DevCom ZigBee Module

A completely new world of opportunities has opened up in the field of wireless communication. For many years, the number of cables between different electrical installations just kept on growing. Aside from being unsightly and a general nuisance, the cables also constitute a considerable expense in terms of stock and labour costs. With Develco's DevCom ZigBee Module, it is now possible to make wireless technology an integral part of existing products both quickly and easily. As the name indicates, the module is based on the open worldwide standard, ZigBee, giving it immense potential.

As a part of the DevCom Module, Develco can also supply a development platform. In this way, you can develop software directly on the module to be incorporated into an existing product. The platform is supported by Freescale's ZigBee development environment.

In the field of industrial networks and communication between unintelligent units at home, we have until now lacked a standard able to match all our actual needs. There is a multitude of proprietary products on the market that match most of our needs. But these products all share the same problem – they are not open standards. And consequently they do not benefit from the free competition, multiple sources and all the other advantages that a standard like ZigBee benefits from.

Briefly described, ZigBee is a simple but reliable wireless technology which is both cheap and has low power consumption. These facts make it well-suited for wireless control and metering of electrical equipment in housing units. The standard is specially designed with the aim of fulfilling the increasing need for inexpensive low-power network solutions for wireless sensors. The sensors are applicable e.g. for remote monitoring and control of technical installations in private homes as well as building automation. ZigBee-based networks will make it easier for e.g. construction companies and electricians to alter and extend technical installations such as heating, lighting and security systems and to establish a central wireless monitoring control of technical installations.

Develco was the first company in the world who brought ZigBee products onto the market – an electronic electricity meter which has managed to set a new agenda for the dialogue between customers and power supply companies. AMR (Automatic Meter Reading) is one of the hottest modern-day buzzwords, and this is where the ZigBee-based products prove their worth in earnest – precisely due to the fact that the standard is open and therefore, within a reasonable time frame, will enable communication between all of the electrical appliances in the home.

The industry confederation ZigBee Alliance is in charge of the ZigBee specification. The alliance consists of more than 300 companies, among them veterans in the field of building automation such as Phillips, Siemens and Honeywell. Also Danish companies are among the front-runners, e.g. Grundfos, Danfoss and Develco – all fully signed-up members of the ZigBee Alliance and therefore able to stamp their mark on this wireless standard which is now really gathering pace.