Broadcom WICED Sense Boosts IoT Development Ecosystem

The Internt of Things (IoT) revolution is in the process of taking off in a big way with the rising popularity of wearables and home automation platforms. Different vendors have placed their bets on different radios / protocols for IoT. For example, Sigma Designs is heavily promoting Z-Wave, while Freescale and some other vendors are pushing 802.15.4 (ZigBee). Broadcom’s play in the IoT market is the WICED (Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices) platform. The strategy involves a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, with Bluetooth being the primary focus.

The WICED platform has been around for some time now. A couple of days back, Broadcom announced an update in this category by launching a new development kit, the WICED Sense. In addition to the BCM20737 Bluetooth SiP, the kit also integrates five different MEMS sensors (gyroscope, accelerometer, e-compass, barometer and humidity/temperature measurement).

The kit is already FCC certified. It has a micro-USB connector for simplified application development. Apps exist for both iOS and Android. iBeacon support is also touted. Best of all, this kit is available for around $20, enabling enthusiasts and developers to economically develop and prototype their IoT product concepts.

Along with the product announcement, Broadcom also let us in on a select list of IoT products with communication enabled by their silicon.

• Galaxy Gear2 by Samsung
  • BCM4334 Single-Chip Dual-Band Combo Device Supporting 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0+HS & FM Receiver
• Smoke + CO Alarm by Nest
  • BCM43362 WICED 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Controller
• Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat by Honeywell
  • BCM43362 WICED 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Controller
• MyQ Garage Door Controller by Chamberlain
  • BCM43362 WICED 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi Controller, BCM20702 Bluetooth Processor and BCM20732 Bluetooth SMART SoC
• LED Smart Bulb by Lifx (X2)
  • BCM43362 WICED 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Controller
• LeapPad Ultra by Leapfrog
  • BCM4319 single-chip device, with radio, MAC, baseband & integrated power amplifier (PA)
• Halo Hearing Aid by Starkey
  • BCM20732S WICED 2.4GHz Bluetooth SMART SIP Module
• Toy Car by UPRTek
  • BCM20732S WICED 2.4GHz Bluetooth SMART SIP Module 
• iGrill by iDevices
  • BCM20737 WICED 2.4GHz Bluetooth SMART SoC
• Nimbus by Quirky
  • BCM43362 WICED 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Controller
• ViSi Mobile System by Sotera Wireless
  • BCM43341 Quad Combo Dual-Band (2.4 GHz/5 GHz) 802.11 g/n MAC/Baseband/Radio with Integrated Bluetooth 4.0, NFC & FM Receiver
• Wi-Fi Weight Scale by Blip
  • BCM43362 WICED 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Controller

The above list includes some of the hottest IoT products in the market right now. Z-Wave and ZigBee have been around for a long time. But, it is Wi-Fi which is helping IoT products reach out to a larger market. Bluetooth support enables a different kind of IoT use-case where the device is better off communicating with a smartphone or similar mobile device directly. Broadcom seems well set to target this market with a comprehensive solution set for all kinds of IoT developers (from the enthusiast in his garage to companies delivering high-volume products).

Thread Group Moots New IP Wireless Networking Protocol for IoT

The increasing popularity of home automation (HA) equipment as well as the upcoming wearable market opportunities have fueled the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution. In the home automation front, we have had a number of protocols / technologies vying to be the communication enabler. From a wireless perspective, Z-Wave has enjoyed lot of success amongst service providers, while ZigBee has had its share of vocal backers in the DIY market. However, it can be said without doubt that most of the high-volume HA devices (read, economical ones) have relied solely on Wi-Fi. That said, the importance of mesh-networking in the HA market can’t be overstated. Even popular products like the Nest thermostat and the Philips Hue bulbs integrate ZigBee support (though Nest doesn’t currently enable it).

IEEE 802.15.4 is a standard for low bandwidth personal area networks. It defines the PHY and MAC layers, leaving the upper layers open for development. ZigBee is one such specification with a custom upper layer. 6LoWPAN (IPv6 over Low Power Wireless Personal Area Networks) is yet another specification which defines the upper layers in such a way as to allow IPv6 packet transmission over 802.15.4 networks (creating a wireless embedded Internet).

The recent security vulnerabilities found in the LIFX connected light bulbs (which use the 6LoWPAN mesh network) stress the importance of having a secure IPv6 communication mechanism for connected devices that use the 802.15.4 standard. In order to improve compatibility while also ensuring that the wheel is not reinvented, some companies have come together to form the Thread Group and develop a new networking protocol to sit on top of the 802.15.4 PHY and MAC layers.

It must be stressed that Thread is not an application protocol or connectivity platform for different networks, but a new networking protocol. The advantage is that it is based on 802.15.4 – this means that existing devices which use ZigBee / 6LoWPAN etc. can easily migrate to Thread with the existing radios with just a firmware update. No new hardware is needed. The Nest thermostats are currently shipping with a version of Thread running on them.

The Thread Group claims that their new approach provides advantages (both technical and certification-wise) over all the other approaches / certification programs currently in the market (including ZigBee PRO / Z-Wave / AllSeen / AllJoyn / Open Interconnect Consortium etc.). There is no denying the fact that a more secure protocol for mesh networks is the need of the hour. It is definitely an advantage that it can work on existing 802.15.4 hardware. That said, in our opinion, 802.11ah (which is being pushed heavily by all current Wi-Fi silicon vendors) will be a force to reckon with. Whether it will form a backhaul network for 802.15.4, or completely obviate the need for it in home automation applications remains to be seen.

The Thread Group is backed by ARM, Big Ass Fans, Freescale Semiconductor, Nest Labs, Inc., Samsung, Silicon Labs and Yale Security. It is a not-for-profit group primarily aimed at educating developers and consumers through a product certification program for its mesh network technology. New members (in addition to the seven founding ones) will start to get accepted in Q3 2014 and the first set of specifications are expected to release later this year.

Ubiquiti Networks Launches mFi In-Wall Manageable Devices

With the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution underway, consumers want the ability to control devices in an automated and easy manner. The home automation market has also received a fillip recently, thanks to efforts from some high-profile vendors. Ubiquiti Networks is tackling the IoT market from the enterprise / SMB side. Due to the nature of that market segment, Ubiquiti’s building automation product line (mFi) is loaded with features, and is quite flexible too. We had reviewed the mFi mPower and found it to actually present great value for the money despite being targeted towards business users.

Today, Ubiquiti is launching a couple of additions to the mFi family. The mFi-MPW is similar to the mFi mPower in terms of providing electrical outlets with remote switching (over Wi-Fi) and energy monitoring capabilities. The only difference is its in-wall design which allows users to replace the existing wall outlets while gaining automation aspects. The industrial design allows for blending of the device into the current setting (no odd protruding contraptions out of the wall / loose power strip hanging off the outlet). The mFi-MPW comes in black, with a white colored option (mFi-MPW-W) also in the mix.

The second device provides new functionality by acting as a switch / dimmer.  Unlike traditional switches, the mFi-LD and mFi-LD-W come with touch panels. Toggling the lights is achieved by tapping while dimming control is provided by sliding the fingers on it (similar to a mouse pad). Obviously, the device can be controlled via Wi-Fi and energy monitoring is available. More details about the switch / dimmer can be found here.

While basic control and monitoring can be achieved via the web-interface, the usage of the mFi Controller Software allows for setting up scenes and other home automation aspects. SSH access is available (similar to what power users have enjoyed with the other mFi devices), opening up a host of possibilites for developers of home automation integration systems. In terms of hardware installation, many home users might prefer the services of a licensed electrician for installation (but, this is quite similar to what one had to do for the Belkin WeMo Light Switch, a play aimed purely at the residential market). The other issue is that all the Wi-Fi circuitry takes up some space, and the outlet is actually 1.6″ deep (which might be too big for some gang boxes).

Retail availability is still a bit of a hit-and-miss, as Ubiquiti tends to operate through a distributor network. However, on the basis of my previous experience, I believe we should be able to grab these on Amazon pretty soon.