ZigBee keeps wireless network buzzing

NEWS

A group of leading technology companies will meet this week to discuss and further develop an emerging wireless networking technology with an unconventional name, ZigBee. The ZigBee Alliance, including Honeywell, Invensys, Mitsubishi, Motorola and Philips, is working on a specification that targets building automation and home automation with low-cost, low-power devices that are expected to last several years on two AA alkaline batteries. With ZigBee, homeowners could build a network that would allow them to wirelessly control everything from lighting fixtures to home security systems. "There are a mind-boggling number of uses for wireless networking, so we're focusing on the building and home environment," said Venkat Bahl, vice chairman of the alliance. "This is not meant for heavy-duty multimedia or high-quality voice (needs), there are other standards that already do that. We want to focus on simplicity." The group hopes to have a ZigBee specification ready by early 2004 so that the devices using the new standard will be available by the middle of that year, Bahl said. The market for ZigBee products is estimated to start at 410,000 units and $9m (£5.6m) in 2003 and then grow to 62 million units and $1.3bn (£810m) in 2007, according to data from Wireless Data Research Group. The new specification joins Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Ultrawideband, which are all aiming to cut the cords between devices that communicate with one another as part of a network. One of the key attractions for all of these technologies is that they are all standards, so companies and consumers will know that devices using a particular standard should be able to work together, increasing the usefulness and value of a device. Most industry watchers believe there won't be a single wireless networking standard. "We see many combinations in the future," said Philips Semiconductor chief executive Scott McGregor. "It's logical to combine them. We're supporting a number of them, and whichever ones win out, we play. The goal is to make it simple for consumers so that connected devices just work." Philips has teamed with Sony to jointly create a radio-frequency technology, called "Near Field Communication" (NFC), as well as jointly manufacture consumer devices that will use it. Philips also has significant investments in Wi-Fi. Late last year its semiconductor division purchased wireless chip designer Systemonic. ZigBee is the offspring of a wireless format that companies are no longer supporting, HomeRF. The ZigBee specification is a combination of HomeRF Lite and the 802.15.4 specification. The spec operates in the 2.4GHz radio band -- the same band as the 802.11b standard, microwaves and cordless phones -- over 16 channels. It is capable of connecting 255 devices per network. The spec supports data transmission rates of up to 250kbps at a range of up to 30 meters. ZigBee's technology is slower than 802.11b, at 11 megabits per second, and Bluetooth, at 1mbps, but it consumes significantly less power, according to Bahl.

Discover the latest developments in Wi-Fi, 3G, GPRS and other cutting-edge wireless technologies at ZDNet UK's Wireless News Section. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

ZDNet UK Live

You can now buy the Xi3 modular computer in the UK at http://www.ocdistribution.com . This can be bought with the Tand3m software, pricing and...

33 minutes ago by Gavin Goodman on CES 2012: Xi3 microSERV3R

I agree: Mike Lynch can clearly build a business and manage strategy. I suspect the exit of Mike is more likely the end of a planned handover...

4 hours ago by Phil at Cloud4 on HP cuts 27,000 staff as Autonomy chief Lynch leaves

This is unbeleivable government wastage with only one winner... Microsoft 1 - Tax payer Nil!

4 hours ago by Phil at Cloud4 on 6 million wasted licences and £1,200 PCs: welcome to government IT

So what do you do when you can't boot into windows? Why can't I just hold Shift while I power up instead of having to boot into windows and click a...

5 hours ago by Mispam on Windows 8 start-up speed forces USB boot workaround

I've also seen that Mac OS X for Intel machines is supposed to run in VirtualBox, which would also be a nice solution. I've never tried it though.

6 hours ago by apexwm on xTreme Triple Booting: Linux, Mac & Windows

What I wonder is why when companies are caught bang to rights in not providing contracted services, people bend over to smear the customers? Surely...

7 hours ago by dave heasman on Virgin throttles broadband for high-speed customers

Strange statement from HP regarding Mike Lynch and not capable of scaling a company. Autonomy was a $7bn purchase which started as a small company...

7 hours ago by pjc158 on HP cuts 27,000 staff as Autonomy chief Lynch leaves

Or - possibly, they will destroy business by ensuring people do not invest where there is no return. Another socialist idea, well beyond it's...

10 hours ago by lojolondon on Open Data Institute will act as biz incubator

Good stuff Jake, very interesting. Thanks. jw

11 hours ago by J.A. Watson on xTreme Triple Booting: Linux, Mac & Windows

"the cost of a second LCD screen is about the same as one day of an office worker's time, so this should soon be recouped in extra productivity."...

12 hours ago by openhgs on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake

I also installed the KDE version; I also will probably try out razorqt since I really haven't had a chance to before. I'm looking forward to the...

22 hours ago by Thomas Gellhaus via Facebook on Mageia 2 Released

Acquiring when reinvention/cannibalization is too challenging for a large organization can be an excellent strategy- still, so many mergers stumble...

1 day ago by francisabigail on Ariba buy parks SAP on Oracle's cloud turf

All of the feedback regarding using a touch monitor for a desktop PC is right on. Several months ago, we installed a "demo" multitouch all-in-one...

1 day ago by apexwm on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake

anyone wanting to triple boot *their* own Mac

1 day ago by 191706 on xTreme Triple Booting: Linux, Mac & Windows

Cont.. Biggest Bugbear: Win7's stop-animate-go approach to work, you develop a staggered (not in the above alchohol sense of the word) approach to...

1 day ago by SoapyTablet on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake

Ah the joys of Windows 8 Consumer Preview... If Windows 7 was 'Vista with Lipstick', whats Windows 8? Vista with Lipstick, the morning after?...

1 day ago by SoapyTablet on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake

Though the metro look is quite cool on the windows mobile platform I think that think that microsoft ARE MESSING THINGS UP because what has they...

1 day ago by daveveej on Windows 8 could speed multi-monitor uptake

I agree, we have a few touch screen monitors in work but as Windows7 and the applications we use are not touch screen friendly (the size of the...