suppliers.”

Is the Matter Standard (Matter) the key to interoperability?

The rise of Matter Standard has been a hot topic since its inception. In 2017, the open-source community decided to create a new specification called Matter Standard (MST). This was done to bring together multiple IoT technologies into one unified solution.

Announced by Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) in 2018, the initiative aims to bring together all the major players in the smart home ecosystem under one umbrella. The goal is to create a single open-source software stack that allows developers to build cross-platform smart home products without having to worry about compatibility issues.

This initiative has already attracted some big names such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, Huawei, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, and Lenovo. In addition, the consortium also counts Apple and Samsung as members.

It’s difficult to say if the matter standard (Matter) will be “the one thing” to unite IoT – there are still too many differences between the various standards and they are not compatible with each other. There are many elements that could unify the industry, and it will take time. For example, the transition from VHS to DVD took about ten years.

At the moment, it is suffering delays and is bulky. Despite the negativity around it, we’d like to see things move forward, as this could be the interoperable ecosystem that everyone’s looking for.

Connecting smart homes and cars to go off-grid

We think the future is connecting more devices to the home. For example, an electric vehicle will interact with an energy management system in your home. Heat pumps, washing machines, car chargers, solar panels, batteries, etc will create an IoT ecosystem.

The idea is that, during the day, excess energy doesn’t get exported to the grid, instead being stored in a battery. If there is no battery, it goes into your car.

If you don’t have a car, it goes into your heat pump or your water storage for latent energy; running your dishwasher, or your washing machine, whilst there’s surplus energy available.
For this to happen, devices need to communicate with each other and also with a central system.

Consumption times dictated by energy providers

Against the backdrop of an IoT-powered system that keeps energy in the home or vehicle, new products need to be designed with energy demand response in mind.

In the future, for energy from the grid, your home, and energy provider may reveal when to use devices for optimal energy conservation. For example, there will be peak points where consumers go home and plug in their cars, etc., so stored energy can be used, or if it’s not necessary to charge right at that moment, the home can take charge.

As part of the bigger picture, devices need to be designed so that they can react when instructed to use less energy as part of demand response programmes. This may be something controversial as consumers want access to energy at any time. However, in times of energy shortages, balance is key, and consumers may need to adjust the times when devices are used. To bring consumers on board with these changes there will need to be financial incentives from the energy suppliers.

Design to minimise supply chain disruptions

Global supply chains are affecting the rollout of smart homes. The best approach to mitigate supply shortages is to ensure that designs support different hardware variants transparently.

Flexibility is more important than ever. For example, using a different chip may mean that different storage is available. For a design where 8KB of storage is necessary, it may be cheaper to buy 32 KB from a very similar processor.

This will affect the unit cost, but a product will be available. Manufacturers, such as Tesla, operate like this all the time, by creating a product that is supported when certain chips disappear. Early higher cost should mean less pain later.

The rise of software as a service – subscription models on IoT services

With the rise of cloud computing and mobile devices, software as a service (SaaS) has become the new normal. SaaS offers businesses a way to deliver their applications over the Internet rather than installing them on individual computers or servers. This model allows companies to offer their software to customers without having to worry about hardware maintenance or upgrades.

While the concept of SaaS was initially developed for enterprise applications, the idea has now spread to consumer apps too. The popularity of SaaS has grown rapidly because it provides convenience, flexibility, scalability, and cost savings. In addition, SaaS also helps organisations reduce IT costs and improve productivity.

There are already several startups working on new ways to use smartwatches, fitness trackers, thermostats, and other connected devices. Firms offering subscriptions for IoT devices include:

1- SmartThings
2- Nest Labs
3- IFTTT
4- Insteon
5- WeMo

A challenge for these startups is understanding how to monetise their business. They just want to sell subscriptions to their customers. This approach doesn’t work well when you consider that some IoT devices are used only a few times per month. Therefore, they will need to find ways to keep their customers engaged after the initial sale.

In the meantime, BMW has jumped on the SaaS bandwagon, adding subscription models to standard features in some of their vehicles such as heated seats. There is already consumer backlash against this as “subscription fatigue” is already setting in in many subscription services.

Compliance rules

IoT device developers need to ensure security, reliability and interoperability. The Internet of Things has also created a number of new legal issues. For example, companies might be held liable for data breaches caused by faulty equipment.

This means that manufacturers must take extra steps to ensure that their IoT products are safe and cybersecurity compliant before releasing them into the marketplace.

Compliance refers to meeting certain standards, rules, or guidelines, covering areas including safety, e.g., fire prevention, and privacy (data protection).

In addition, compliance requires that a manufacturer designs products to conform to specific industry standards. For instance, a medical device must adhere to FDA standards, and a car must follow FMVSS standards.

Licensing costs are somewhat of a fiasco. Developers of smart home devices need to account for certification licensing. For white labelled products, each stakeholder needs to obtain a license, even though the product and the software are the same.

When designing for Matter Standard, for instance, you must be accredited.. The CSA has an updated ledger of approved devices. There are similar requirements for Apple Homekit, Google Home, and other smart home ecosystems.

Voice assistants and children

Voice assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home are now being integrated into homes across the globe. These devices allow us to ask questions, play music, read out text messages, order food, etc, using only our voices.. With these new features, voice control is becoming more common.

As children watch their parents use these tools, they might start using them too. The rise of voice assistants has also led to concerns over privacy issues.

Children are starting to use voice assistants at home, but some experts warn that this trend could cause problems down the road. For example, children who use voice assistants may develop habits that could impact their social skills later in life. As such, the responsibility lies with parents to encourage their children to use these devices correctly and safely.

Conclusion

The main takeaways for smart home product designers:

1- Design new products with energy demand response in mind (for the Home Energy Management Systems of the future).
2- Beat the chip shortage by designing for hardware contingencies – early added cost should mean less pain later.
3- Plan carefully for licensing and certification requirements for your smart home product.

Smart homes are constantly evolving and will play an ever-expanding role in future societies. The aspiration is for smart homes to enable us to lead healthier lives and provide us with greater convenience – presenting a plethora of opportunities for product developers.

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According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the number smart homes in Europe and North America reached 105.0 million in 2021.

The most advanced smart home market is North America, having an installed base of 51.3 million smart homes at the end of the year. This represents a penetration rate of 36 percent. During 2021, the number of smart homes in North America grew by 13.0 percent year-on-year. The strong market growth is expected to continue in the next years. By 2026, Berg Insight estimates that about 74.6 million homes in North America will be smart, equal to 50 percent of all homes in the region. The European market is still behind the North American, in terms of market penetration. There was a total of 53.7 million smart homes in Europe at the end of 2021. The installed base in the region is forecasted to reach about 100 million homes at the end of 2026, representing a market penetration of 42 percent.

The most popular smart home products include smart thermostats, smart light bulbs, smart security cameras, smart door locks, smart plugs and smart speakers. These products, which combined has sold in the hundreds of millions, are marketed by incumbent OEMs such as Signify, Resideo, Danfoss, Belkin, Chamberlain and Assa Abloy and newer entrants such as Ecobee, Mysa, Nuki, Arlo, Netatmo, IKEA and Wyze Labs. The market for whole-home systems is served by traditional home automation specialists, home security providers, telecom operators and DIY solution providers.

On the North American market, interactive home security systems have emerged as one of the most common types of smart home systems. The largest home security providers include ADT, Vivint and Comcast. In Europe, traditional home automation systems and DIY solutions are more common as whole-home systems. eQ-3, Centrica, Verisure and Somfy are the largest vendors of whole-home systems in the region. The installed base of whole-home systems in Europe and North America amounted to 20.0 million systems and 30.0 million systems respectively at the end of 2021.

Smart and connected home solutions are now becoming ubiquitous and in many product categories connectivity is a standard feature. However, a connected product does not automatically equals an intelligent solution that adds real value for homeowners.

“There is much left to work on for the participants in the smart home market before the true smart home is realized, in which products and systems from different vendors works seamlessly together and automatically make adjustments optimized for the individual user”, continues Mr. Backman. Developments on the software side is key to make this a reality.

Mr. Backman concludes:

“The much-anticipated smart home standard Matter, which is planned to be launched during 2022, holds great potential to solve many of the issues that hampers adoption of smart home solutions today”

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We live in an increasingly connected world, shaped by ever more sophisticated technologies as the IoT approaches tipping point. The digitalization and networking of more and more “things” is transforming all areas of our life, reaching beyond smart factories, offices, cars and suchlike to also redefine the home experience.

Demand for smart home devices and applications is experiencing dynamic growth as more and more consumers are looking to leverage the comfort, energy efficiency, and security benefits of smart home and building technologies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of smart home technologies. During the various stages of lockdown, many private homes morphed into offices, schools, entertainment hubs, fitness studios, and even healthcare centers. This shift in needs has also driven disruptive changes in terms of the range, functionality, and performance of smart home applications and devices now in demand. Today’s smart homes are much more than just a refrigerator that reorders milk or a coffee machine that recognizes users and knows their preferences. By 2026, ABI Research¹ predicts that “the smart home market will reach $317 billion, up 5 percent over pre-COVID-19 forecasts.”

Homes that can “hear”, “see” and “smell” – science fiction or reality?

And this smart home trend is set to pick up even greater momentum moving forward. According to projections by the United Nations, more than seven out of ten people will live in cities by the year 2050. This will push the development of megacities with high-rise buildings, large apartment blocks, and massive office/public buildings. Digitalization will play a defining role in all of these buildings. According to the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association, there will be around 154 million active IoT connections in smart buildings by 2025. And that’s just Europe!

What makes a home smart?

A home becomes smart by equipping everyday “things” such as heaters, ventilators, air conditioners, elevators, and lights with powerful electronics. Microelectronics enable all of these “things” to “see”, “hear”, and “understand” their surroundings. They can then autonomously process information, make decisions, and set chains of action in motion. There are several functional blocks required to build this kind of intelligence into smart home systems:

• Sensors mark the starting point of any IoT system as they capture environmental information and convert it into digital data.
• Microcontrollers are the nerve center of an IoT device, processing this data and generating control signals.
• Actuators set things in motion by converting the control signals into actions.
• Connectivity is the heartbeat of the IoT, linking all of these “things” to each other and to the cloud.
• Security solutions for devices, networks, and data create the all-important consumer trust in the digital world by protecting data transmission and ensuring the integrity of the connected devices and networks.

In a nutshell, the seamless, secure interplay between all of these functional blocks is what makes a home smart.

1 Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi are still the most used technologies

But it’s not all plain sailing…

The rising number of connected devices in the home is making networks more congested. Users often have to face service interruptions or wireless connectivity issues between different smart home devices. In addition, Wi-Fi devices often consume a lot of power. Some homes are also prone to dead spots and coverage can fluctuate or deteriorate from one room to another. At the same time, the popular 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz RF spectrum are becoming increasingly crowded, leading to performance issues. And many users have growing concerns about the security of their home and private data as IoT edge devices present an attractive target for home hackers.

To win user trust and unleash the full potential of smart home technologies, manufacturers of smart home devices and appliances need semiconductor solutions that address all of these connectivity, congestion, and security concerns.

Seamless and reliable connectivity for smart homes

In a home of connected experiences, excellent reception quality and fast, stable connections between IoT devices, the cloud, and the network are a must – always and everywhere. Various connectivity standards are evolving to support seamless communications for different use cases. The most popular are Wi-Fi for wireless local area networks (WLAN), Bluetooth® for content streaming, and Bluetooth® low energy (BLE) technology for ultra-low-power connectivity.

Of particular interest here are developments such as Wi-Fi 6. This latest generation of Wi-Fi was built specifically to improve reliability and performance, even in high device density environments. Unlike previous generations of Wi-Fi that focused on peak device speeds, Wi-Fi 6 includes advancements to relieve network congestion, and to improve network efficiency, device battery life, latency, and range in addition to peak speeds. This makes it ideal for online gaming devices with virtual reality capabilities, sports devices that stream workouts live, connected kitchen gadgets, and other IoT devices that typically congest the home network environment.

The answer: New combo families supporting the latest standards

Semiconductor player Infineon Technologies AG has responded to market demand for secure, reliable wireless connectivity in the home with its new AIROC combo family. Leveraging the benefits of Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth® 5.2, these combo solutions address the challenges of congested 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels by opening up the 6 GHz spectrum. They also bring extraordinary audio and video quality to media applications and extend coverage with robust, long-range connections for IoT applications. By comparison, AIROC doubles the wireless coverage range possible with Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 4 and thus makes a valuable contribution to the elimination of dead spots and reception problems. Equally impressive, AIROC extends the coverage of typical Wi-Fi 6/6E solutions by more than 40 percent.

Infineon’s AIROC Wi-Fi 6/6E solutions are also equipped with the latest Bluetooth® 5.2 technology, enabling high-quality audio with LC3, and enabling new BLE audio use cases such as audio sharing and audio broadcast. The unique low-power wake-on-Bluetooth® LE mode allows the host CPU to conserve power while the Bluetooth® core autonomously “listens” for incoming connection requests. Advanced wireless technology innovations have been added to improve the BT/BLE range, general robustness for less interference and latency, while also reducing power consumption by 20 percent. This exceeds the BT5.2 specification. Infineon’s unique Smart Coex maximizes Wi-Fi throughput when used concurrently with Bluetooth®, making it ideal for demanding multimedia use cases. Last but not least, AIROC comes with multi-layer security features such as secured boot, firmware authentication and encryption, and lifecycle management. This higher level of security for IoT applications in the smart home will go a long way towards building the much-needed trust of consumers in the safety and integrity of their devices and data.

To accelerate development of Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth® 5.2 deployments for the smart home, reduce test costs, and support product certification, Infineon builds and delivers integrated Wi-Fi 6/6E solutions in collaboration with its module partners.

The AIROC Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth® 5.2 combo is currently sampling to select customers.

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If you own a talking virtual assistant like Alexa, a wearable device like FitBit or a smart television, you are already experiencing IoT at fundamental levels. Though these standalone devices don’t make up for an IoT based home automation solution, they still communicate with each other for data and insights.

Generally, brand manufacturers have their own distinct operating protocols for their range of products and services, where the language of one device wouldn’t be understood by another device, or data interoperability would simply be restricted and more.

If you’ve opted for a complete home automation system from one single brand, where your entire house is automated with relevant gadgets like smart doorbells, smart surveillance systems, smart illumination and more, companies ensure a standard operating protocol is established for streamlined communication and presentation through relevant IoT solutions.

The problem only arises when you have multiple devices from different brands and companies. For homes that are made up of siloed smart systems, where every individual gadget is from a different brand, communication among devices becomes difficult.

For instance, when you’ve connected a smart bulb with your Alexa, two different devices are operating in tandem with each other. So, for Alexa to reduce your room’s brightness, the assistant needs to communicate your instructions to the bulb.

In such cases, there needs to be established a common protocol that brings standalone devices into one wholesome ecosystem. While this might appear trivial now, IoT is gaining significant ground and we can’t deny that IoT solutions are becoming increasingly inevitable in our life. That’s why we need to know about basic IoT protocols for efficient functioning of multiple IoT devices as one single unit.

If you’re into home automation solutions or IoT app development, it becomes more crucial to know about protocols. This will enable your customers to prefer your products for its versatility and efficiency because they know your device wouldn’t stop functioning if an incompatible device is connected to an ecosystem.

To help you get started, here are some of the fundamental wireless protocols for home automation you should know about.

10 Best Home Automation Protocols For 2021

Zigbee

Developed by Zigbee Alliance, this is an open-source protocol that allows developers or IoT architects to build mesh networks where signals can jump among devices for communication. The network does not require devices to dial out to a WiFi network before jumping. The entire ecosystem is made up of a hub that needs to be perpetually connected to an internet source. Running on radio frequency, Zigbee paves the way for fast communication among devices.

Zigbee is currently used by Amazon Echo, Philips range of Hue bulbs and more.One of the major benefits of Zigbee is that one hub can power multiple devices. Besides, it is open-source and simpler to develop compatible devices.

As far as power requirements are concerned, Zigbee is built for low power consumption. So, it ultimately reduces dependence on batteries. Powered by a 128-bit banking-level encryption system, Zigbee is our top pick.

Insteon

Insteon is more of a hybrid protocol that functions on a patented dual-mesh ecosystem. Thanks to this, Insteon deploys both wired and wireless communication channels to streamline data and information. In this network, messages can travel in more than one way.

It is compatible with all other Insteon devices. It also shows compatibility with the X10 network and allows you to add additional wireless functionality to an existing network. With respect to usability, it is extremely easy to use and deploy. It does not require you to be tech savvy at all. Anyone can actually deploy an Insteon-powered home automation system in their place.

6LoWPAN

Sensors and embedded systems are the lifelines of IoT devices. To streamline communication among such units, the most ideal protocol we could suggest is 6LoWPAN.

This is designed for performance for battery-powered devices like temperature sensors and systems that require very less energy. This protocol is also super-optimal to control and handle residential electronic appliances like dishwashers and washing machines.

Thread Protocol

Another mesh-based networking system, Thread was developed and released to compete against Zigbee. Some of the biggest market players like Samsung, Nest, Qualcomm and more came together to develop Thread. Despite being a mesh network, what sets Thread apart is that unlike Zigbee, it does not require perpetual internet connection. Data transmission happens even when the hub is not connected to the internet.

Similar to Zigbee, Thread also functions on radio frequency (802.15.4) and is open source. Developers reveal that because of the stringent security requirements, infrastructure based on Thread should be developed from ground up.

Thread is also IP-based, which means it stands out from its market competitors like Zigbee. Thanks to this feature, Thread can directly work with networks like Ethernet, 4G and WiFi.

EnOcean

EnOcean is designed for home automation solutions that are dependent on energy-producing technologies. The protocol is a blend of energy converters and ultra-low-power electronic devices that facilitates the transmission of data and communication among controllers, switches, sensors, gateways and more without any power source.

Bluetooth Mesh

The entire world is familiar with Bluetooth technology now. From commercial wearables to sound systems, Bluetooth powers several devices today and consumers around the world know how to connect and work with Bluetooth technology.

As far as its protocol standards are concerned, Bluetooth Mesh is powered by a standard named Bluetooth Low Energy or colloquially known as Bluetooth 5.0. Its functionality is similar to that of Z-wave and Zigbee.

It offers commendable latency and speed and its performance is very similar to what Zigbee brings to the table. The biggest advantage of Bluetooth Mesh is that it is literally everywhere. Almost every single device today that rolls out of the conveyor belt has Bluetooth technology by default. This makes the way for compatibility. However, there is a catch here that only Bluetooth 4.0 and 5.0 are supported by the mesh protocol.

Despite being popular, Bluetooth is relatively new and lacks the standards and robustness of some of the other protocols in the list. It is yet to evolve as an ecosystem, where it can be compatible with devices outside of its compatibility and most importantly, it lacks IP functionality.

Z-Wave

Z-Wave is an open-standard IoT protocol that is developed by the prominent Silicon Labs. This is yet another mesh network-based protocol that is compatible with all other Z-Wave devices. However, the only catch with Z-Wave is that there is a limit to the number of times signals can be transmitted through devices, which is 4. This makes it less prone to congestion.

Functioning on a radio (908.42MHz) frequency, Z-Wave has a wider range and has very less interference with other devices. It is one of the fastest growing protocols in the world because of the support shown by over 450 companies. Despite this fact, experts suspect its longevity considering the fact that standards in the protocols have undergone several changes over the years.

Nevertheless, it is easy to deploy, offers commendable performance, reduces energy requirements and is future-proof in the fact that Z-Wave will show backward compatibility with outdated devices.

MQTT

So far, we’ve only been covering enterprises and large-scale protocols. For smaller devices and ecosystems that deploy relatively cheap gadgets and low memory and power systems, an ideal protocol is MQTT. Abbreviated as Message Queue Telemetry Transport, this lightweight protocol is perfect to streamline simple data across sensors and applications.

KNX

Probably one of the oldest and most prominent protocols to build automation modules, KNX is open source and works across multiple mediums such as infrared, RF, twisted-pair wiring, Ethernet and more.

Unlike other protocols mentioned here, KNX is decentralized. Meaning, it does not need a hub to operate and every single KNX unit is a standalone ecosystem by itself. This gives an advantage that the network will continue to function even if one device or unit malfunctions.

WiFi Protocol

Thanks to the massive reach of WiFi, this is probably the most cost-effective protocol for developers to build IoT networks and automation solutions. They are designed to handle massive volumes of data seamlessly. Also, WiFi networks offer optimum security standards because they deploy AES 256-bit encryption. It has a commendable range and with the evolutions happening with WiFi, we could soon be witnessing WiFi units capable of transmitting data to units that are located a kilometer away.

WiFi is ideal for both medium and small home automation systems, where large volumes of data can be easily transmitted across short distances.

However, some of the limitations of WiFi include the requirement of perennial power supply, higher power consumption and interference with other devices powered by WiFi. For quick and commercial applications, WiFi works perfectly.

Wrapping Up

So, these were the 10 home automation protocols you should know for 2021. For all those IoT enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and specialists out there, we believe this list gave you comprehensive insights on how you could go about designing your ecosystem for optimum compatibility and performance.

If you have other equally powerful protocols in mind, let us know them in the comments. We would love to hear from you.

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Haier Smart Home, the world’s leading home appliance brand and smart home ecosystem builder, is ushering in a new era of healthy food storage with the launch of the first Internet of Food-empowered Smart Refrigerator at AWE 2021 in Shanghai.

The appliance is the first smart refrigerator to be fully compliant with 22 Chinese national industry standards as well as the global IEC Standards (“the standard”), which were developed in partnership with Haier to ensure refrigeration systems meet certain safety, efficiency, and environmental protection requirements. The standard, that has now been transferred and adopted by over 20 countries in UK, EU, and South American countries, provides the scale-setting reference for global refrigerator manufacturing. In China, the standard breakdown has three levels with the highest grade marked Level One Health Preservation.

Haier’s refrigerator achieved the Level One Health Preservation grade due to its “full-space preservation technology”. At the AWE 2021, Haier’s refrigerator held three freshness challenges to showcase its preservation performance in terms of color, nutrition and cleanliness through experiments of protein detection and the sterilization rate of an apple. Full-space preservation technology proved to be not only able to keep the ingredients fresh, but also to keep them nutritious and healthy.

Haier’s smart refrigerator harnesses innovative technologies to meet best-in-class refrigeration standards with an intuitive scenario-based system. The result is a smart fridge that always ensures healthy food preservation, provides ample storage volume and offers connected services powered by an IoT ecosystem.

The smart fridge has a low freezing temperature fluctuation of less than 0.2°C, while the middle shelves enable users to switch between six storage modes depending on their needs. The appliance is also capable of detecting the location of different foods, regulating their freshness and quality and recommending recipes based on the ingredients available.

Ideal for preserving the full spectrum of food categories, Haier’s smart fridge delivers first-class cooling for kitchen and dining rooms with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 40°C. Inside the fridge, users enjoy an abundance of storage with 780 liters of volume, independent food compartments, a door-to-door design that maximizes space and an extra-large temperature-adjustable crisper with a unique compartment design. Users can also modify the temperature in dedicated compartments for special ingredients such as fruit, drinks, red wine, and health products; and freeze meat, seafood and poultry to temperatures as low as -70°C.

A truly connected and intuitive solution, the fridge is also the world’s first smart food platform that harnesses the power of 5G to deliver services via an IoT ecosystem. Haier’s smart refrigerator provides a number of services to improve the food storage experience, ranging from seamless user identification to automatic food management, ordering and wireless payment.

The fridge intelligently identifies family members using facial, voice, and image recognition, as well as RFID, and delivers personalized services based on their user profile and historical usage data. The platform also uses RFID to deliver intelligent management after storing items in the fridge — enabling users to trace the source of an ingredient, link the fridge to other smart appliances such as the oven, identify the freshest and most healthy foods, and set a reminder to automatically replenish supplies when low. Budding cooks can also enjoy seamless livestream broadcasts over the 5G platform, where they can learn to cook with a chef and become a culinary master.

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According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the number smart homes in Europe and North America reached 102.6 million in 2020.

The most advanced smart home market is North America, having an installed base of 51.2 million smart homes at the end of the year. This represents a penetration rate of 35.6 percent. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of smart homes in North America grew by 18.7 percent year-on-year. The strong market growth is expected to continue in the next years. By 2024, Berg Insight estimates that close to 78 million homes in North America will be smart, meaning 53 percent of all homes in the region.

The European market is still behind the North American, in terms of market penetration. There was a total of 51.4 million smart homes in Europe at the end of 2020. The installed base in the region is forecasted to exceed 100 million homes at the end of 2024, representing a market penetration of 42 percent. The Covid-19 pandemic has so far had a very limited negative effect on the smart home market in the two regions. While sales in brick-and-mortar stores declined, online sales instead surged. Many people spent more time at home during the pandemic and thus became interested in smart home products that improve their home.

The most popular smart home products include smart thermostats, smart light bulbs, smart security cameras, smart door locks, smart plugs and smart speakers. These products, which combined has sold in the hundreds of millions, are marketed by incumbent OEMs such as Signify, Resideo, Danfoss, Belkin, Chamberlain, Kwikset and Assa Abloy and newer entrants such as Ecobee, Sonos, Arlo, Netatmo, IKEA and Wyze Labs.

The market for whole-home systems is served by traditional home automation specialists, home security providers, telecom operators and DIY solution providers. On the North American market, interactive home security systems have emerged as the most common type of smart home systems. The largest home security providers include ADT, Vivint and Comcast. In Europe, traditional home automation systems and DIY solutions are more common as whole-home systems. eQ-3, Centrica, Deutsche Telekom and Somfy are estimated to be the largest vendors of whole-home systems in the region.

Martin Backman, Senior Analyst at Berg Insight, says:

“While connectivity is starting to become a standard feature in some home product categories, there is still a long way to go before all products in the home are connected and able to speak to each other.”

The market opportunity and growth potential in the smart home market are still enormous. Products and systems related to security and energy management have so far been the most successful as they provide a clear value for consumers.

“Vendors of smart home products in other segments need to develop solutions where connectivity offers time savings, cost savings or other benefits that consumers are willing to pay a premium for”, concludes Mr. Backman.

Participants in the smart home industry are now focusing increasingly on the software side of the solutions to develop compelling use cases. Ease of installation, integration with other IoT devices and security will remain key priorities for consumers.

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• Semtech’s LoRa® devices provide long range, low-bandwidth connectivity for Amazon Sidewalk
• LoRa devices key features – long range, low power – makes it an ideal solution for low-bandwidth outdoor and indoor smart home and smart community products

Semtech Corporation announced it has teamed up with Amazon to collaborate on its network, Amazon Sidewalk.

Operated at no charge to customers, Amazon Sidewalk is a crowd-sourced wireless network that can simplify device setup, extend the range for low bandwidth applications and provide limited functionality even when devices fall offline.

Semtech’s long range, low power LoRa platform in the Amazon Sidewalk network extends the range of a customer’s home network to connect both outdoor and indoor, low-bandwidth smart home products, including smart lights, pet trackers, sensors for asset tracking, smart irrigation, and a multitude of additional low cost devices needed for residential use. With extended range, mobility and low power consumption, the LoRa platform enables the rapid deployment of a vast range of secure, low touch consumer Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

Mohan Maheswaran, Semtech’s President and CEO, said:

“Semtech’s LoRa is a proven IoT solution that supports a long range, low power wide area network (LPWAN) platform and meets Amazon Sidewalk’s goal of providing the network support needed to connect a broad range of low power home devices or sensors. The collaboration with Amazon solidifies that LoRa is the de facto platform for IoT LPWAN applications and expands LoRa to new consumer applications.”

According to IHS Markit, the global smart home market is expected to grow by a factor of five to reach more than $192 billion in 2023, a rapid increase from the $41 billion in revenues in 2018. Several current networks for smart devices in the home, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, are limited in connectivity and range. Cellular (e.g. 5G) is needed for mission critical, long distance, guaranteed delivery of data, but can be too costly and power hungry for battery operated devices. With LoRa and Amazon Sidewalk, customers will have access to smart home solutions that work out of the box with extended connectivity and battery life.

The new relationship between Amazon and Semtech, one of the top semiconductor companies globally for LPWAN connectivity, brings the strengths that have driven LoRa to become one of the leading IoT networking technologies to the Amazon Sidewalk network by enabling more devices and amazing new customer experiences. For more information on unique applications on the Amazon Sidewalk network, visit Amazon’s blog published today.

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One of the most fundamental ideas behind the “Internet of Things,” is that it’s possible – and desirable – to automate complex digital and technological networks and matrices, so as to remove a lot of the human involvement altogether, therefore leading to a situation where effort is saved and an overall “streamlining” effect occurs.

Of course, it’s generally pretty clear why this streamlining effect may be particularly beneficial in particular professional and industrial contexts, but it might seem as though trying to “streamline” things in this way, in your personal life, would be gratuitous or redundant.

All the same, the growing popularity of smart homes, wearable fitness trackers, integrated apps and digital services, and more, makes it pretty clear that there is a lot of interest in these sorts of largely autonomous systems, in everyday life.

Here are just a few of the benefits of streamlining more aspects of your life.

It allows you to think more carefully, strategically, and deeply about the things that actually require your attention

In life, as in business, there will always be certain things that you need to attend to which nonetheless don’t actually engage your higher reasoning and problem-solving faculties on any deep level. These sorts of tasks are often referred to as “busy work,” and people generally tend to resent having to deal with too much of this kind of “work.”

When you streamline more of the mundane elements of your everyday life that nonetheless need to be dealt with, you free yourself up to think more carefully, strategically, and deeply about the things that actually require your attention – and that you actually enjoy engaging with.

So, what exactly are those tasks that could benefit from more careful contemplation on your part? Well, the specifics will vary from individual to individual, but could well include things ranging from choosing the right Marquees for a special celebration of yours, to working on a novel, or trying to create something innovative in an entrepreneurial context.

The key thing is that it’s often very difficult – if not actually impossible – to really be as thoughtful about such things as would be ideal, when you are overly preoccupied with and stressed by “busy work” of various types.

It relieves your willpower fatigue

In the book, “The Willpower Instinct”, by Kelly McGonigal, the author looks at some striking evidence from the field of psychological research that shows “willpower” to be something of a finite resource that can be fatigued and depleted if it’s called into action too much and too often.

Automating more processes in your everyday life can simply remove a bit of the resistance that you would naturally have to face and overcome, otherwise. This, in turn, can then reduce willpower fatigue to a significant degree, meaning that you have more willpower “in reserve” to spend on the big and substantive things that actually warrant and demand it.

It’s worth keeping in mind that willpower fatigue doesn’t just occur when you are engaging in some superhuman effort of self-discipline. Even something as mundane and tedious as filling in spreadsheets that could be automatically populated, or fiddling with a variety of frustrating appliances around your home, can cause you to experience a substantial degree of willpower fatigue.

As your ability to mobilise willpower in the critical moments, and in the right doses, is essential for success in many areas of life – anything that can help you to leverage this vital resource may well be invaluable.

It allows you to focus more distinctly and intently on one thing at a time

According to the writer and academic Cal Newport, one of the major problems with the way that the professional landscape is structured today in the knowledge economy, is that it pushes people to engage in “shallow work” rather than “deep work.”

Newport expands on this subject in his highly acclaimed book “Deep Work,” where he argues compellingly that the increasing sophistication of AI systems and other technologies means that the best way of ensuring job security, among other things, is by doing the stuff that can’t be easily automated – and leaving the rest alone.

Specifically, Newport argues that the ability to focus on one thing at a time, intently, and for prolonged periods, is the key to accessing those realms of skilled work that can help to have a dramatically positive effect on your overall career, among other things.

Automating more of the processes in your everyday life that are susceptible to automation allows you to focus more distinctly and intently on one thing at a time, and to do that “deep work” that will help to hone your own skill set in whichever domain you’re working in, while simultaneously making you more effective.

If done right, it might serve as a powerful corrective to the overwhelming nature of the modern world

Many commentators have observed a strange paradox in the modern world: namely, that even though there is more prosperity, and more opportunity on offer than the likely ever has been before in the history, there is nonetheless an upwards trend in depression, anxiety, suicidality, and various other mental illnesses, that has progressed dramatically in recent years – and that puts us at odds with our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents generations.

Some compelling research has suggested that the current nature of social media drives feelings of alienation and that this might be one factor. But it’s also been suggested that a lot of the malaise that afflicts people these days has to do with a sense of being generally overwhelmed by the quick-moving, dynamic, and always-on nature of contemporary society.

Perhaps almost paradoxically, utilising various digital technologies to streamline aspects of your everyday life might be a powerful corrective to the sense of overwhelm that so many people find themselves feeling on a routine basis.

Many tech savvy individuals find, for example, that they benefit from using tools such as Freedom web blocker, for prearranged and scheduled “productivity sessions”, among other things. But if you are looking at really saving time and getting peace of mind in your daily routines, the magic may come from the smart home, with the myiad of IoT-enabled devices already available to automate and secure your home environment.

The post 4 Benefits of Streamlining More Aspects of Your Life (with or without the IoT) appeared first on IoT Business News.

The YoLink product line quickly connects applications including doors, security systems, electrical outlets, and water piping to drive greater home efficiency.

Semtech Corporation announced that YoSmart, a high-tech enterprise company focused on smart home and life products, has integrated Semtech’s LoRa® devices into its new “YoLink” line of Internet of Things (IoT) products for use in the home.

The solutions leverage LoRa devices’ advantages for simplified deployment to quickly connect a variety of home applications, including doors, security systems, electrical outlets, and water piping to accurately monitor data in real time and create safer, cost-efficient homes.

“Semtech’s LoRa devices provide the ideal platform to build smart home IoT solutions that fill the gap left by traditional home networks, such as Wi-Fi,” said John Xu, Chief Executive Officer at YoSmart.

“With LoRa, YoSmart is able to develop IoT solutions that offer homeowners immediate insight into the efficiency of their home. The YoLink portfolio is available now to U.S. consumers and offers the capability to connect many applications to the same platform for smarter management.”

The YoLink product portfolio includes a “whole home” starter kit, as well as a variety of LoRa-based sensors and a long range hub to provide consistent network coverage up to 1,000 feet from the device itself. This advanced range enables the reliable connection and monitoring of applications across larger properties outside the range of traditional home Wi-Fi networks.

The YoLink starter kit is a cost-effective collection of home sensors for delivering comprehensive data on individual home applications. Among the first LoRa-based consumer smart home kits of its kind, the YoLink kit consists of sensors for motion tracking, door lock management, garage door monitoring, gas/water valve use, pipe leak detection, and electrical outlet monitoring. Solutions integrate seamlessly with existing home infrastructure and deliver real-time data on conditions including energy use and status. In addition, door lock and pipe leakage sensors alert homeowners to potentially harmful developments, providing peace of mind regarding the safety of their home and enabling a swift response to prevent threats.

“LoRa devices offer a complete bundle of development accelerators that simplify the process of creating, deploying and managing IoT applications to provide customers direct operational advantages,” said Marc Pegulu, Vice President of IoT in Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “LoRa-based applications deliver the simplicity and ease-of-use homeowners seek when connecting home systems and provide an ideal platform to address the indoor connectivity challenges of traditional networking platforms.”

The post Semtech and YoSmart Create Safer and Smarter Homes with LoRa® Devices appeared first on IoT Business News.

Talkpool’s LoRa-based solutions monitor more than 1.2 million square meters of real estate, tracking energy use to reduce cost and increase sustainability.

Semtech Corporation announced that Talkpool, a provider of global Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and telecommunication network services, has incorporated Semtech’s LoRa® devices and the LoRaWAN® protocol into its new line of sensor solutions for smart home and building applications.

Talkpool’s portfolio of LoRa-based products enable enhanced data monitoring to reduce energy use and help prevent damage in real estate.

“The accurate and real-time data generated by solutions based on Semtech’s LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol enable building managers to effectively optimize energy use and drive down associated costs,” said Boris de Bruin, Marketing and Sales Lead at Talkpool.

“LoRa-based energy monitoring reduces waste in smart buildings, helping to ensure compliance with green building initiatives. Solutions are scalable by the number of sensors to simply provide coverage for even the largest real estate properties.”

Talkpool consulted with local insurance providers and developed its LoRa-based home and building applications to actively track energy use and monitor potentially damaging factors, including water leaks, to help building managers increase efficiency and prevent damage. For insurance companies, accurate IoT-based data brings improved pricing policies, accurate premiums and preventative property maintenance.

Talkpool recently collaborated with Atrium Ljungberg, a leading real estate developer in Sweden, which would facilitate the deployment of LoRa-based sensors to monitor more than 1.2 million square meters of real estate in 2020. Connecting its properties with LoRa-based applications offers substantial cost savings as a result of reduced energy waste. Additionally, Talkpool’s LoRa-based solutions assist in establishing building compliance with leading sustainability initiatives, including the LEED and BREEAM certifications, to maximize real estate return on investment (ROI), as well as attract and retain tenants.

“Smart home and building applications provide customers with accessible and actionable data on which to combat waste and reduce inefficiencies,” said Marc Pegulu, Vice President of IoT in Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “The flexibility of LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN protocol enables the development of applications for smarter and simpler management. Talkpool’s innovative applications bring ease of use to customers and create effective cost-saving solutions for a quick ROI.”

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In these times of outbreak where many of us are working from home, ensuring clean and fresh air indoors is more important than ever. That’s why at IoT Business News we have accepted to review a smart home device dedicated to air quality sensing, the Aranet4.

Air quality matters

According to SAF Tehnika¹, the manufacturer of the Aranet4, an optimal air quality:

• Helps to maintain good health and immunity to viruses²
• Improves productivity and performance
• Provides energy throughout the day

Even without being a scientist, it is easy to admit that everyone should care about air quality in our living or working spaces, or in any other closed environment where we have to spend some time.

Always on CO2 level display

The Aranet4 helps get a sense of the air quality we breathe, whether at home or at the office, by measuring CO2 level thanks to a precise Nondispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor technology. The CO2 measurements are displayed on a low-power e-ink screen with a color-based quality indicator. The device also measures temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure levels. A dedicated smartphone app (iOS and Android) is available to connect to the Aranet4 and allows the user to configure the device, view the history of data, set sound alarms and adjust the sensor reading frequency.

Getting started

The setup of the device is quite straightforward. The only question we had when starting up the device was whether or not we should proceed to a (re)calibration of the CO2 sensor. After checking this point (a complete documentation and video tutorials are available), it appears that the device comes pre-calibrated and if a first test in open air shows a CO2 level close to 420ppm (particles per million), you are good to go with no re-calibration required.

As a second step we installed the app and could easily pair it with the device. The app is user-friendly and it enables quick device configuration and (firmware) update, as well as it displays the history of the parameters sensed (CO2, temperature, humidity and pressure).

The Aranet4 in details

Sold 149 Euros (excluding shipping costs) on the dedicated Aranet4 web site or on Amazon, the Aranet4 gives you a clear view of the CO2 level in your environment, in addition to measuring temperature, humidity and pressure. Although knowing CO2 level in your environment is clearly a plus, one could argue that the CO2 concentration is not enough to evaluate the air quality. Other air pollutants like Nitrous Oxides (NOx), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) or Particulate Matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10) are generally measured when evaluating air quality. SAF Tehnika, the manufacturer of the Aranet4 has chosen to focus on CO2, considering that it is the only air pollutant constantly produced by a human being.

SAF Tehnika explains :

• Humans exhales CO2, so no matter how pure the air is in a room, a human presence will always alter the quality of the air in a closed environment.
• According to many studies³, a high CO2 concentration affects our mental abilities and is likely to poison us.
• CO2 is one of the main drivers of climate change. As the economic activity and the road traffic experience dramatic reduction on a global scale due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, air quality levels in the world’s major cities are significantly improving in March and April 2020. This improvement is largely due to the reductions of air pollutants emissions like carbon dioxide (CO2) as well as nitrogen oxides (NOx) – and related ozone (O3) formation – and of particulate matter (PM) from factories and road traffic.

Anyway, whatever air pollutant makes sense for you, one obvious benefit of a device like the Aranet4 is that it raises awareness on air quality issues and definitely helps adopt good habits for your indoor environment (like opening your windows as often as possible to renew the air!).

Conclusion

The Aranet4 is a compact and portable smart environment sensing device which is easy to move and to take to any place. If you are not looking for a sophisticated air quality monitoring station, the Aranet4 will help you keep an eye on the air you breathe, wherever you are. It will also most likely help you change your daily habits and pay attention to renewing your indoor air several times a day. This alone is clearly a benefit of adopting this easy and fun to use, low power air sensing device, sold at an affordable price.

Plus:

• Compact, easy to move and to use
• Precise CO2 level measurement and display
• Color-based CO2 concentration “criticality” indicator
• Smartphone app to view historical data and set alarms

Minus:

• Not all air pollutants are measured by the Aranet4

¹ Aranet4 is manufactured by SAF Tehnika JSC in Riga, Latvia. Aranet is a brand of SAF Tehnika JSC offering wireless sensor solutions for industries such as agronomy and horticulture, building management, food processing, supermarkets and more.
² Read more: Why Air Quality Should be Your Top Priority During Coronavirus Outbreak
³ For example:

• Harvard University demonstrated that a heightened CO2 concentration reduces the brain’s cognitive abilities by 50%. These are the core abilities your brain uses to think, read, learn, remember, reason, and pay attention: https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/27662232/4892924.pdf?sequence=1
• Article in the New York Times: “Is Conference Room Air Making You Dumber?”: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/health/conference-room-air.html

The post Aranet4, a portable CO2 monitor for your home environment (review) appeared first on IoT Business News.

]]> https://iotbusinessnews.com/2020/03/11/58054-how-the-iot-can-help-secure-and-automate-your-home-and-work-life/ Wed, 11 Mar 2020 12:09:37 +0000 https://iotbusinessnews.com/?p=31322

The Internet of Things provides you with so many opportunities to add security and protection to your life. You can automate, secure and protect your life in such a way that you can sleep with peace of mind on the other side of the planet to your home or business. Smart technology allows you to ...

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The Internet of Things provides you with so many opportunities to add security and protection to your life. You can automate, secure and protect your life in such a way that you can sleep with peace of mind on the other side of the planet to your home or business. Smart technology allows you to connect almost everything in your home or business in such a way that you require only a single device to manage all of your data.

So what are some of the ways the IoT can help?

Adding security to your home

More and more products flood the market every day that are designed to be the next big thing in home security. Most never seem to take off and become the last big gimmick. However, they all serve a vital part in the act of securing your home. The IoT allows you to build a brilliant home security package that provides you with peace of mind wherever you are in the world. From high-tech security cameras to motion sensing, camera doorbells there is a wide variety of products you can place on your network to provide security all year round.

Protect your physical address and location

Your home should be providing you with security and comfort and that information shouldn’t be accessible to just anyone. Using the internet can anonymise your data incredibly well, however, you can go one step further by using internet services to provide a completely new and different address to your physical one. Services exist to provide you with a digital address that is completely different from your physical address. This provides you with added security so that you can receive mail away from your home address and access it online instead. Do your research and confirm the trust level of the provider you decide to work with before confirming a digital address.

Automation of your life

So many services and products on the market now allow you to automate almost everything in your life. From when your smart home heats up the morning to your finances paying all your bills exactly when they need to be paid. Automation, in the right places, frees up a great deal of your time and energies to focus on the things that are most important in your life. By removing the time spent on smaller tasks you can focus on the large jobs that you can’t automate such as precious family time, big DIY jobs, and our fulfilling hobbies. Of course, not everything can be automated but by using the IoT you can start to make small adjustments to certain tasks and ensure we are always getting the best out of them.

Connect your business to your home

While not everyone wants to bring the office home, some people have no choice or just like to work form the comfort of their own home. The IoT allows you to connect your home to your office equipment in a way never seen before allowing seamless transitioning between your home laptop and work computer. You can connect to multiple computers, printers and other devices, allowing you to continue running a successful business from across the world. Try not to take it too far though, as you should always be able to disconnect between your work and home life and not let the former take over the latter.

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]]> https://iotbusinessnews.com/2020/01/27/64877-semtech-releases-new-lora-smart-home-device-for-iot-applications/ Mon, 27 Jan 2020 16:10:12 +0000 https://iotbusinessnews.com/?p=28818

The radio frequency transceiver IC provides broad coverage, low power and low cost for applications in proximity of homes and buildings. Semtech Corporation announced the launch of LoRa® Smart Home, a device designed for LPWAN based smart home, community and consumer applications. The transceiver provides low power, broad coverage for indoor and neighborhood area IoT ...

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The radio frequency transceiver IC provides broad coverage, low power and low cost for applications in proximity of homes and buildings.

Semtech Corporation announced the launch of LoRa® Smart Home, a device designed for LPWAN based smart home, community and consumer applications.

The transceiver provides low power, broad coverage for indoor and neighborhood area IoT devices connecting to sensors and actuators for safety, environmental and convenience use cases.

“With its simple and flexible network architecture, Semtech’s new LoRa® Smart Home device offers a unique opportunity to accelerate the consumer adoption of smart home connected solutions. As an end-to-end solution, or as a complement to Wi-Fi, LoRa Smart Home broadens smart home solutions by enabling connectivity for low cost and battery powered end points both indoors and outdoors,” said Pedro Pachuca, Director of IoT Wireless in Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group.

“The new LoRa Smart Home device provides a flexible and cost effective solution for low latency smart home applications, including smart key locks and lighting, enabling low cost network extension and providing a bridge to the many LoRaWAN®-based B2B and B2C solutions available in the IoT market today.”

The new transceiver is intended for battery-powered sensors with multi-year operation. It features 600nA of sleep current and 4.6 mA of active receive current consumption. With support for LoRa modulation for low power LAN use cases and (G)FSK modulation for legacy use cases, this device is compatible with existing LoRaWAN-based networks and supports proprietary protocols. Continuous frequency coverage from 150 MHz to 960 MHz allows the support of all major sub-GHz ISM bands around the world.

Key Product Features of LoRa Smart Home (LLCC68)

• High sensitivity to -126 dBm
• +22 dBm output power with high efficiency PA
• System works well even when the signal is 10dB below noise
• Minimal external BOM/matching
• Small size foot print, 24-pin 4×4
• Works with existing LoRaWAN-based gateways
• <5 mA RX current consumption
• 25 mA TX @ +14dBm
• Integrated DC-DC and LDO
• Supports LoRaWAN and other protocols

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]]> https://iotbusinessnews.com/2019/12/24/60140-smart-homes-market-expected-to-grow-at-a-cagr-of-25/ Tue, 24 Dec 2019 11:22:13 +0000 https://iotbusinessnews.com/?p=28613

According to new market research report by Mordor Intelligence, the market for Smart Homes is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25% during the forecast period. Globally, the increasing importance toward the need to counter security issues is anticipated to fuel up the demand growth for smart and connected homes. The smart home system ...

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According to new market research report by Mordor Intelligence, the market for Smart Homes is expected to grow at a CAGR of 25% during the forecast period.

Globally, the increasing importance toward the need to counter security issues is anticipated to fuel up the demand growth for smart and connected homes. The smart home system requires a smartphone application or web portal as a user interface, to interact with an automated system. The scope of this study includes an analysis of the devices that can be controlled by switches, timers, sensors, and remote controllers, apart from other control devices.

Smart Homes Market

Home automation and smart homes are the two ambiguous terms used in reference to a wide range of solutions for monitoring, controlling, and automating functions in a home. The smart home system requires a smartphone application or web portal as a user interface, to interact with an automated system. The scope of this study includes an analysis of the devices that can be controlled by switches, timers, sensors, and remote controllers, apart from other control devices.

• Globally, the increasing importance toward the need to counter security issues is anticipated to fuel up the demand growth for smart and connected homes over the forecast period.

• Moreover, the introduction of innovative wireless technologies, including HVAC Controller, security and access regulators and entertainment controls, is expected to foster market growth.

• Furthermore, the recent advancements in Internet of Things (IoT) that resulted in price drops of sensors and processors are expected to encourage manufacturers to promote automation in the household sector.

Scope of the Report

A smart home is a suitable home setup where appliances and devices can be automatically controlled distantly from any internet-connected place in the world using a mobile or other networked device. A smart home has its devices connected through the internet, and the customer can regulate functions such as security access to the house, temperature, lighting and home theater

Smart HVAC Systems is the among the Most Significant Contributors to the Market

Key Trends Include:

• The smart HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) systems are critical with respect to the environmental controls around the house. They comprise of smart thermites, sensors, control valves, smart actuators, air conditioning systems, and smart room heaters, among other systems. Across the globe, owing to the increasing government regulations across developed and developing countries, most of the new buildings need smarter heating and cooling systems, thus augmenting the growth of HVAC systems.

• However, modern-day customers want products without limitation of HVAC systems, but also demand integration of various solutions in the same suite. This particularly includes energy management. This trend implies that players in the market need to either implement functions that they previously considered out of their segment or at least provide the possibility to easily connect other products to the platform/ecosystem.

• The energy savings motive is mostly addressed by automated heater controls. The demand for efficient heating equipment has led to the increasing demand for automated heater controls, thereby making it one of the most significant contributors to the global HVAC equipment market. The heating equipment provides the required heating environment in a cost-effective manner.

The introduction of innovative wireless technologies, including HVAC Controller, security and access regulators and entertainment controls, is expected to foster market growth.
Furthermore, the recent advancements in Internet of Things (IoT) that resulted in price drops of sensors and processors are expected to encourage manufacturers to promote automation in the household sector.

North America Leads in the Smart Homes Market

• Smart homes are on the rise, with nearly 30 million U.S. households projected to add smart home technology in the near future. The products consumers are looking to add to their homes include connected cameras (highest demand), video doorbells (2nd highest demand), connected light bulbs, smart locks and smart speakers of late.

• Security-focused smart home products are in demand, as family safety was voted as a significant motivator for adopting smart home technology in a recent survey. However, the biggest driver for the market was, consumers adopting smart home technology like smart lighting solutions, energy management solutions to simplify their lives with greater convenience.

• In Jan 2017, Eero, a company based out of San Francisco, that offers Wi-Fi systems for smart homes and aiming to be the gateway to the entire connected future, released the Eero Beacon that plugs straight into an outlet. Along with Beacon, Eero released new routers that run twice as fast as the old ones in terms of connectivity and offering internet speeds, plus new software that lets the router control and secures all the connected devices in a smart home.

• One in six Americans now owns a smart speaker, a figure that’s up 128% from January 2017. It is estimated that 16% of Americans own a smart speaker or around 39 million people. Customers use Amazon Echo for many purposes, with one-third using it as an information provider responding to questions and over 40% as an audio speaker for listening to streaming music according to a recent survey.

Competitive Landscape

The Smart Homes market is highly competitive and consists of several major players. In terms of market share, few of the major players currently dominate the market. These major players with a prominent share in the market are focusing on expanding their customer base across foreign countries. These companies are leveraging on strategic collaborative initiatives to increase their market share and increase their profitability.

• April 2019 – Honeywell announced a first-of-its-kind technology integration with Intel that will enable new artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in its MAXPRO connected security platform. The new security platform, which will support MAXPRO Network Video Recorders (NVR) and Video Management Systems (VMS), will incorporate Intel Vision products that enable advanced analytics, deep learning and facial recognition capabilities.

• January 2018 – Honeywell added new capabilities to the Honeywell Vector Occupant App that give occupants more control over their experiences within a building, with the swipe of a screen. The most significant new feature is indoor navigation, which uses GPS-like technology to help users find their way around complex buildings that are difficult to navigate without directions.

Major Players
1. ABB Ltd. 2. Schneider Electric SE 3. Honeywell International Inc. 4. Emerson Electric Co. 5. Siemens AG

More info: Smart Homes Market – Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2019-2024)

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]]> https://iotbusinessnews.com/2019/12/18/75141-amazon-apple-google-the-zigbee-alliance-and-board-members-form-industry-working-group-to-develop-a-new-standard-for-smart-home/ Wed, 18 Dec 2019 15:32:31 +0000 https://iotbusinessnews.com/?p=28552

Project Connected Home over IP Intends to Simplify Development for Device Manufacturers and Increase Compatibility for Consumers. Amazon, Apple, Google, and the Zigbee Alliance, today announced a new working group that plans to develop and promote the adoption of a new, royalty-free connectivity standard to increase compatibility among smart home products, with security as a ...

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Project Connected Home over IP Intends to Simplify Development for Device Manufacturers and Increase Compatibility for Consumers.

Amazon, Apple, Google, and the Zigbee Alliance, today announced a new working group that plans to develop and promote the adoption of a new, royalty-free connectivity standard to increase compatibility among smart home products, with security as a fundamental design tenet.

Zigbee Alliance board member companies such as IKEA, Legrand, NXP Semiconductors, Resideo, Samsung SmartThings, Schneider Electric, Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), Silicon Labs, Somfy, and Wulian are also on board to join the working group and contribute to the project.

The goal of the Connected Home over IP project is to simplify development for manufacturers and increase compatibility for consumers. The project is built around a shared belief that smart home devices should be secure, reliable, and seamless to use. By building upon Internet Protocol (IP), the project aims to enable communication across smart home devices, mobile apps, and cloud services and to define a specific set of IP-based networking technologies for device certification.

The industry working group will take an open-source approach for the development and implementation of a new, unified connectivity protocol. The project intends to use contributions from market-tested smart home technologies from Amazon, Apple, Google, Zigbee Alliance, and others. The decision to leverage these technologies is expected to accelerate the development of the protocol and deliver benefits to manufacturers and consumers faster.

The project aims to make it easier for device manufacturers to build devices that are compatible with smart home and voice services such as Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Google’s Assistant, and others. The planned protocol will complement existing technologies, and working group members encourage device manufacturers to continue innovating using technologies available today.

Project Connected Home over IP welcomes device manufacturers, silicon providers, and other developers from across the smart home industry to participate in and contribute to the standard.

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]]> https://iotbusinessnews.com/2019/11/04/64041-the-number-of-smart-homes-in-europe-and-north-america-reached-64-million-in-2018/ Mon, 04 Nov 2019 10:14:02 +0000 https://iotbusinessnews.com/?p=28145

According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the number smart homes in Europe and North America reached 64 million in 2018. The most advanced smart home market is North America, having an installed base of 33.8 million smart homes at the end of the year. This represents a penetration ...

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According to a new research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the number smart homes in Europe and North America reached 64 million in 2018.

The most advanced smart home market is North America, having an installed base of 33.8 million smart homes at the end of the year. This represents a penetration of 24 percent. Between 2017 and 2018, the market grew by 38.6 percent year-on-year. The strong market growth is expected to continue in the next five years. By 2023, Berg Insight estimates that more than 60.3 million homes in North America will be smart, meaning 41 percent of all homes in the region.

The European market is still behind the North American, in terms of market penetration. There were a total of 30.5 million smart homes in Europe at the end of 2018. The installed base in the region is forecasted to grow to 83.2 million homes at the end of 2023, representing a market penetration of 35 percent.

The most popular products on the smart home market include smart thermostats, smart light bulbs, smart security cameras, smart air conditioners, smart door locks, smart plugs and smart speakers.

The market for smart thermostats is led by companies such as Ecobee, Nest and Resideo. Berg Insight estimates that the installed base of smart thermostats amounted to 18.9 million units in North America and 6.6 million units in Europe at the end of 2018. Signify is the clear market leader in the market for smart light bulbs and other connected lighting products. Additional vendors in the segment include Ledvance, LIFX, Sengled, Merkury Innovations and IKEA. The installed base of connected light points at the end of 2018 amounted to 25.2 million units in North America and 22.4 million units in Europe. Smart speakers with integrated voice assistants have quickly become a popular smart home product. Amazon and Google hold a near-duopoly in the smart speaker market with an estimated combined market share of around 90 percent in North America and Europe. At the end of 2018, the installed base of voice-controlled smart speakers amounted to around 100 million units in North America and over 21 million units in Europe.

The market for whole-home systems is served by traditional home automation specialists, home security providers, telecom operators and DIY solution providers.

Martin Backman, IoT Analyst, Berg Insight, said:

“On the North American market, interactive home security systems have emerged as the most common type of smart home systems.”

This type of systems represented 41 percent of the 13.3 million whole-home systems in the region at the end of 2018. The largest home security providers include ADT, Vivint and Comcast.

“In Europe, traditional home automation systems and DIY solutions are more common as whole-home systems”, continued Mr. Backman. eQ-3, Deutsche Telekom, Verisure, Centrica Hive and Somfy are the largest vendors of whole-home systems in the region. The installed base of whole-home systems in Europe amounted to 6.8 million systems at the end of 2018.

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More Than 880 Million Devices to be Sold in 2019. Strategy Analytics projects consumer spending on smart home related hardware, services and installation fees will reach $103 billion in 2019 and grow at a 11% CAGR to $157 billion by 2023. The report, 2019 Global Smart Home Market, predicts that spending on devices will account ...

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More Than 880 Million Devices to be Sold in 2019.

Strategy Analytics projects consumer spending on smart home related hardware, services and installation fees will reach $103 billion in 2019 and grow at a 11% CAGR to $157 billion by 2023.

The report, 2019 Global Smart Home Market, predicts that spending on devices will account for 54% of the total or $55 billion in 2019 and grow at a 10% CAGR to $81 billion by 2023.

Interactive security is a market driver in the US led by ADT, Comcast and Vivint. In Western Europe Centrica Connected Homes, Deutsche Telekom and Verisure are driving the market with remote self-monitoring, energy management and interactive security offerings. In Asia, Korea Telecom and LG U+ are among the companies that have amassed millions of smart home subscribers in Korea; Xiaomi and China Telecom are the most active in China and Panasonic and ITSCOM in Japan.

At the end of 2018 there were more than 200 million homes globally with at least one smart home device1; by 2023 there will be an additional 100 million smart homes as the market reaches 30% of all broadband households globally. By the end of 2023 there will be more than 6.4 billion smart home devices in use or an average of 21 per smart home.

Jack Narcotta, Senior Industry Analyst, Smart Home Strategies said:
“Unit sales of smart home devices are growing at more than 20% per year between 2018 and 2023. The electrical devices category is the volume leader over the forecast period followed by smart bulbs. Electrical devices as a whole will also generate the most revenue over the forecast period followed by surveillance cameras.”

Bill Ablondi, Director, Smart Home Strategies, added:

“Adoption of smart home solutions is continuing to grow driven by increased awareness of the capabilities and benefits of the solutions. Prices for both services, e.g. monitored security and devices have declined making smart home products and services more affordable for a wider range of consumers.”

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