Michael Kanellos
Misfit Networking Standard Finds New Home in Greentech June 18, 2008 at 9:00 AM
Zigbee. In the wireless communications world, it’s been the choo-choo with square wheels. The networking protocol based around the 802.15.4 standard is one of the most energy-efficient in the world, requiring only a few milliamps. The problem is that it only transmits small amounts of data. The original designers thought it might become a standard for wireless keyboards and mice, but the industry yawned.
High energy bills, however, are bringing the standard out of the deep freeze. Utilities and appliance makers are kicking off projects to wire up dryers, refrigerators, heating and cooling systems and other household appliances with Zigbee nodules. When energy prices are high, a home’s smart electrical meter, via Zigbee, sends a signal to the dryer to stop pumping out heat. When power prices go back down, the dryer gets the go-ahead signal. (Speaking of which, wiring homes like this also brings back the oft-derided Internet-enabled fridge, so that’s two resurrected trends in one.)
Southern California Edison and Centerpoint are kicking off trials equipping homes with Zigbee nodules and smart meters. Some of the names that will be touting this trend include Freescale Semiconductor (formerly Motorola Semi) and smart meter specialist Trilliant. (I’m down in Orlando speaking at Freescale’s Technology Forum.). Similar wireless protocols, based around the same basic low-power 802.15.4 standard, are in trials for regulating power in industrial settings.
“It is getting a lot of traction,” said Henri Richard, senior vice president and chief sales and marketing officer at Freescale.
And where else can it be used to cut energy consumption? Sony put Zigbee into a TV and TV remote last year, replacing the old infrared communication system. Typical Sony remotes need two AA batteries and the batteries last a year, according to Brett Black, operations manager for wireless connectivity at Freescale. The Zigbee remote only needs two AAA batteries and they last two years.
Black also noted that hotels can use Zigbee to reprogram plastic card hotel keys. Did you know that those cards are used to track when visitors leave and enter their rooms? That’s what Black said. News to me.
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[...] by the way, makes Zigbee-enabled devices such as thermostats that allow the resident or the utility to control heating, lighting and other [...]
[...] The company’s equipment is tuned to work with the most popular standard protocols, such as Zigbee. (Tuck actually worked on the low-power wireless standard.). The company also allow customers to [...]
[...] The Redwood City-based company (which should not be confused with the Linux specialist Trillian) has raised $40 million from Mission Point Capital Partners and zouk (no cap) ventures to help it expand into the smart metering market. Trilliant has already installed about 750,000 meters and participated in the large Hydro One deployment in Canada. It also has a relationship with Advanced Innovations to bring smart grid technology worldwide. (We spoke to the company earlier this year at the Freescale Technology Forum.). [...]
Michael - “ZigBee is the choo-choo with square wheels”?!? You succeeded in getting my attention with that, but for the record, the 802.15.4 standard that became the basis for ZigBee started out as “Home RF Lite”. It was envisioned for low-power, low-cost home automation applications long before people with less imagination thought it would be good for wireless keyboards.
And while it’s great that you mention Trilliant, my understanding is that Trilliant is using chips from Ember Corporation (www.ember.com) in their meters, not from Freescale. It’s good to recognize the upstarts once in a while.
Disclaimer: I was previously Chair of the IEEE 802.15.4B standards body, and I am a shareholder in Ember Corporation.
- Rob Poor
I ran into them at Freescale’s conference. Didn’t say what was under the hood.
Zigbee,though, suffers from the same problems as Bluetooth. It’s great, but what do you do with it. Bluetooth never lived up to its potential. Until wireless headsets came in, it was the world’s most pervasive unused network standards. Almost none of the modules on notebooks are used.
same with zigbee. until energy management came in, people didn’t know what to do with it. security systems? home automation? It wasn’t exactly driving demand.
It has a chance to live with demand response, but it will be challenged there too.