a&s SMAHOME #09 JUL.-AUG. 2015 by Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd. Taiwan Branch

Editor’s NotE

SizzliNg SeASON, SizzliNg iNdUSTry April to June is the peak season for Asian manufacturers in many industries; smart home is one of them. Quite a few professional makers announced new launches during these three months. However, it’s not just professional manufacturers — we are also seeing newbies entering this industry and shaking it up, especially those from the IT industry, such as ASUS, Acer, MSI and so on.

SMAHOMe 100 Premium Smart Home Manufacturers

Check out our dedicated site for sourcing professionals searching the premium original manufacturers of smart home. Find out their specialization field, background, protocols applied, strength, products and so on.

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This issue we present a special feature on Asia manufacturers. We observed that Asian players, who are used to taking OEM/ODM orders, are taking a more proactive role than ever. In this early stage of smart home, rather than waiting for market growth, an array of Asian makers are starting to build their own names (brands) and actively promote smart home in the global market. In fact, these days you may have seen many Asian faces on international crowdfunding platforms. Building up brand names is not the only approach. In this issue’s FEATURE, we look at the improvements Asian manufacturers are making in order to empower themselves to be more competitive and keep pace with the international smart home industry. Gateways have been described as the brain of the smart home. With more and more makers devoting themselves to the development of smart home gateways, debates about architecture, interoperability and cyber security are taking place. In the REPORT section, we look inside the “brain,” to see what the solutions are available from silicon vendors. Here in Taiwan, we are having a sizzling summer now. At the peak of air conditioning usage, it could be good timing to explore home energy management issues. In the EXPLORATION section, we report that energy efficiency cannot be accomplished by a single gadget, but takes a whole home energy management (HEM) system which requires the seamless integration between hardware and software. And with the different circumstances, how the utility and other major HEM providers deploy their marketing tactics to help users more efficiently using energy and increase their business profits in smart home can be found in the report. Enjoy!

Until our next issue,

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Veronica Chen Editor in chief veronica.chen@newera.messefrankfurt.com 2 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

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Security, Monitoring, and Automation Solutions for Homes

issue 09 JuLY 2015

Messe FrankFurt new era Business Media

Taiwan Branch: 2F, No. 8, Lane 360, Sec. 1, Nei-Hu Rd., Taipei 114, Taiwan Phone/886 2 2659 9080 Fax/886 2 2659 9069 Website/www.mysmahome.com a&S SMAhome magazine is published bi-monthly, 6 times a year on every odd month, by Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Taiwan Branch. It is a professional trade magazine for smart home professionals in the worldwide smart home industry since 2014. a&s SMAhome magazine and mySMAhome. com are the authoritative sourcing guides to provide comprehensive coverage of significant trends, latest technologies, innovations and successful business models on the smart home industry.

issn 2311-9705 中華郵政台北雜字第 2050 號執照登記為雜誌交寄 Senior Consultant Parson Lee Consultant Joseph Lee

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EDITORIAL

Editor in Chief Veronica Chen veronica.chen@newera.messefrankfurt.com Senior Reporter weili Lin weili.lin@newera.messefrankfurt.com Senior Reporter Melody Lin melody.lin@newera.messefrankfurt.com Senior Editor evelyn Yang evelyn.yang@newera.messefrankfurt.com Editor Cindy Lin cindy.lin@newera.messefrankfurt.com Online Editor Michelle Chu michelle.chu@newera.messefrankfurt.com Technical Consultant alf Chang alf.chang@newera.messefrankfurt.com

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Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd., a company formed by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. and former A&S Group in 2009, is an integrated media service provider in the security industry. Our service covers magazines, Web sites, events and trade shows. The portfolio of a&s magazines includes a&s SMAhome, a&s International, a&s Asia (above published in English), a&s China,a&s Installer, a&s Solution, and a&s Taiwan (above published in Chinese). a&s Turkiye, a&s Adria, a&s Italy, a&s India, a&s Japan and a&s Vietnam are licensed editions. Advertisers are responsible for their own advertisement content. The publisher is not liable for any legal, image, patent or trademark disputes from advertisements or among advertisers. Legal consultant: Julia S.H. Yu, Attorney at Law, First Law & IP Offices For changes of address or subscription problems, contact us at mfne-circulation@newera.messefrankfurt.com

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4 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

CONTENTS Issue: 9

July/August 2015

Editor's NotE welcome to a&s smahome

Focus smart plug Keeps HOme energy usage in cHecK

mysmahome.com

COvER STORy

talk BrOaDcOm sees HOmeplug in grOwtH mOmentum

cap-tecH senses OppOrtunity amiDst marKet cHaOs

cap-tecH, a taiwanbased firm dedicated to providing new solutions for smart home suppliers, reaches an important milestone in 2015 with its professionally equipped technology and worldwide patents.

EXPLORATION

OppOrtunities rise as DemanD fOr HOme energy management grOws

PrEviEw integrate expO 2015 preview

As energy-saving strategies receive more attention, balancing between comfort and energy consumption has become a challenge. However, we expect to see new opportunities that will shape both the utility and the smart home markets.

Hem suppliers

10 HOme energy management prODucts nOt tO miss

form to get 3 cost now! FREE COPY Fillissuesin theat zero

6 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

VIewPOINT

RepoRt

keY components of smart Home gatewaY

InteroperaBILItY & cYBersecurItY

assmann takes a BroaD vIew of asIa from europe

asus DeButs smart Home serIes, usIng ZIgBee

fuLL enterprIse fuLfILLs smart Home DemanDs wItH one-stop sHoppIng

HaIer u+ smart Home vIsIon Integrates now anD future

sIgma DesIgns BrIngs Z-wave to Iot wItH new DeveLopment kIts

gemtek offers Ip cameras anD cLouD gatewaYs for smart Home anD cItY

PRODUCT Home camera

FeatuRe

energY management

5 Improvements smart Home manufacturers In taIwan are workIng on

gatewaY & HuB

software

HeaLtHcare

Door reLateD

IntegrateD sYstem & kIt

sensor

otHer

News wHat HappeneD

Smart home news highlights from May to July 2015

shOw CaleNDaR 2015 worLDwIDe exHIBItIons anD events reLateD to smart Home

sTaTs & FIGURe CoMprehenSive reSearCh and StatiStiC ChartS on the SMart hoMe MarketS, appliCationS and induStrial outlook

22 asIan makers' new proDucts 8 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

cover story

Vicky Wu

overseas business director, CAP-TECH

There is still a long way to go for making the products that truly meet usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; demands.

12 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

CAP-TECH Founded in 2012, CAP-TECH International Co., Ltd. is a Taiwanbased firm dedicated to providing new solutions with its fundamental experience in embedded system development. Having undergone the period of smart home software and hardware developments since 2010, 2015 is the year CAP-TECH earmarks its milestone with its professionally equipped technology and worldwide patents.

senses

OPPOrTuniTy Amidst mArket ChAos By Evelyn Yang

In an ideal smart home setup, convenience with minimum communication barrier between devices should be the norm, Wu observed, adding that more and more smart home products are being launched – some provide features in creative devices while others focus on adding their specific protocol platforms to build up a particular system. As a result, users find it difficult to manage various gateways, devices and apps at a single home. “The smart home system is a combination of multiple protocols. It is impossible for a system to control home appliances, security devices and entertainment using just one technology. Combining the advantage of wired and wireless communication technologies and interoperate with various protocols can provide a perfect smart home system,” Wu said. According to Wu, every protocol has its own characters. The Wired Universal Serial Bus communication technology has been widely adopted by foreign smart home manufacturers to realize the smart controlling technology. The most outstanding character of wired communication is in its stability and reliability. However, the disadvantage is cable distribution as it is more

suitable for new buildings rather than furnished houses. Wi-Fi has high throughput and is capable of long-distance monitoring. Although ZigBee and Z-Wave feature low throughput, they are easy to connect to the network and are convenient for system expansion. They are ideal for mesh networking. Meanwhile, EnOcean provides passive level control and is most suited for lowpower consumption application or some outdoor control requirements.

OnE GATEwAy COnTrOlS THE FuTurE CAP-TECH highlights the importance of smart home gateway. “End users connect to the network through the gateway. If multiple protocols are the inevitable fact, the gateway should be the solution of compatibility between diversified smart devices,” Wu explained. “Using the HOST as the core to adopt various wireless network technologies realizes the connection with home systems. CAP-HOMEY includes 6 home systems to provide control solutions such as lighting control, home security, home appliance, entertainment, health-care, and environmental surveillance.

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 13

cover story

Professional research and development Center in Suzhou, China.

Users control devices through smartphone apps, tablets and other IoT communication terminals. The ideal smart home vision of CAP-TECH is a gateway and a self-designed app for customers to fulfill all needs and realize the convenient lifestyle. CAP-HOMEY provides the total solution not just to demonstrate CAP-TECH’s technology ability but also to correspond with user’s demand. “Since we are a customer-oriented company, we care about user satisfaction. As a platform provider, CAP-TECH is one of the few companies in Taiwan to possess intellectual properties. To help manufacturers realize the integration of different protocols through our product is what we really care about.” CAP-TECH’s patents include Intelligent Programmable and Capacitive Touch Switch with A DC Module, Power Switch with Luminous and DC Conversion Function, Network Power Control Module, Heterogeneous Network Control System, and Network Control Hub Box. Today, CAP-HOMEY supports the following wireless network protocols such as Z-Wave, ZigBee, EnOcean, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. In CAP-TECH’s 6 home system categories, devices may apply different protocols because of their characteristics. However, regardless of the types of wired/wireless network protocols, all devices can connect with each other through CAP-HOMEY. “We will try to integrate more protocols into our system depending on customer requirements,” Wu added. “For example, if customers say they need to connect wireless and wired network system such as DALI, KNX, and MODBUS together, we can support them to integrate.” CAPTECH evaluates customer requirements and tries to support their needs. In terms of multiple platform interactions,

14 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

One of CAPTECH’s corporate management mottos is to share and to work with partners who have similar business philosophy that can boost joint market share faster.

3 Strategies of CAP-TECH

when ZigBee-/EnOcean-embedded surveillance devices detect unusual situations, they will link Wi-Fi smart plug, Wi-Fi sound box and IR remote control to execute orders automatically.

SAy “No” To Cloud CAP-TECH does not work on the cloud server for its smart home. “We are talking about users’ privacy. When the data is in a cloud, it means the storage in several servers come from different brands. We cannot take the high risk of losing customer’s private data,” Wu exclaimed, however admitting that without a cloud, they had to design various remote control programs in every network environment across the globe. “We developed the NAT technology (Network Address Translation Technology,) which is able to transfer private IP address to a legal IP address. In other words, the technology enables communication within the Internet.

CooPErATioN ANd ProfiT SHAriNg One of CAP-TECH’s corporate management mottos is to share. From Wu’s perspective, no company can monopolize the market. Cooperation is one of the many positive strategies in gaining more lucrative profits. Meanwhile, working with partners who have similar business philosophy can boost joint market share f a s t e r. “ We focus on three distinguishing

cover story

CAP-HOMEy CAP-homeY includes 6 home systems and the core is the host connected with all kinds of devices. Users control devices with self-designed app through smart phones, tablets and other iot communication terminals. CAP-homeY features: 1. integrated Functions CAP-homeY is flexible for users to build up desired smart home environments and enables all devices connected with each other. it integrates various brands of smart home products to realize the connection of different brands’ terminal devices. CAP-homeY supports the following wireless network protocols such as Z-Wave, ZigBee, enocean, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. CAP-TECH's Business Model

2. Bypassing the Cloud-based Server Customer’s privacy is promised, therefore, CAP-homeY does not adopt the cloud-based server for protecting the data.

features such as product quality, service attitude and integrity of partners' products,” Wu added. CAP-TECH is looking for partners in two models. For smart device makers, cooperation can be based on the open API or control codes. Another model is that the company has the technical strength to provide both hardware and software solutions to help manufacturers shorten their development period and allow them to quickly market their smart home products in the rapidly-expanding IoT sector. “We welcome various partners to join the system because the smart home market needs professional manufacturers from different product categories,” Wu said.

3. Preferable Modes the exclusive app ensures users to set up particular modes based on customer’s desired circumstance.

CAP-TECH clearly defines its role in the three market levels: • For smart home product manufacturers CAP-TECH plays the role of an open system and provides ODM services to integrate their products on various platforms to increase popularity. “We are not the enemy of these manufacturers. Working together for mutual profits is what CAP-TECH really desires,” Wu added. • For sales distributors CAP-TECH provides a complete sales agency system, including fully educational training, service and technological backup to make sure distributors’ stable income. • For end users CAP-TECH is determined to play the role of a system integrator to create an integrated smart home system for end users. Thus, eliminating inconvenience based on experience is the guideline for CAP-TECH. CAP-TECH’s primary phase is to target Asia, Europe and Latin America from 2015 to 2017. The second phase, which begins from 2016 to 2017, will be focused on online sales platforms. In order to differentiate from other competitors, CAP-TECH highlights its strength through multiple service offerings. “We provide value-added services and a solid distribution system which enables our distributors to increase profits.”

16 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

4. Self-designed App the self-designed app features simple and easy operation interface. Users can control smart home devices through smart phones or tablets. 5. Framework each device is connected with the network easily and supports diY setup for the interaction of different devices. Also, users can manage different modes. 6. Openness CAP-homeY is open and interoperable. CAP-teCh welcomes any manufacturers to connect with the system.

Contact information Tel:+886-2-22460152 Email:servicebest@cap-tech.com.tw Website: www.cap-homey.com

Exploration

Opportunities Rise as Demand for

Home Energy Management Grows Energy issue, one of the main driving forces behind the growth of smart home market, is actually driven by energy policies, infrastructure and environmental conditions. While energy-saving strategies are getting more and more attention, how to balance between comfort and energy consumption has become a challenge. From that challenge, however, new opportunities will rise and gradually change the game rules in both the utility and smart home markets. By Melody Lin

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 17

Exploration

Exploring HOme eneRGy manaGement SyStEM

Energy matters. How to manage your energy via smarter technologies has been widely discussed. As Navigant Research predicts, global revenue attributed to HEM services/products is expected to grow from $586.9 million in 2013 to $2.4 billion in 2023, while IHS also indicates that the global market of HEM devices will grow to $4 billion by 2025. These devices are deployed mainly to improve energy efficiency and facilitate demand response (DR) programs. Improvement of energy efficiency cannot be accomplished by a single gadget but takes a whole home energy management (HEM) system where innovative applications are created upon the seamlessly integrated hardware and software. 18 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Part HaRDwaRe Generally speaking, climate control devices usually consume more energy than others and have thus become the main cause for high energy bills, so it is no wonder that saving energy and cutting cost is the reason motivating homeowners to buy HEM products/ services. In North America where central air conditioning is prevalent in homes, to control HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) via a smart thermostat is a popular option. In Europe, smart thermostats are also favored because they are used to control heating and hot water systems which cost 70% of home energy bills in average. In a forecast by Berg Insight, the number of homes with smart thermostats in Europe and North America will grow at a CAGR of 64.2% in the next five years, reaching 38.2

million in 2019. Besides, a smart thermostat can be the starting point for consumers to embrace a smart life. Some thermostat providers, such as British Gas, even plan to add more smart-home devices to their product lists. “Smart thermostats is a particularly attractive opportunity in the smart home market, as these systems are of great interest for consumers, energy companies and HVAC service providers,” commented Lars Kurkinen, senior analyst at Berg Insight. For consumers, a connected thermostat (with software behind it) capable of carrying out scheduled control over HVAC, or analyzing climate data to automatically make appropriate adjustments can increase comfort, convenience and reduce energy cost. For utilities, the gadget helps manage peak power loading; via real-time data streaming, HVAC providers can offer remote diagnosis which makes repair and maintenance more efficient. Smart plugs with metering and automation features are also popular in terms of HEM. With the embedded power meter, a smart plug can detect how much power an appliance has consumed. It caters especially to users in regions where split air conditioning is often deployed in the home, such as East Asia, where smart plugs are quite useful in controlling air conditioners. Some hardware makers, such as Powertech, has even come up with plug kits optimized for specified uses in order to get consumers acquainted with the connected home step by step. A kit for “aquarium” may include smart plugs for motor management and lighting control which can interact with certain sensors, such as temperature. “It is difficult to persuade end users to

adopt the complete smart home system. Therefore, we deliver our services by dividing the system into several parts, such as aquarium or air conditioning,” said Frankie Chen, sales director of Powertech. “At first users can purchase a smart plug kit and then piece the map together in their homes afterwards.” Furthermore, to facilitate data gathering from sensors, plugs and other devices, some manufacturers also provide gateway products. For example, Billion Electric offers its smart energy gateway to collect data, conduct data analysis, and send the results to cloud platforms for further utilizations.

ApplicAtions for HVAc MAnAgeMent Since it is the integration of hardware and software that makes HVAC management really smart, hardware makers and utilities often collaborate with software developers to create powerful applications. RheinEnergie, a German utility company, offers the RheinEnergie-SmartHome APP, which makes use of data gathered from thermostats, sensors, smart plugs and weather forecast to facilitate visualization and comparison of power consumption of appliances (via metering of smart plugs), energy saving and even “if-then relations” or “as-long-as relations” among connected devices. For instance, as long as” the window in the living room is opened, the living room radiator will be turned off; “if” temperature in the bed room is below 16 degrees Celsius “and” humidity in bed room is above 60% “then” the bed room radiator will be turned on and push message to the user. The ComfortGuard

the number of Homes with smart thermostats in north America and europe Growth Rate in 2014

2014

North America

107%

2.5 million

24.6 Nest, Honeywell, Ecobee, Emerson, Lennox, million Quirky, Trane, Venstar

Europe

96%

0.7 million

eQ-3, British Gas (Hive), Eneco (Toon), 13.6 Climote, Danfoss, Heatapp, Heat Genius, million Honeywell, Ngenic, Nest, RWE, tado°

Total Growth

105%

3.2 million

38.2 million

2019

Leading Providers

Source: Berg Insight

What is Demand Response (DR)? During peak times, utilities usually have to increase power supply to meet the demand by activating "peaking power plants,” which costs a lot of money. On the contrary, a demand response program is a way to achieve the same goal from a user’s perspective. Utilities or energy aggregators may provide users with some incentives, making them agree to reduce power consumption during peak loading.

Monitoring service provided by Emerson Electric integrates h a rd w a re re q u i re d i n t h e controlling of HVAC and uploads environmental data to the control center via Wi-Fi network. These data would be analyzed, and users can get early warning and recommendations on repairing when any problem occurs, or receive monthly reports on HVAC performance. Emerson also provides APIs of its thermostats for partners to leverage for their own applications. As for software providers, how to make use of Big Data is a major concern. According to Amena Ali, senior vice

president and general manager at WeatherBug Home, WeatherBug Home can adjust the setting of a climate control device based on real-time weather conditions (solar, wind speed and direction, and temperature), which are gathered via WeatherBug’s weather-sensor network. “We build a thermodynamic model of each house using weather data, plus smart meter and thermostat data, to understand how much energy it takes each home to attain and maintain the homeowner’s desired temperature. This makes it possible to manage, optimize and hit your set points precisely

Smart thermostat can be the starting point that leads consumers to live a smart life.

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 19

and achieve automated energy efficiency.” EcoFacor also utilizes contextual data and thermostats data in their solutions to improve energy efficiency. “Our primary data sources are thermostats, weather and users’ interactions,” said Philip Dawsey, senior marketing manager at EcoFactor. With these data, Ecofactor is able to give recommendations for the temperature settings, and learn from how user responses to see if he/she is comfortable with the changes. This helps save a lot of energy without requiring much effort from the end user. Furthermore, from intelligent data analysis, EcoFactor can detect HVAC issues before they become serious and keep the system running at peak efficiency. Moreover, electricity is not the only energy used in homes, but solutions for other energies are not widely deployed yet. “Gas and water consumption are not major cost drivers for German households, and gas and water prices are relatively stable compared with electricity prices,” explained Holger Knöpke, vice president of Connected Home at Deutsche Telekom. However, future innovative applications are possible when more and more partners enter the HEM market.

Exploration

Since the weather drives 50% of home energy bills, it is necessary to take the weather into consideration in terms of HEM.

amena ali, senior vice president and general manager of WeatherBug Home

Hem in teRms Of smaRt HOme Climate control applications demonstrate how analysis of contextual data and user patterns facilitates HEM. From the point of view of software developers, the range of HEM actually covers all devices that generate or consume energy, and exude critical data related t o e n e rg y e ff i c i e n c y. J u s t like what Carina Diviccaro,

philip Dawsey, senior marketing manager at EcoFactor

Holger Knöpke, vice president of Connected Home at Deutsche telekom

20 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

business development manager at ROCKETHOME declared, “We define energy management in terms of smart home as monitoring and optimization of the overall energy flow in people's homes.” Based on this definition, ROCKETHOME's HEM solutions support a variety of devices, such as photovoltaics, CHP, heat pumps, energy storage, electric vehicles and smart meters. Icontrol Networks, the p l a t f o r m p ro v i d e r b e h i n d several smart home systems, also confirmed that HEM is often combined with home automation solutions. “While our solutions offer consumers the ability to remotely control items such as thermostats, lights and hot water heaters, they also enable end users to ‘set and forget’ their home management system to save energy while not compromising comfort,” said Greg Roberts, vice president of marketing for Icontrol. For instance, homeowners can arm their security system to “Away”, which indicates to the system that the home is unoccupied, and automatically change air

conditioner and lights to a more eco-friendly setting. Roberts also predicted that activity data will soon play a greater role in the smart home, where all connected devices will be able to manage themselves based on predictive modeling. "Doing this requires using data from devices in the home and occupant behavior, to automate energy-consuming items to be more energy efficient,” he said. “In a connected home, energy management already enables consumers to save energy – and cut costs,” concluded Knöpke. “Nowadays, temperature, brightness and atmospheric humidity are often used for control purposes. Scenarios based on energy consumption, noise levels, soil moisture or similar factors will in future play a larger role in controlling homes. The variety of devices is constantly increasing offering customers ever-new opportunities to live more safely, more comfortably and more energy-efficiently in their homes.”

AdvertoriAl

Climax Promotes sustainable life with ComPrehensive eCofriendly ProduCts

hen energy saving becomes one of the main tractions for more users to adopt a smart and sustainable life, Climax Technology provides a wide range of engery saving products, inculding several series of ZigBee or Z-Wave-enabled switches, which can satiate the growing needs for energy efficiency, convenience and comfort. Now these products are available to professional security providers, installers, telcos, HA brand owners and energy companies. Power Meter Dimmer Switch Series The ZigBee or Z-Wave -enabled power meter dimmer switch series is designed for remote or manual control over lighting and home appliances in the home via a simple touch on any mobile device. The switch series can also be integrated into existing home automation systems to facilitate improvement of energy usage. For instance, the PSMD-29ZBS model with built-in power meter can provide accurate and detailed information on energy consumption anytime, anywhere. Energy data collected from the switch would be sent to the control panel which enables visualization of power consumption, and then

Climax Technology

users can easily measure, monitor, and conserve electricity. The PSMD-29ZBSR model can even act as a ZigBee router that supports up to 40 end devices and extends the wireless communication range of a ZigBee system. DIN Rail Power Meter Switch Series The DIN Rail Power Meter Switch Series also supports both ZigBee and Z-Wave standards. The PSM-DIN2/3-ZBS model is a power meter switch that can measure power consumption and automatically switch on/off power circuit breakers while featuring easy installation and reliable performance. Because the model is small enough to fit in standard DIN enclosures, it can be directly mounted on a DIN rail (power distribution cabinet), which makes the installation quick and effortless. Besides, to adapt to various applications, whether for home or commercial purposes, PSM-DIN2/3-ZBS is available in different configurations, aiming to help users save energy and money. Light Switch Series The ZigBee/Z-Wave Light Switch Series grants users great autonomy to customize the on/off schedules or scenarios of permanently installed lights, or to exert control over them from far away all via mobile devices, greatly enhancing convenience, comfort, safety, and energy efficiency. This series can be installed in-wall or battery-powered and features two-way (one switch and one load) or three-way (two switches and one load) control of lights. The adoption of ZigBee Pro HA 1.2 standard also makes it possible for the series to work with ZigBee products from other brands. Climax's comprehensive range of product lines convers every corner of the house. Besides the powerful swithches mentioned above, other smart products, such as shutter controls, relay controllers, UPIC controllers, thermostats and temperature sensors, are ready for clients to leverage to creat their own green-life solutions. +886-22792-0001

www.climax.com.tw

Climax Technology Co. Lt d • Based in Taiwan since 1985 • 4 regional offices: Las Vegas and San Diego (U.S.), Bordeaux (France) and Cologne (Germany)

• Product range: wireless home security systems, medical alarms, home automation systems, IP cameras, and an extensive range of RF, ZigBee and Z-Wave accessories

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 21

Exploration

main pROViDeRs oF HEM SErviCES Part Utility cOmpanies As the cost of acquiring energy from conventional sources gets higher, and the concerns surrounding nuclear power continue to grow, utilities under political and economic pressure have to find their way out of the predicament. Actions, such as increase in renewable energy usage and demand response (DR) programs, have been taken all over the world. Pilot projects of Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT) are a good example of how utilities leverage DR programs to control peak loading: via these projects, users can acquire smart thermostats and HEM services for free or at very low price, which may attract more people to join. According to David Drew, director of business development at Emerson Climate Technologies, Austin Energy has collaborated with vendors to attract consumers to enroll in a BYOT program in which they can buy smart thermostats from certified contractors or retailers and receive an $85 rebate for it. Under this mutual agreement, consumers can enjoy the convenience of HEM at a low cost, or even for free. However, when DR is required, the utility company can exert control over these gadgets to shift peak loading. Moreover, for utilities who face serious competitions, improved services are quite crucial for delivering an improved offering. "Utilities have the supply side of the energy equation, but the demand side is equally important. With improving technology, utilities are increasingly able to exert greater control over the demand side

22 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

While smart home market is divided into DIY and professional installation categories, DIY is a comparably cost-amiable way in the eyes of most end users. Professional service providers are expected to gain more advantages with the backup of powerful HEM systems in the long run. with customer friendly services like those from EcoFactor," observed Philip Dawsey, senior marketing manager at EcoFactor. Providing home energy management services like this allows utilities to learn more about their customers and better understand how various groups use energy. It also allows utilities to provide customers with advice and insight into their energy consumption, which should drive behavioral change. Holger KnĂśpke, vice president of Connected Home at Deutsche Telekom illustrated how utilities can actively engage themselves into HEM via partnering with software/platform providers. "Many utilities have joined the QIVICON smart home platform already. They include EnBW and Vattenfall - two of Germanyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big four electricity providers. We also cooperate with regional utilities like RheinEnergie and Entega. Three of these four utilities already offer their customers their own APPs and own smart home packages based on different business models." Wi th these H E M software and

hardware, now utilities are capable of playing dual roles - energy supplier and service provider. New services are coming along, such as providing visualized power consumption data for households, or giving consumers explanations why they consume more power than their neighbors based on data analysis and comparison.

HOme seRVice pROViDeRs According to Icontrol Networks, whose platform has been utilized by ADT (Pulse), Comcast (Xfinity Home) and iTSCOM (Intelligent Home), home service providers usually emphasize on home automation and security rather than energy management. But having accumulated abundant knowledge about user experience, home service providers undoubtedly have recognized the traction of cutting energy cost as well, and therefore HEM can be regarded as a valueadded feature added to their smart home packages. "Home service providers are not energy generation and grid balancing experts, but

they do have expertise marketing to end users, installing devices in the home, and providing service to end users," said Dawsey. "These home service providers' competencies are highly compatible with what utilities need when rolling out new services such as home energy management to homeowners. Partnership is certainly a model we expect to see more of when utilities roll out this type of program." Due to the integration of connected devices on a platform, HEM, such as automated control over HVAC and lighting, can be delivered along with other services, since home automation, security and energy management can be combined in a bundle in terms of smart home.

the motivations that push utility and HEM markets to evolve. Manufacturers and home service providers, such as Energy Pool and Comcast, are aiming at playing the role as energy agents. And to be a qualified aggregator, these companies have to partner with software/platform or hardware providers to develop powerful HEM solutions.

The pilot projects of Bring Your Own rEtAilErs & Diy lovErs Thermostat To end users who care about (BYOT) are a high energy bills but do not good example want to spend too much on of how utilities subscribing HEM services, singlepoint products may be a better leverage DR starting point for them. In the US, programs to most home users acquire their thermostats mainly via national or control peak local retailers, and secondly, from loading. online-only retailers, according to

EnErgy AggrEgAtors

Due to the integration of connected devices, HEM can be delivered along with home automation and security services.

Ă&#x153;

Although DR is useful in shifting peak loading, it remains a heavy burden for some utilities to deploy devices for real-time data gathering themselves, which leaves room for energy aggregators to intervene. An aggregator can negotiate with utilities on behalf of a certain number of end users in the purchase of energy. At the same time, it can persuade end users to agree to join DR programs that benefit utilities. "Aggregators can directly provide HEM services and devices to home users, helping them reduce energy consumption, while utilities can collaborate with aggregators or buy services from them," explains Jason Liao, product marketing manager of Power & Energy Management Division at Billion Electric. "When utilities need to carry out DR programs, aggregators then have to reduce the demand via their HEM applications." For now, DR has been one of

Parks Associates' research on the smart thermostat market. But as Drew pointed out, customer satisfaction would be a challenge in the DIY market. "99% of people would encounter an installation problem, for sure!" In fact, the key point for DIY products to prevail lies in the userfriendliness and cost effectiveness, but the difficulties users encounter during installation process have

hindered the growth of DIY to certain extent. About the dilemma occurring in DIY market, Dawsey also observed, "DIY programs often ramp up more slowly since there's often no centralized outreach campaign and customers don't learn about the program or don't want to expend the effort required to make the change. Asking a customer to go buy the thermostat, install it, request a rebate, etc. is not something most people really want to do." That is why many hardware providers would rather go both ways, offering their products to professional installers and retailers simultaneously. HVAC vendors or retailers can also address customer n e e d s b y g i v i n g p u rc h a s e recommendations and installation services. For example, if a user is looking for a new air conditioner, a vendor/retailer can suggest him/ her to sign a contract for HEM services with good terms. The user may agree to it and leave the trouble of installation to the vendor/retailer. For now, this kind of business model is uprising in the retail market.

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 23

Exploration

Part NorTh AmEricA While home security, automation and entertainment continue to gain market tractions in North America, the scale and revenue of HEM services/devices are expected to grow as well, as Icontrol’s 2015 State of the Smart Home Report points out, “70% of U.S. consumers are excited about the potential cost savings from energy efficiency and monitoring, and 48% say they are excited about the potential convenience in programming home settings and maintenance.” Energy policies provide another driving force that drags customers into the HEM. Although U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. has vacated the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Order 745, which calls for grid operators to pay for demand response (which is considered equal as power plants) at the full market price, several states have legislated to facilitate prevalence of smart grid and DR programs. For instance, in Illinois, Illinois Power Agency Act requires utilities to reduce peak loading by 0.1% every year for 10 years; in Maryland, the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency Act of 2008 also aims to reduce the total power usage by 15% by 2015. These policies

24 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Outlines Of Top-ThrEE HeM Markets The global HEM market is at its early stage of evolvement. The decisive factor behind market growth is major energy policies that vary from country to country, such as climatic and geographic differences, or various energy infrastructures that may also contribute to the growth. According to Transparency Market Research, North America, Europe and Asia Pacific remain the largest HEM markets in the world. The following lists the opportunities and trends within the top-three markets.

contribute to the increase of DR programs which have emerged as a new business model. The market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 4.9 % from 2014 to 2023, reaching $2.2 billion in 2023, according to GTM Research. After the strong need for DR meets the launch of Nest’s learning thermostat in 2011, DR via deployment of connected thermostats and subsequent cloud services has become popular. “In Las Vegas, we offer a free thermostat, free installation and free services through the local utility, in exchange for participation in the demand response program. Homeowners agree to turn their air conditioners down for two or three hours on very hot days,” shared Philip Dawsey, senior marketing manager at

EcoFactor. Some utilities, such as Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) and ComEd, also adopt the Behavioral Demand Response (BDR) approach, which utilize data derived from AMI, proprietary analytics, behavioral science and personalized communication, to measure and cut energy consumption.

EuropE According to Transparency Market Research, Europe is expected to be the fastest growing HEM market from 2013 to 2019, growing at a CAGR of 26.2%. Behind that growth, influence from energy policies is also decisive. DR business may not yet be flourishing in Europe, but government initiatives have

AdvertoriAl

AIT: InTellIgenT VIdeo MonITorIng experT wITh one-STop SoluTIonS

ith more and more companies entering the markets, the smart home environment is getting more complex. The home cameras nowadays require more powerful and intelligent algorithm. Alpha Imaging Technology Corp (AIT) introduces streaming combination, smart bitrate control, Intelligent Video Analysis (IVA) and secure local and cloud storage solutions to address the demands. Multi-Stream over Surveillance To ensure smooth video streaming without latency and compromise with bandwidth limitation, AIT introduces multi-stream technology and efficient streaming management of FHD video running at 1080P resolution and 60 frames per second. The technology supports up to four streams with independent bandwidth, bitrate and resolution control. One of the four streams conducts local video storage via the SD card. The other three streams connecting to the Internet for CMS/ VMS/control center, PC web browser, and portable devices respectively. Its 3D camera technology uses two camera sensors and algorithm to intelligently calculate y-axis values of pixel images and create precise recognition by facial landmarks and shadows. The technology can be applied in terrain detection for drones, facial detection for home cameras, or for car DVR use. It supports operation range within 5 meters and low light sensitivity of 0.3 lux. Smart Bitrates Control In addition, every stream is

Alpha Imaging Technology Corp. (AIT)

manageable with different combinations of resolution and bit rate control for VBR- and CBR-based quality control. Under the variable scene, it varies bandwidth levels according to available bandwidth automatically for better sound or video data encoding. CBR helps to reduce bandwidth consumption under the static scene constant bit rates by unvarying bandwidth level. AIT develops Intelligent Speed Adjustment (ISA) for QoS bitrates control by adjusting frame sizes when the Internet bandwidth is limited. Get Smarter with IVA Intelligent Video Analysis (IVA) enables smarter video monitoring experiences. The technology can be used for surveillance cameras, doorbell cameras and car DVRs. The applications for home cameras comprise people monitoring, tampering detection, object tracking, baby crying and keyword spotting. The technology features tempering detection of occlusion, lens defocus and scene changes. With special object tracking design, the cameras can precisely detect movement patterns to avoid false alarms. With AIT’s IVA technology, the cameras can know whether the moving objects are humans or animals, and moving out of the house from the door or the window through the sizes and changes of shadow areas, or through judgments of scene changes. Baby monitoring and elderly care are two popular applications. Baby crying detection is an intelligent audio analytics to accurately detect baby’s crying to give parents peace of mind. The keyword spotting can be used for the elderly care. The technology is originated from voice control for smart TVs. The camera can recognize keywords like “help” or a simple sentence, and then sends alerts to the care center. Furthermore, AIT ensures consumers to transmit files completely to the cloud securely and record in the local camera site via Wi-Fi connectivity. To connect mobile devices, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies are incorporated. The company plans to integrated 3G and 4G connectivity in the coming years. AIT’s solution also supports P2P technology for drones and home cameras. www.a-i-t.com.tw

jane_lin@a-i-t.com.tw

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 25

Exploration

provided enough incentives for HEM adoptions. EU’s goal to reduce CO2 emission by 2020 is pursued by increasing renewable energy supply which often goes hand in hand with HEM. "The German government will shut off all nuclear power plants, and aim to have 80% of renewable energy by 2050," said Dr. Thorsten Müller, CEO of Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions. To achieve this goal, utilities have to invest in renewable energy (which can be used for heating devices) and transform themselves from traditional energy suppliers to energys a v i n g s e r v i c e p ro v i d e r s . EON, German’s biggest energy distributor which serves 33 million customers across Europe, has declared that it will increase investment in wind, solar, smart

Eu’s goal to reduce Co2 emission by 2020 is pursued by increasing renewable energy supply which often goes hand in hand with HEM.

26 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

grids and customer services. The Spanish government has subsidized renewable energy sources, such as wind power and solar photovoltaic, for years. Although the subsidies had been slashed due to tariff deficit ($35 billion) and daunted the development of renewable energy sectors since two years ago, a 7.5% annual return for electricity sold by wind farms is guaranteed. As Spain's economy recovers, the Ministry of Industry of Spain is expected to call subsidy cuts a halt. While Spain has set its goal to increase the percentage of wind power supply (up to 40% by 2020), HEM services/devices would be supportive in achieving it. In 2008, the UK established Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), which has been responsible for the

reformation of electricity market and energy efficiency. It also attempts to install 53 million smart electric and gas meters in both residential and commercial sectors by the end of 2019. These changes make the UK a fertile land for HEM. For example, according to Navigant Research, more than 100,000 customers in UK have adopted British Gas’ Hive Active Heating in a little more than a year.

asia-pacific In the Asia-Pacific market, energy policies boost the HEM industry as well. What is happening in Japan shows how the government can deal with energy matters by promoting renewable energy and HEM. “Since the shutdown of all nuclear plants in Japan in 2011 after the Tohoku earthquake and

greg roberts, vice president of marketing at Icontrol Networks

Jason Liao, product marketing manager of Power & Energy Management Division at Billion Electric

Lars Kurkinen, senior analyst at Berg Insight

Mina Wang, director of Smart Network System Institute at Institute for Information Industry

Carina Diviccaro, business development manager at ROCKETHOME

Fukushima nuclear accident, citizens have suffered from power shortage, and thus smallsized electricity generators (some of which using renewable energy) and power-efficient appliances have been welcomed in households,” said Mina Wang, director of Smart Network System Institute at Institute for Information Industry. A m o n g t h e s e re n e w a b l e energies, solar power is preferred in Japan. “Many households would install solar photovoltaics on their roofs, and the installers would monitor the efficiency of solar systems via data analysis,” explained Jason Liao, product marketing manager of Power & Energy Management Division at Billion Electric. “After their systems get inside of the homes, they would then consider improving their services by adopting HEM, which opens a door to new opportunities.” These new opportunities emerge under not only force of natural disasters but also that of politics. In fact, Japan’s ECHONET Consortium has delved into energy saving by connecting home appliances for a long time. However, it was not until 2011 that ECHONET Lite was officially recognized as an open standard for HEMS providers to follow. “With this standard, the Japanese government intends to unite the power of the fragmented HEM market,” said Frankie Chen, sales director of POWERTECH. In Australia, to raise the proportion of renewable energy supply, the government offers subsidies to solar energy providers, which makes the monitoring of power consumption a necessity. Since 2001, the number of households

The supply of solar power combined with HEMS deployment has been popular in Japan after the 2011 nuclear accident.

with solar photovoltaics i n s t a l l e d h a s re a c h e d 1 . 4 million. AGL Energy, the largest utility company in Australia, has increased investment in renewable energy while providing services and tools that help improve home energy efficiency at the same time. Though most of HEM services/products are developed surrounding the savings of electricity, in some regions, other energies may catch more attention. Wang expatiates with the example of Singapore, “The Singapore government promotes water efficiency above all other energies in both residential and commercial areas, because the country is facing water scarcity and has to buy water from Malaysia.”

OppOrtunity Lies in Where energy Matters

David Drew, director of business development at Emerson Climate Technologies

Compared to the components of HEM solutions deployed in the top-three HEM markets, other differences are observed in terms of hardware preference.

The most widely deployed HEM device in North America and Europe is smart thermostat for sure. However, in Asia, smart plugs or strips are used to monitor and control high-powerconsumption devices more often. Besides, energy-efficient electronics are even more popular in Asia. To Asian consumers, they may consider buying a refrigerator or an air conditioner which features energy efficiency rather than using a smart plug when it comes to energy saving, and that is why Japanese and Korean home appliance vendors, such as Panasonic, Toshiba and Samsung, play a leading role in the development of smart home solutions. As global energy issues and politics continue to provide momentum for reformation of utility infrastructure, the future of HEM market looks promising while burgeoning HEM services/ products help renovate business models for both utility and smart home industries.

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 27

Exploration

HEM Suppliers Company

Nation

Product Brand

Website

Software Aclara

USA

Aclara

www.aclara.com

Bidgely

USA

HomeBeat

www.bidgely.com

digitalSTROM

Germany

digitalSTROM

www.digitalstrom.com

Earth Networks

USA

WeatherBug Home

weatherbughome.com

EcoFactor

USA

EcoFactor

www.ecofactor.com

Ecova

USA

Home Energy Improvement

www.ecova.com

EnergyHub

USA

EnergyHub

www.energyhub.com

EnergySavvy

USA

Optix

www.energysavvy.com

Icontrol Networks

USA

Icontrol

www.icontrol.com

In-Snergy

Taiwan

iFamily

www.insnergy.com

Landis+Gyr

USA

Gridstream

www.landisgyr.com

ONZO

www.onzo.com

Opower

USA

Opower 6

www.opower.com

QIVICON

Germany

QIVICON Home Base

www.qivicon.com

RheinEnergie

Germany

RheinEnergie-SmartHome

www.rheinenergie.com

ROCKETHOME

Germany

ROCKETHOME

www.rockethome.de

Schneider Electric

France

Wiser Management System

sdreport.schneider-electric.com

SilverSpring Networks

USA

CustomerIQ

www.silverspringnet.com

Wattvision

USA

Wattvision

www.wattvision.com

Thermostat ecobee

USA

Smart Si, ecobee3

www.ecobee.com

Bosch

Germany

Junkers

www.junkers.com

British Gas

HIVE

www.britishgas.co.uk

Climote

Ireland

Climote

www.climote.ie

Danfoss

Denmark

Danfoss

www.danfoss.com

Emerson Electric

USA

Sensi

www.emersonclimate.com

Eneco

Netherlands

Toon

www.eneco.com

eQ-3

Germany

HomeMatic, MAX!

www.eq-3.de

Heat Genius

www.heatgenius.co.uk

Honeywell

USA

Lyric

yourhome.honeywell.com

Leviton

USA

Omnistat2

www.leviton.com

Lennox

USA

iComfort Wi-Fi, ComfortSense

www.lennox.com

Nest Labs

USA

Nest

nest.com

Ngenic

Sweden

Ngenic Tune

ngenic.se

Quby

Netherlands

Quby

quby.nl

Quirky

USA

Norm

www.quirky.com

RWE

Germany

RWE SmartHome

www.rwe.com

tado째

Germany

tado째

www.tado.com

Trane

USA

Trane

www.trane.com

Venstar

USA

ColorTouch, VOYAGER

venstar.com

28 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

AdvertoriAl

Dexatek’s ∑Casa Features smart Linkages between DeviCes

ocusing on “Interconnectivity of Things” instead of mere remote control via mobile devices, Dexatek Technology distinguishes itself from competitors by presenting the ∑CASA system, which features the customization of smart-device linkages and contributes to the overall enhancement of comfort, convenience and security in the home. The Smart Link System (SLS) The ∑CASA system enables smart home management with a comprehensive series of devices and powerful software. By deploying ∑CASA in the home, users can easily leverage the Smart Link System (SLS) to customize the “IF” and “THEN” relationships between connected devices as they please. For example, as the homeowner reaches 200 meters away from home after work, the air conditioner can be automatically activated once the weather sensor detects that the temperature is higher than 29 degrees Celsius. In the meanwhile, the light can be turned on as soon as he/she comes home, all based on his/her presets. Moreover, the ∑Casa system also makes it possible for users to exert control over several gateways under

one account regardless of geographical distance. Connected devices that are located in different homes, cities or even continents can therefore work together to carry out the predefined “IF” and “THEN” interactions. Utilization of BLE Technology To facilitate wireless control, the ∑CASA System adopts Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mainly for its low power consumption feature. Since most of the ∑Casa devices are battery-powered (except ∑PowerPlug and ∑Light), with the BLE connectivity, users can easily deploy these energy-efficient devices in any corner of their houses. Also due to the utilization of BLE, the direct interactions between mobile devices and peripheral devices, such as ∑WeatherCube (Local Weather Station), ∑PowerPlug (Power Control And Monitoring), ∑Light (Lightning Control) and ∑Door (Security and Monitoring), are made available within the local network. If the remote control function is required, the ΣCentral (Gateway) can still be added to the existing smart-home network and allows users to control those end devices via Wi-Fi from outside of their houses. While Dexatek renovates the idea about smart home with its powerful ∑Casa system, the advanced Dynamic Authentication Security System (DASS) is deployed to ensure that privacy remains intact in the connected homes. ∑Casa as a Complete Ecosystem Dexatek has developed the ∑Casa system, including the hardware, firmware, ID, mechanism, cloud system/server and iOS/Android Apps, all in house. For now the whole ecosystem is available for customers to utilize to create their own truly smart life. .

Dexatek Technology Ltd.

+886 2 8698 4245 #810

www.dexatek.com

The ∑CASA System Includes: • ∑Casa Central • ∑Casa WeatherCube • ∑Casa PowerPlug

• ∑Casa Light • ∑Casa Door/Window • ∑Casa MotionSense

• ∑Casa SmokeSensor • ∑Casa ShockSense • ∑Casa InletSwitch

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 29

Exploration

Company

Nation

Product Brand

Website

Smart Plug Aeon Labs

USA

Aeotec

aeotec.com

Belkin International

USA

WeMo

www.belkin.com

Billion Electric

Taiwan

Billion

www.billion.com

DAS Technology

Taiwan

DAS

www.das.com.tw

Digi

USA

Xbee

www.digi.com

D-Link

Taiwan

mydlink

www.dlinktw.com.tw

EDIMAX Technology

Taiwan

Edimax

www.edimax.com

Grid Connect

USA

ConnectSense

www.connectsense.com

Netvox Technology

Taiwan

Netvox

www.netvox.com.tw

Powertech

Taiwan

APPSTRIGGER

www.power-tech.com.tw

SDI Technologies

USA

iHome

ihomeaudiointl.com

SmartThings

USA

SmartThings

www.smartthings.com

Sorgenia SpA

Italy

MyPresa

www.sorgenia.it

Techcity Technology

Taiwan

e2-Live

e2-live.com

Visible Energy

USA

UFO Power Center

www.visiblenergy.com

Zuli

USA

Zuli

zuli.io

30 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

AdvertoriAl

ECOA FUEGO SEnSOr DEtECtS HAzArDOUS GAS LEAkAGE At EArLy StAGE

o ensure the air quality and safety at home, many sensors are required to detect the potential threats before any damage is done. However, with ECOA's FUEGO sensor, which can monitor up to nine kinds of environmental/ air status, users are able to gather the integrated information about his/her home environment with great efficiency. Multi-functional Compared with general sensors which often provide only one or two environmental indicators, the FUEGO sensor is cable of gathering multiple data at one time from nine kinds of sources: temperature, humidity, pressure, VOC, CO, CO2, LUX, Gas and PM2.5. It helps SI and users simplify the installation process and reduce costs. Besides, the FUEGO sensor is housed within an IP50 dustproof and comes with a LCD display which enables real-time monitoring. When the PIR inside of the gadget senses any human presence, the screen would light up and display the data instantly. As for installation, this sensor can be mounted on a wall of any room where air quality is a concern, via the RS485 MODBUS RTU protocol. It can be installed in the kitchen to detect

ECOA Technologies Corp.

gas leakage during cooking, or it can be settled in a living room to provide useful environmental info. Early Detection The wide range of the FUEGO sensor allows an early detection and alert once hazardous gas leakage happens, before gas density reaches the dangerous level, giving users more time to react and greatly reducing harms. As soon as the sensor detects potential threats, it would immediately warn users with sound alert. If the sensor is integrated on ECOA's smart control system, more interactions between the sensor and other devices would be available. For instance, as soon as the sensor sends alert, the alarm system would be activated and the gas shut-off valve would be turned off. About ECOA ECOA Technologies has specialized in building management system (BMS) technologies since its establishment in 1993 in Taiwan. In 2014, the company started to recognize the flourishing smart home market as its new playground. With its specialty in both automation and energy management, ECOA has applied its smart control system and products to improve the living environment in homes or residential communities. The ECOA hardware and software are developed and manufactured in house, which permits flexible customization for clients in professional installation market. In addition, to satisfy the growing needs for wireless connections in DIY market, ECOA is also focusing on developing new products that will support Wi-Fi and ZigBee and be available in the near future. www.ecoa.com.tw

ecoapatrick@gmail.com

FUEGO Sensor-Early detection intelligent system • • • •

Early detection Convenient installation Applicable to all environments Stable and efficient

• Digital communication • With LCD display screen

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 31

Exploration

Home Energy Management Products Not to Miss

RheinEnergie SmartHome App • Allows users to add up to 8 widgets to the UI based on manual selection, intensity of use, or recently triggered alarms • Monitors real-time consumption data from single devices (via smart plugs) or all connected devices together in Kilowatts and Euros, and provides comparison of consumption data in a period of time (day, week, month, year) • Allows users to receive status message via email/mobile device and to define rules themselves when to be informed • Uses a mobile device as a geo location sensor to facilitate home automation and to push messages (e.g. present/not present in the home zone) • Enables control over several devices with one scenario button via preset • Enables scheduling of devices, such as light, radiators and shutters • Connects sensors and controllers in “if-then” relations or “as-long-as” relations Germany www.rheinenergie.com

QIVICON Home Base Platform EcoFactor Cloud-based Energy Platform • Manages thermostats and HVAC on occupants’ behalf to minimize energy consumption and improve comfort • Uses patented energy algorithms which adapt to individual preferences in real time, automatically adjusting to homeowner lifestyle while maximizing savings • Provides cloud-based DR Service and integrates with DRMS systems to automate scheduling, calling and tracking DR events in real time • Provides tailored pre-cooling and other unique approaches to maximize long-term engagement and satisfaction • Provides HVAC Performance Monitoring Service (HPM) to identify HVAC issues and send alert at early stage (no additional hardware required) • Offers open APIs to facilitate integration with channel partners’ business processes USA www.ecofactor.com

32 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

• Allows users to set up and regulate heating profiles via QIVICONcompatible radiator thermostats and applications • Enables monitoring of gas and electricity consumption throughout the entire house • Enables easy control, monitoring and automation over multiple Smart Home devices from different brands via the QIVICON Home Base • Ensures IT security with AV-Test certified encryption technology • Provides cross-vendor and open platform for service providers, independent developers and startups to leverage to create their own APPs and sales strategy for partners • Supports HomeMatic and additional protocols, like ZigBee or Wi-Fi, via QIVICON Home Base’s four USB ports Germany www.qivicon.com

Exploration

Earth Networks WeatherBug Home

Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Thermostat

• Optimizes and hits set points of thermostats precisely by utilizing weather data, including solar, wind speed and direction and temperature, gathered from WeatherBug’s weather sensor network • Enables automated energy usage management depending on whether occupants are at home or away • Enables behavioral energy efficiency regardless of the weather by using weather, smart meter and thermostat data to build a thermodynamic model of each house • Provides consumers with WeatherBug Home Insight ScoreCards with personalized analysis on home energy usage compared to the weather and other households in the same area • Provides specific suggestions for improving home energy efficiency, including personalized energy-use forecast for the next month

• Easy to Install and no C wire required for most applications (but Heat Only & Cool Only Systems require a C Wire) • Enables control over home comfort and up to 4 heat/2 cool devices anytime and anywhere from mobile devices/PC via Sensi APP and a home Wi-Fi router • Allows users to schedule, check or adjust the room temperature online • Allows users to receive the latest features like alert emails (on high and low temperature, or loss of heating or cooling) and dual fuel capability • Provides 5-year limited warranty with the professional installation • Enables energy savings up to 30%

USA weather.weatherbug.com

USA www.emersonclimate.com

Bosch Junkers Control • High-quality glass surface • Offers direct connection to online weather service for users who have no outside temperature sensor • Enables control over domestic heating system (up to 8 different terminals) • Enables basic functions, such as heating on/off, automatic or manual operation and room temperature setting, on the Junker Control unit • Enables scheduling of heating and hot water periods for each day of the week • Automatically switches the heating system to “saving mode” when residents have left home (via Geo-Fencing) • Compatible with numerous Junkers gas devices, such as Cerapur 9000i or Cerapur4 Germany www.junkers.com

34 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Exploration

Billion Smart Energy Gateway SG6200NXL • Acts as a hub of Billion/BEC BEsmart Home Automation and Energy Management Ecosystem which consists of smart meter, power plug, smart switch, IHD, thermostat and IP-Cam • Enables wireless communication with Billion’s ZigBee-enabled smart meters, such as SG3010 series and SG3015 series • Enables high-speed wireless connection up to 300Mbps data rate with an integrated 802.11n Wireless Access Point • Expands the wireless coverage with Dual-WAN design (3G & Ethernet WAN) • Flexible platform with well-defined API for system integrators and software partners to integrate their back-end solutions Taiwan www.billion.com.tw

ecobee3 Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat • Comes with 1 free remote sensor and allows adding up to 32 sensors to precisely measure room temperature and occupancy • Able to automate on/off of heating or cooling equipment based on each household’s unique energy profile and the weather outside • Allows users to change schedule in seconds • Compatible with Apple Homekit and able to be controlled by using Siri • Achieves 23% energy savings annually USA www.ecobee.com

eQ-3 MAX! Radiator Thermostat • Regulates radiators within the MAX! system • Precise temperature adjustment within ±0.5 ° C • Provides boost button for instant heating of the radiator and supports pre-programming • Reduces the temperature in a room during ventilation to save energy costs • Able to be controlled via the MAX! Wall Thermostat+, which connects up to 8 MAX! Radiator Thermostats and 8 MAX! Window Sensors • Two installation choices depending on different solutions: MAX! House Solution & MAX! Room solution • Universally applicable to most popular valve products Germany www.eq-3.de

36 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Eneco Toon Smart Thermostat • Displays data on the wall and permits remote control via free apps on smartphone/tablet • Sets the schedule based on users’ weekly routines • Holiday mode: the thermostat will automatically turn off when users are on vacation, and turn on when they come back • Adjusts the indoor temperature based on weather conditions • Connectable with solar panels, showing how much power is purchased or returned in kWh and Euros • The Display to be installed by a qualified technician from Eneco Installation • Controls the Hue lighting system in the home Netherlands www.eneco.nl

Talk

Broadcom Sees

HomePlug

in Growth Momentum

By Weili Lin

Broadcom, one of the leading powerline chipset suppliers, is a major provider of HomePlug chips with 25 to 30 million shipments annually, and recently announced three new chips. John S. Gloekler, Marketing Director of PLC Department shared his observations on smart home and Broadcom's development on HomePlug technology for the emerging market.

There are competing PLC technologies. Do you think they pose any threat to HomePlug? We think HomePlug is a competitive technology in terms of PLC technology. It takes time for any technology to become popular and widely accepted with enough consumer education. It took around 10 years for DSL to deliver performance in the home. HomePlug has been selling in retail stores for the past 10 to 15 years. The other competing PLC technology is still young, and not there yet. That’s what we see.

What are promising markets for PLC chips? The largest market for powerline communication (PLC) technology is Europe, followed by the U.S. and parts of Asia. We think Asia, and South and Central America are two promising emerging markets over the next few years. Though Europe is the largest powerline market, we are seeing the technology, especially HPAV2, expanding to other geographical regions such as Brazil, where products are distributed to South America through retail distribution channels. In China, the best-selling PLC products in China support HomePlug AV (HPAV). We see millions of HPAV products in China by far. At present, we work with leading China companies, such as Huawei, ZTE and TP-Link. 38 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

What are driving forces for the technology? Lowered cost is a key driver for mass adoption. HomePlug is a cost-effective technology now. The price has come down to half in the last two years. The demand for larger and faster networking from multimedia applications makes people to look at the PLC solution plus Wi-Fi standard. Wi-Fi coverage is a major problem for home users. If you want 100 percent coverage, HomePlug is a reliable complimentary technology. There is no single technology that is able to deliver hundreds megabits in the home. With the PLC plus Wi-Fi solution, they can get things connected from the gateway to any part of the home without sacrificing transmission speed. Extending Wi-Fi in the home, which we presented three years ago, has been growing rapidly with over 200 percent of annual growth. Connected home applications like home appliances and video streaming from security cameras also drive the market. One operator we are working with connects nine cameras through PLC technology in any given house. The technology is reliable and provides plug-and-play and always-connected experiences.

What do you think about smart home?

Lowered cost is a key driver for mass adoption. HomePlug is a cost-effective technology now. John S. Gloekler, Marketing Director of PLC Department

The smart home market is very fragmented without a unified standard. We’ve focused on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies right now. But through our WICED platform, we can interface to ZigBee and Z-Wave standards. For smart homes, I believe HAVC, security and Bluetooth extender in the home are three major applications. From a long-term perspective, I think home and health care will be two killer applications to drive the market for increases in aging population and concerns over personal safety like tracking kids. Seeing the growing business from Bluetooth-enabled applications like wearables and healthcare, we would release a PLC to Bluetooth extender. Bluetooth adds mesh networking technology, but it’s not reliable. PLC provides stable infrastructure. We use PLC as the backbone of the gateway, and put Bluetooth in each room. You can use a dongle or adapter to talk to all Bluetooth devices in the room.

BUY OME ERS GU AH

IDE

Detectors with UART interface available for IoT application

st Recommended o ! M

Smoke / Heat , CO / Smoke and Gas Detector Products MD368SH optical smoke detector is designed to meet the needs of manufactures of wireless security systems. Not only the detector offers aesthetically appealing design but also comes with UART output to be integrated with RF module. The MD368 series is able to either merely own a heat sensor to become a heat detector alone or be with an optional heat sensor besides smoke sensor to further extend its capabilities as a combo smoke & heat detector. MD368 has a 10-year lithium battery option. This product is available for IoT application ..

MD760CS combination CO &smoke detector is designed to meet the needs of manufactures of wireless

Company security systems. Not only the detector offers aesthetically appealing design but also comes with UART output to be integrated with RF module. The MD760 series is able to merely own a CO sensor to become a CO detector alone except of its originally designed concept of combo CO & smoke detector. This product is available for IoT application .

F918 gas detector is designed to meet the needs of manufactures of wireless security systems. This compact and stylish gas detector not only offers aesthetically appealing design but also comes with UART output to fit RF module. F918 is fully loaded with features and built with relay output function. This product is available for IoT application.

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RepoRt

Key

Components of Smart Home Gateway

Smart home is regarded as fast-growing and booming in the IoT market, driving dramatic evolution and growth opportunities for the chip business over the next decade. The falling cost of adding sensing and communications to consumer products implies that a typical family home, in a mature affluent market, could contain several hundred smart objects by 2022, according to Gartner, Inc. The IC suppliers are major drivers to propel the market forward by improving system performance and reducing cost. Also, we see new types of home controllers boost the market scale and possibly influence the design trends. Whether the smart home is a castle in the air or not, those best-practice suppliers are laying the foundation with future-proof designs and value propositions. By Weili Lin

40 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

The smart home gateway, a must-have element in the connected home, is the control center of sensors, or so-called nodes. According to ABI Research, nearly 30 million home gateways will be shipped annually worldwide by 2020, up from 5.1 million in 2014. The gateways will include 97 million RF ICs. The silicon vendors offer a wide array of solutions from edge to cloud to drive the IoT evolution. Currently, the key component market of smart home gateways is dominated by 20 to 30 IC suppliers. Their competitiveness is built on their core competence, extensive background in radio frequency, and comprehensive product portfolio. Their chips and modules are applied in intelligent hubs, end-to-end devices and cloud servers for the whole ecosystem Not just selling chips, they provide reference designs and turnkey solutions to address timeto-market and cost-effective demands. Besides, they are also strong ecosystem partners, and solution providers for service providers. They create profit with either cost savings or added value.

market demands, the silicon vendors position themselves as one-stop and time-to-market solution provider. They offer a wide range of portfolios, including chips, modules and development kits. There is no universal solution by far. The companies keep a flexible strategy t o s e r v e d i ff e r e n t market segments. “We offer not only chips but also solutions to solve customers’ problems in a flexible w a y, ” s a i d R i c h Chen, FAE Manager, Semiconductor Sales and Application Department at Texas Instruments (TI). Joseph Bousaba, Senior Director, Product Management at Qualcomm Atheros, commented, “Facing the fragmented market, our strategy is to deliver the right mix of different connectivity and computing capabilities to address the varying needs of the Internet of Everything (IoE).” Jeff Baer, Product Marketing Director of Broadband & Connectivity Group at Broadcom Corporation, explained, “Depending on the applications, we use high-end core if we need high performance, and lower-end core when we need better power management. On the gateway side, it requires a lot of processing power for data processing.”

"Smaller size, lower power consumption and less cost are three major challenges in the semiconductor industry."

DeSign conSiDerAtionS Facing the fast-changing and uncertain

Chart 1: Smart Home Gateway reference DeSiGn

Source: texas instruments

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 41

RepoRt

Companies are always walking the line between a specialized solution for a specific problem, and a general solution for a broad base of problems. Baer of Broadcom indicated, “Our approach leans towards a general solution that can simplify the experience for our customers while still offering versatile technologies to support a growing number of applications and devices.” Smaller size, lower power consumption and less cost are three major challenges in the semiconductor industry. The traditional architecture is an independent MPU plus external memory and connectivity chips. There is an increasing number of integrated SoCs to eliminate the tradeoff between performance and cost. Generally, the processors are priced from $3 to $10. The integrated SoCs are claimed to be at least 10 percent lower in BOM cost compared with the traditional architecture. Take MediaTek for example, the company’s approach is to offer integrated SoCs that combine processing and connectivity functions for retail and broadband routers, IoT gateway, and media routers. The design of embedded Flash and RAM in the chip drives down the cost for manufacturers. TI’s approach is to offer wide-ranging solutions based on general-purpose MPUs and ARM architecture to its clients for vertical applications, including smart home. “Our solution features scalable architecture with rich peripherals, competitive price and performance for whether home or industrial uses. Our Cortex-A8 solutions like AM335x series can deliver high performance at the price level of ARM9 and ARM11. Also, our products feature longer life cycle than those designs applied for the consumer market.” Bousaba of Qualcomm Atheros said, “Low power is essential for home hubs, as many of them are likely to be placed in large appliances or other products that target international energy efficiency standards.” Baer of Broadcom indicated, “Certainly, Wi-Fi is a relatively power hungry technology. We are working extensively on optimized power management by moving from 65nm to 40nm to 28nm process to shrink the chip for improving the power profile.”

ARM-bASed ARchitectuRe doMinAteS The key components, decisive for functionality and cost of the gateways, consist of microprocessor (MPU), Microcontroller (MCU), network connectivity and power management ICs. ARM has a huge deployment base in gateways and client devices, taking the lion’s share. “ARM-based structure is ideal for smart home gateways because of its open structure,” said Jason Yang, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Microcontroller Segment, Greater China and South Asia Region of STMicroelectronics. STMicroelectronics offers ARM-based solutions comprised of microcontrollers, power management and wireless connectivity ICs and modules in an affordable way to accelerate market adoption. At present, the major smart home gateway MPUs are designed based on ARM Cortex-A5/A7/A8/A9 cores. They support UART, SPI, MMC, I²C (Inter-Integrated Circuit), GPIO, and USB OTG interfaces for expanding options of memory, connectivity, etc. The ARM-based architecture is the mainstream nowadays, supporting two major operating systems (O/S)—RTOS and Linux. The combination of ARM-based MPU and Linux O/S systems is popular for the systems requiring strong computing power and smart algorithm. SR Tsai, General Manager of MediaTek's Wireless Connectivity and Networking Business Unit, explained, “ARM processors have better ecosystem support in embedded devices as well as better pricing

"there is potential for gateway functionality to increasingly be embedded within smart home devices."

42 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Chart 2: Main architectures and O/s fOr gateways Architecture ARM

Operating System (O/S)

Processor / SoC Companies

RTOS (Real-Time Operating System)

Broadcom, Greenpeak, Microchips, Marvell, MediaTek, NXP, Qualcomm, Realtek, Sigma Designs, Silicon Labs, STMicroelectronics, TI

Linux Android

x86

Linux Windows

AMD, Intel, VIA

RepoRt

new forMS of gAtewAyS

Jason Yang, senior product marketing manager, microcontroller segment, Greater China and south asia region, stmicroelectronics

Jeff Baer, product marketing Director, Broadband & Connectivity Group, Broadcom

Jonathan Collins, principal analyst, aBI research

Joseph Bousaba, senior Director, product management, Qualcomm atheros

Michela Menting, Digital security practice Director, aBI research

Niall Jenkins, research manager for smart home, Ihs

rich Chen, Fae manager, semiconductor sales and application Department, texas Instruments

Sr tsai, General manager, wireless Connectivity and networking Business Unit, mediatek

and power consumption Chart 3: In-home DIsplay & Gateway than x86-based solutions. The MT7623 and MT7683 DIaGram support Linux, so the ecosystem can leverage existing RD expertise to enter the smart home the in-home displays with segment.” control function Malik Saadi, VP, Strategic are ranked Technology of ABI Research as high-end models said, “Proprietary RTOS platforms based on open source code are dominant. The trend is very similar to what happened in the mobile phone market at its early stage of development in the early 2000s. However as things get smarter and accommodate more features for better experiences, the Source: StMicroelectronics industry will move to more advanced operating systems.” Besides ARM-based architecture, there are solutions based on x86 and MIPS platforms. It’s hard to say which platform is more competitive in the long run as IoT has been evolving. Saadi of ABI Research explained, “The microcontroller technology for IoT is still in its early stage of developments, and the industry is not yet fixed on who are the winners and losers. Moreover, the MIPS architecture has been increasingly optimized for IoT. A number of other suppliers have also chosen it to develop proprietary architecture.“

44 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Although we have yet to see killer applications at smart home, we have seen technological convergence and new innovations that may shape the future. The smart home gateway is defined as a central hub to control end devices via wired and wireless home networking technologies. New types of smart home gateways have appeared in the market recently like set-top box, smart TV, wireless thermostat, and network camera with sensor hub like Icontrol’s Piper. Jonathan Collins, Principal Analyst at ABI Research, indicated, “There is potential for gateway functionality to increasingly be embedded within smart home devices. Canary and Piper already combine gateway and video camera features, while there is clear potential for Google’s Nest Thermostat and Apple TV to bring gateway functionality for additional connected smart home devices.” There will be variable forms of home hubs while discrete gateways are still the mainstream. IHS estimates that the vast majority of smart home gateways are standalone gateways, which are forecast to account for 95 percent of the market in 2018. Niall Jenkins, Research Manager for Smart Home at IHS said, “Whilst this is forecast to remain the case over the next five years, there will be an increase in the shipments of gateways integrated into routers and set-top boxes.” Bousaba of Qualcomm Atheros commented, “Control and automation may be appropriately managed through cloud-based solutions for some applications, but there are most certainly many applications where device-to-device communication— direct or through local hub is more ideal."

RepoRt

Key Components of Smart Home Gateway:

Interoperability & Cybersecurity With more and more connected devices and cloud services coming out, interoperability and cyber security are two major concerns for home users when they purchase smart home gateways. Multiple communication standards coexist. The chip vendors integrate more protocols into their products for better user experiences. By Weili Lin

GreenPeak GP710

MediaTek Quad-Core Smart Home Gateway

• Dual-protocol ZigBee chip: ZigBee RF4CE and ZigBee IP/ZigBee PRO • Operates in the worldwide 2.4 GHz ISM-band • 30 dB better robustness to Wi-Fi interference mechanisms • External PA signals for extended range • Ultra low cost PCB design, requiring no shielding, LP filters, baluns or chip antennas • Hardware accelerated AES-128 CCM security mode with automatic encryption, decryption and authentication • SPI serial host interface • Applications: set-top boxes, gateways, smart home controllers • Supports simultaneously ZigBee RF4CE applications (remote controls), and ZigBee IP or ZigBee PRO smart home applications (security, home care and energy management)

• Premium NPU for 4x4 11ac retail router, broadband and IoT gateway • Features Quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 MT7623A, and MT7615 Wi-Fi SoC • Supports parental control, smart QoS • 2Gbps: NAT + QoS + SFQ + Packet sampling • 1Gbps VPN with encryption / decryption • Wi-Fi connectivity: Built-in 802.11 a/n (1x1) for sniffer, background scan • Built-in BT 4.1/BLE to connect with wearable devices • Low power consumption 4x4 AP with DVFS

46 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Undoubtedly, connectivity is a key enabler for smart home. However, end consumers and hardware manufacturers are struggling with lack of unified communication standards. Adding more communication standards refers to more complexity and cost. Some companies opt for proprietary technologies, and others choose open standards, depending on their expertise and design philosophy. The chip vendors take flexible and open approaches by supporting multiple protocols and open platform to make sure the gateway stay connected with new devices, especially those off-the-shelf DIY products. Qualcomm is one of the most notable companies who promote an open platform to accelerate interoperability. Joseph Bousaba, Senior Director, Product Management, Qualcomm Atheros explained, “We are committed to supporting open interoperable software frameworks like Thread and AllJoyn to enable smart devices to communicate locally.” The IPv6 over Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPAN) technology is an important and promising technology that improves interoperability among wireless connected devices. Rich Chen, FAE Manager, Semiconductor Sales and Application Department at Texas Instruments (TI) indicated, “6LowPAN will possibly become a common communication technology for smart home in the near future.” Previously, Z-Wave developers design products with binary files. Since 2015, Z-Wave Alliance provides open source codes of middleware to authorized members for customize designs. Facing surging demand of cloud applications, Sigma Designs offers solutions to

CHarT 1: Z-WARE PORTAL FOR ROUTERS TO CONNECT TO THE CLOUD

Source: Sigma Designs

put Z-Wave data to the IP layer, and introduced a controller development kit to shorten development timeline. It is a Linux-based reference design, applied for gateways, portals, televisions, set-top boxes, and additional consumer electronics products and cloud-based services. It contains both the Z/IP Gateway and Z-Ware offering as full source code releases, for developing or modifying Z-Wave controllers. Also, it utilizes TI's BeagleBone Black platform to create an open development platform. Developers can put all the smart home intelligence in the home or cloud. Could gateway makers or chip vendors decide what are de-facto standards or ideal solutions for consumers? Chen of TI commented, “It’s hard for any standard, platform or ecosystem to dominate the IoT market.” Offering flexible and scalable solutions shall be one of the answers. Texas Instruments offers a TBWTIoT gateway module that integrates rich peripherals to reduce system complexity and cost. The module supports up to 6 UART interfaces to cater to popular communications protocols, such as Wi-Fi, BT/BLE, ZigBee, sub 1-GHz and NFC. According to a research firm Gartner, wireless technology is a key foundation of the smart home where most of the device categories

NXP JN516x Wireless Modules

Qualcomm QCa4531

• Single-chip solutions run stack and application for ZigBee, JenNet-IP & IEEE802.15.4 apps • Low-current solution for long battery life (10+ years) • Supports several different network stacks • Highly featured 32-bit RISC CPU for high performance and low power • 2.4 GHz IEEE802.15.4-compliant radio • 128-bit AES security processor • Applications: IoT, JenNet-IP, ZigBee LightLink, ZigBee Smart Energy, RF4CE, home and building automation, smart lighting, remote controls, smart energy, and wireless sensor networks

• Turnkey solution for AllJoyn IoE hub • User-programmable Linux/OpenWRT environment • Wi-Fi connectivity: 802.11n (2x2) • Ideal for multi-protocol bridging and communication • Functions as an Access Point supporting up to 16 simultaneous devices • Power-optimized and energy efficient • Pre-integrated with Allseen Alliance’s AllJoyn software framework • Pairs with intelligent connectivity portfolio, including QCA4002 and QCA4004

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 47

RepoRt

are wirelessly connected although no single technology will dominate. Gartner expects Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, cellular and various proprietary and mesh networking wireless technologies will all find a place in the smart home.

coMbo ic iS the trenD Traditionally, home automation and security system suppliers design their products based on proprietary Sub 1-GHz technology, or on single standard, primary Z-Wave and ZigBee for wireless contorl over connected home devices. The new products like network cameras and Internet-connected home appliances, along with cloud services, drive the adoption of Wi-Fi, BLE, 4G LTE and IPv6 supported protocols like Thread. The suppliers are working to integrate more protocols to ensure interoperability. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are two promising technologies due to its proliferation among the smart mobile devices. Mark Hung, Research VP at Gartner said, “Bluetooth and Wi-Fi will be two major standards over the next five years because of their competitive cost gaining from economies of scale. Pervasive Wi-Fi enabled devices and connectivity also drive the proliferation of Wi-Fi supported smart home ecosystem. We expect to see more integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo ICs in the market.” IHS estimates that Wi-Fi and ZigBee are two primary connectivity technologies. Its statistics shows that Wi-Fi accounted for a fifth of all smart home device shipments in 2014. Proprietary wireless technology like Sub 1 GHz had a slightly higher device market share than

Z-Wave in 2014; whilst ZigBee and Z-Wave accounted for more than 10 percent of shipments. “Over the forecast period to 2018, Wi-Fi is the technology predicted to gain most share,” said Niall Jenkins, Research Manager for Smart Home at IHS. Chen of TI said, “ZigBee is a popular choice from our customers’ feedback. However, we regard BLE as promising and fast-growing in the near future because smartphones support the standard. Also, the addition of mesh networking to BLE technology will help propel the market, though it still takes a while for the new standard to be finalized.” “Although there is a clear trend towards IPv6 solutions, not every end device will need to support IP, and there will be room for both IP and non-IP solutions across the various IoT markets. It will take some time for 802.15.4 chipsets paired with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to gain traction. In the short term, there will be significant opportunities for ‘soft’ combos that integrate multiple 802.15.4 protocols on the same chip and use the same radio layer,” comments Malik Saadi, VP, Strategic Technology at ABI Research.

Multi-lAyereD Security The clients of smart home gateways require that all communication within the home and across the Internet is extremely private and secure, To address the needs, the chip vendors offer secure solutions via both hardware and software designs like data encryption and device authentication through tampering-proof eSE (embedded Secure Element), Triple DES (3DES) or AES cryptographic engines, TLS (DTLS) protocols, Root-of-Trust (RoT), and so on. For example, Wi-Fi chips are designed with 128-

Samsung arTIK 5

Sigma Designs Z-Wave Controller Development Kit

• Application Processor: ARM A7 Dual @1GHz and on-board DRAM and flash memory • HW + SW SECURITY: HW Embedded Security Element (eSE) + TLS (DTLS), data encryption, device authentication, FW security & update, secure OS • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, BT/BLE, ZIGBEE • External interface: GPIO, UART, USB, SPI, MMC, MIPI, I2C, I2S • Data can be managed locally or in the cloud in encrypted or unencrypted formats • Small Form Factor: Uses Samsung’s next generation ePoP (embedded Package-onPackage) technology • Applications: home hubs, drones and high-end wearables

• Contains both the Z/IP Gateway and Z-Ware • SDKs contains full source code • The Z-Ware for Portal SDK contains an evaluation server running on Ubuntu Linux that combines Z-Ware and Z-Ware Apps for portal solution developers. • The Z/IP Gateway is included with a host build environment in Ubuntu Linux creating targets for the TI BeagleBone Black • The Z/IP Gateway connects to a UZB controller reference design as default applied for all of the 500 series modules and SoCs • The Z-Ware C library is offered with an easy-to-understand C API • Target applications: Gateways, TVs, set-top boxes, consumer electronics, cloud-based services

48 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

CHarT 2: SUPPORTED SMART HOME COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOLS TI

Broadcom

MediaTek

Qualcomm

Wi-Fi

BLE

Z-Wave ZigBee

v v

PLC RF Sub 1-GHz

Sigma Designs

v v

bit AES accelerator for bank-level advanced security and data protection. Root of trust enables manufacturers to create and manage authorizations and protections. At the hardware level, Samsung’s ARTIK contains embedded secure element that goes beyond software-based encryption solutions alone. At the application level, the user can identify abnormalities and unusual behavior with the machine learning based anomaly detection system to prevent from a possible hacking or intrusion activity. The IC companies are committed to providing robust security systems with encrypted communication, and some incorporate software-based security features for adding value on their products with a corresponding increase in cost though. The features keep a constant eye on the home system’s health. They work with the third-party software companies or own their own security software teams. According to ABI Research, embedded and network security mechanisms increase both cost and complexity. In some cases, the issues can be resolved by outsourcing the security mechanisms, such as encryption or antivirus engines, to the primary access point, such as a gateway. For example, MediaTek is working with leading security software companies, such as TrendMicro, to offer security management for all IoT devices, from gateways to peripheral devices. “This comprehensive security approach can mitigate security threats and privacy attacks that have become a significant concern with the increasing number of connected IoT devices,” said SR Tsai, General Manager of MediaTek's Wireless Connectivity and Networking Business Unit. The Yoga home central unit (HCU) is an Intel-based smart home gateway that features Anti-Malware, a key capability in McAfee Embedded Control, to allow only authorized code to run on the smart home system. No program or code outside the authorized set can run, and no unauthorized changes can be made. It helps prevent malicious software

from getting control of a system. Secure boot design establishes a root-of-trust. The rouge software, which has not been identified by the O/S, will not be allowed to execute. Bousaba of Qualcomm said, “We focus on end-to-end security, and build up key features to ensure the security from the device to the cloud. Anti-tampering protects the manufacturer’s code from side band attempts to reprogram devices. Data integrity protects the communication from the device to the cloud with hardware-based encryption algorithms against ‘eavesdropping’ like SSL encryption technology.“ In the smart home space, the success comes from consistent and reliable connectivity, and the challenge comes from the fragmented market. The IC companies put efforts in providing interoperable and secure solutions through both hardware and software designs. To survive in the competitive market, they have been working on sustainable business models to create value and satisfy customer needs.

STMicroelectronics STM32 F7

TI TBWTIoT Gateway Module

• 32-bit ARM Cortex-M7 microcontroller (MCU) • Operates at frequencies up to 200 MHz and uses a 6-stage superscalar pipeline and Floating Point Unit (FPU) to produce up to 1000 CoreMarks • Available in 512kB and 1MByte embedded Flash • ST’s Adaptive Real-Time (ART Accelerator) for internal embedded Flash and L1 cache for both execution and data access from internal and external memories • Dual Quad SPI interface for cost-effective memory extension • P eripheral speed independent from CPU speed (dual clock support) allowing system clock changes without any impact on peripheral operations • L arge SRAM with scattered architectures to process for shared and real-time data, critical routines and the lowest power modes.

• Turnkey solution with TI Sitara ARM Coretex-A8 AM3352 microprocessor, supporting 300/600/800/1000MHz speed • O/S: Linux, Android, Windows Embedded CE • I/O interfaces: 6 UART, 8 Digital Input/ Output, 2 USB OTG, 1 CAN, 2 SPI • Supports Wi-Fi, BT/BLE, ZigBee, 3G/4G, 6LoWPAN, Sub 1-GHz, NFC • Storage: NAND flash 256MB memory or 4GB eMMC • Memory: DDR3-400, 512MB

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 49

Feature

IMPROVEMENTS SMART HOME MANUFACTURERS IN TAIWAN ARE WORKING ON

How good has it been so far for smart home manufacturing in Taiwan? There is no definite answer yet. But while the majority of makers anticipate mass delivery, they are nonetheless keeping pace with international buyers’ true demands. In this report, SMAhome is detailing five improvements in which Asian manufacturers are putting their efforts into the growing smart home market.

By EvElyn yang

CoMpleting Full produCt lineup, not JuSt Single produCtS Understanding the strong requirements of solution products in a smart home rather than supplying a single device or service can satisfy potential buyers, Asian manufacturers are being to broaden their product lineups based on their professional background such as home security, gateway, telecommunication system, storage or lighting device. Not only is selling solution products more profitable, but it also indicates the scenario that the Asian smart home industry is gradually stepping out of the initial stage. Offering solution products is the approach taken by big Asian IT brands to enter the smart home market. ASUS has debuted its first-ever series, “ASUS Smart Home” this June. It is a complete 50 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

DIY ZigBee smart home solution, consisting of a smart gateway, door lock, temperature & humidity sensor, door/window sensor, meter plug, motion sensor and siren. Jim Yeh, senior director of ASUS smart home team, highlighted the free scenario settings to achieve the better intelligent performance according to users’ needs. For example, “when the sensor detects unusual motions, the system triggers the AiCam and video recording in the cloud,” Yeh said. According to Yeh, the retail price of ASUS Smart Home has not been set, but the series will be sold separately in either a kit box or single device. Not just the retailer channels, “we are also talking to B2B channels such as telcos and MSOs. The discussions have taken place at ASUS.” In addition to IT brands, the networking specialist is Taiwan’s elite group to supply the smart home products across the world. Senao Networks, Inc. offers smart IoT gateway, personal cloud service, indoor and outdoor network cameras to complete its product lineup. Based on Senao’s background as a long-range wireless phone provider, it has begun supporting a wide range of wireless, PoE Ethernet switch, VoIP, and IP surveillance products. Its home IP surveillance lineup includes network cameras, gateways and cloud service. Vincent Hsu, product manager of branding business division at Senao Networks, indicated that the company will release a series of network cameras for smart homes and the next-generation router will be embedded with a network video recording functionality in 2016. Backed by its expertise in telecommunication technologies, Tecom has begun to develop its own smart home platform since 2011. In addition to the professional

installation market, Tecom is expanding the applications of IP cameras for security as well as the auto controlling at home. As a subsidiary company of TECO, it has already integrated TECO air conditioners into its system and enabled cloud management to enlarge product lineups.

Underlining OpenneSS

From the perspective of an end user, the home gateway or hub plays a role of the interface for network connectivity. As an important control center for the smart home, it solves the interoperability of connected products provided by different companies and different supporting standards. “Challenges of the IoT market include interoperability, development complexity and security,” said Dr. Bernard Shung, secretary of Open Interconnect Consortium/MediaTek. Consequently, as more and more people talk about mass devices and protocols,

Ý Vincent Hsu, product manager of Branding Business Division at Senao Networks

Ý Justin Wu, manager of New Business Development of Tecom

Ý Sam Wang, sales project manager at SUNIX

Acer steps into smart home with its BYOC platform.

manufacturers in the first half of 2015, including Acer, Gemtek, Avadesign and as such, have begun launching solution services, system integration and open platforms for customers to solve the interoperable and integrated problems of software and hardware. They are paying higher attention to customization services, which is also a facilitating factor for solution products in the Asian smart home industry. Another major consumer brand, Acer, has taken a different approach to the smart home. “To effectively achieve Acer Open Platform, we have to work with both sides: SOC providers and device manufacturers. We are recruiting device manufacturers in various industries to join our BYOC (Build Your Own Cloud) ecosystem. Smart home is the highlighted industry. The partner manufacturers can leverage our cloud system and joint marketing promotion campaigns,” said Gibson Lin, partner account supervisor of IoT Solutions Division in Acer. According to Lin, Acer BYOC is currently working with July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 51

Feature more than 10 Taiwanese smart home makers, including EcoLumina, Astak, and STCloud. “We also shake hands with SOC makers such as MediaTek. Acer now is cooperating with MediaTek to offer Acer BYOC Mobile Sensor Hub DevKit.” With MediaTek MT2502 (Aster) integration, the DevKit comes complete with functions such as data statistics of current and certain period data from sensor hubs. Also, Gemtek is demonstrating its TD-LTE/Data Wi-Fi Cloud and ZigBee IR gateways for smart home solutions, including its IoT gateway used for smart grid. Not only do they offer a solution on gateways, they also enable manufacturers to integrate hardware devices into their system. “Avadesign has integrated other hardware providers’ products via the gateway, which helps to form a platform base,” said John Chen, general manager of Avadesign Technology. “As for the application layer, it is impossible for a company to provide all the required services in smart home,” commented Chen. That is why companies like Avadesign, CAP-TECH, ASKEY and so on choose to adopt an open strategy and they welcome collaboration with hardware and software service providers who can utilize the platform to create their own applications. On the finished-product level, BTstar offers customized smart home solutions based on Z-Wave technology for more possible openness. It showcases the Z-Wave Plus gateway “Heimdall” and a portfolio of connected devices ranging from IP cameras, sensors, switches to sirens and more. ICP DAS provides building and home automation solutions including lighting, HVAC, security and safety system, power management, and central monitoring systems. The company also offers DGW DALI gateway for flexible expansion for lighting systems. Considering the fact that simple, easy-to-use and cost-effective products are preferred in the smart home market, YODO Technology demonstrates its Mini NVR Cloud and Wi-Fi plus IR 52 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Gemtek TD-LTE Data/Wi-Fi Cloud and ZigBee IR gateways for smart home solutions. i-TRINETECH Wi-Fi LED Module: MediaWalker963. BTstar customized smart home solutions based on Z-Wave technology.

Ý Alan Fan of Torch Industrial

Ý Brian Chen of CoAsia

Ý CP Hung Ph.D., corporate R&D center vice president of ASE

gateway solutions. Other than the gateway solution, cloud management is also highlighted. SUNIX Group, a 29-year-old veteran specializing in computer boards for industrial PCs, is introducing IoLife (Intelligent/Internet of Life), Cloud management for smart home. “SUNIX Cloud service is dedicated to bringing partners a flexible solution and high customization; we will keep on developing gateway solutions to be applied on not just the home category but also other sectors in the future,” said Sam Wang, sales project manager at SUNIX. From the above products, the next-generation of smart home gateway solution or open platform issues may be considered to develop in the following features such as intelligent management, open protocols, hardware supported ability and cloud-based updates. When there are more and more connected devices linking to the home network, the more efficient home network becomes essential.

All-in-One TRenD: SMAll AnD COMpACT

Based on data collected from 1,600 North American consumers, the 2015 State of the Smart Home Report found that interest is driven by simple devices with obvious benefits and to drive mass adoption, device makers must show how products solve real, everyday problems. Asian manufacturers also recognized the trends and showcased products which combined many functions to demonstrate the simple, compact and convenient using experience. Under the concept of all-in-one devices, manufacturers have integrated their products to

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Feature become more compact in order to boost competitiveness. Torch is presenting an LED bulb with embedded IP camera and PIR. "The need for IP surveillance is rising and many IT companies have been moving forward to home security arena. Torch, as a lamp and lantern provider, also decides to join the competition," explained Alan Fan of Torch Industrial. When the all-in-one feature becomes more and more popular in smart home, the LED camera is Torch's first try to integrate its specialty in developing lamps and IP surveillance technologies. “With the burgeoning of IoT market, simple and compact is the trend to follow in terms of product development.” said Sherlock Shih, general manager of i-TRINETECH. i-TRINETECH showcases MediaWalker963, a Wi-Fi LED Module. With multiple built-in media and network camera in the LED lighting. Users can control all these functions using their smartphone app. "We expect MediaWalker963 to be more than just for

Compact and small will be a future trend for the market of smartphones, wearables, homes, and sensor applications.

Grandex oTTo

entertainment as it can also be used for surveillance," Shih added. Besides, some companies such as CoAsia and XYZprinting are launching new products equipped with all-in-one features. XYZprinting integrates service robot with three form factors for beacon, IR, smoke and IoT sensors. CoAsia Microelectronics Corp. presents Air Mentor, a 6-in-1 air quality sensor. Air Mentor monitors the following parameters: temperature, relative humidity, concentrations of CO (carbon monoxide), CO2 (carbon dioxide), VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and PM 10 & PM 2.5. Featuring a creative design, the all in one product is a challenge for manufacturers to collocate more functions together in order to improve the convenient and compact strategy. Finally, the Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc., the semiconductor assembly and test service provider also noticed the trend and showcases SiP technology. “We got a lot of customers' inquiries about the needs of multiple semiconductor chips and passive components to be integrated within a smaller and more compact module,” said CP Hung Ph.D., corporate R&D center vice president of ASE. Compact and small will be a future trend for the market of smartphones, wearables, homes, and sensor applications. “That’s why we want to introduce SiP solutions to more manufacturers, although we have already worked on the technique for over 10 years.”

EyES on DIy

OPCOM Home 54 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

SMAhome already observed in its previous issue the DIY momentum during the International CES 2015. Similarly, the pattern can be seen amongst Asian manufacturers in the first half year of 2015. From this perspective, it is safe to say that the DIY business model is a trend that is rapidly expanding worldwide. The DIY pattern projects a one-time buyout of the hardware, where it generally comes with complimentary cloud or software services. Moreover, there are some key factors which customers care about such as easy installation, after-sales service and stable quality. For instance, Grandex is introducing DIY home automation solution oTTo running on RF2.4GHz frequency with local storage for better security. The DIY home automation solution oTTo allows users to control door/window sensors, and home appliances through light switches, dimmers and power outlets. Besides hardware, the company designed its own cloud platform. oTTo provides schedule setting and smart rule designs for user to automate their homes in an intelligent way.

Home security still occupies a place in the smart home industry and end users are considered potential consumers, as observed by Asian manufacturers. KGUARD, the surveillance brand announces its new DIY alarm system, Easy Link PLUS Series Combo Kit lately. Easy installation, quick setup, good performance, and affordable pricing are the four main qualities that KGUARD outstands. “We have been committed ourselves to achieving these qualities and we will continue to be,” said Gary Yang, chief of engineer department of KGUARD. Also, OPCOM presents OPCOM Home, offering a selection of lighting, security and energy management products for building an IoT home. Even Tecom, a manufacturer who used to run the contract business model to provide residential construction projects, also explained that they are planning to showcase the DIY products in the market. However, the launch schedule has yet to be confirmed.

Better USer FriendlineSS viA integrAtion

No matter how manufacturers create innovative devices, however, if they do not pay attention to integration, they may submerge before next intensifying large-scale completion. “We developed

T-MOD HD Smart Alarm and Surveillance System

Ý Thomson Lin, CELS System

Ý David Mi, GM and founder of NxControl System

self-designed app and manufactured own devices because we know that the integrated problem is the most severe challenge,” commented Eason Lee, sales executive of T-MOD. T-MOD showcases HD Smart Alarm and Surveillance System as an integrated home care for providing customers a better user friendly experience. The connected home is not always relevant to customers who are not addictive about modern technologies. Furthermore, there are companies to integrate different software and hardware together. CELS System presented its first generation Candle Wireless Speaker model, showcasing a shortcut to smarter life via the combination of the wavering (but electric) candle light and delightful music playing. With the Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G) and Bluetooth capabilities, this wax-covered candle speaker can be further utilized as an IOT hub which enables remote control over other Bluetooth home devices. Additionally, some manufacturers combine the gateway with other devices. NxControl provides its innovative “NxPider & NxBee” solution to simplify home control over multiple IR devices. The NxControl’s solution embeds a ZigBee gateway into the remote control “NxPider.” The “NxBee” is a round-shaped gadget with the size of a coin and able to convert ZigBee commands into IR signals. Also, ABELTECH combined the camera with a builtin ZigBee gateway and other accessories for users to remotely monitor and control their home devices anytime, anywhere. “We have collaborated with partner companies to produce ZigBee accessories which can be paired with the IOT Camera,” said Jojo Chang, specialist of marketing department of ABELTECH. The gateway embedded inside of the camera can therefore act as a control center which sends commands to sensors, controllers and smart plugs in the home. These manufacturers pay attention to customers’ user experience and try to reduce the inconvenience with the integrated applications. Generally speaking, devices from all different platforms should be connected. Rather than adapting to a certain organization or company’s standard, expansion of the ecosystem in the industry has to be promoted. In order to achieve the vision to provide a variety of services that are valuable to our lives, it will require active cooperation across sectors. This will allow Smart Homes, Smart Healthcare and Smart Buildings and more, to be realized.

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 55

Feature

22 Asian Makers' New Products Tecom e-Home SySTem The e-Home system facilitates smart interactions among various home devices. The system/platform comprises of outdoor and indoor intercoms (with built-in two-way audio and camera) for the whole community/building and separate households, smart door locks, window sensors, air quality detectors, IP cameras, electric curtains, gas valves, and control over other appliances via a Z-Wave based gateway. http://www.tecom.com.tw/tw/

SenAo enGuArdiAn KiT eBK 1000 Senaoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EnGuardian kit EBK 1000 comes with an IoT gateway EPG5000 and camera EDS1130. EDS1130 is an intelligent day/night cloud network camera that features Wi-Fi connectivity, HD 720P video resolution, night vision and motion detection. The camera supports event-triggering recording by motion or sound. The IoT Gateway EPG5000 features Wi-Fi 802.11n connectivity, and remote video monitoring on the mobile phone through its exclusive software EnViewer. https://www.senao.com.tw/

ASuS SmArT Home ASUS Smart Home consists of a smart gateway, door lock, temperature/humidity sensor, door/window sensor, meter plug, motion sensor and siren. The series is based on Zigbee, featuring easy DIY installation. The smart door lock DL100 has the intrusion sensor in the key hole. Users receive immediate notifications on their mobile phone, when the lock senses intrusion attempts. So as the motion sensors. https://www.asus.com/tw/

Acer Byoc Acer BYOC demonstrates Home Gateway Solution with MediaTek MT7620 and Mobile Sensor Hub DevKit MT2502 (Aster). The solution supports file browsing, access and management, portable Wi-Fi APs and power banks. MediaTekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s power-saving MT2502 can be applied for wearables and IoT devices. With MT2502 integration, BYOC Mobile Sensor Hub DevKit comes with current and certain-period data transmission from the sensor hub along with data statistics. http://www.acer.com.tw/ac/zh/TW/content/home 56 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Feature

GemTeK Td-LTe dATA/WiFi cLoud GATeWAy The TD-LTE Data/WiFi Cloud Gateway features multiple wireless connectivity such as 3G, LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, NFC, and optional Z-Wave for connecting IoT sensors at home. The users can access the Cloud Gateway from their mobile devise, with the application developed by its Android / iOS library SDK. http://www.gemtek.com.tw/

AvAdeSiGn SmArT Home pLATForm Avadesign’s Wi-Fi and Z-Wave gateway allows software companies and service providers to leverage and create more values based on the platform. The solution includes temperature/humidity sensors, CO2 detector, gas valve, gas leakage detector, smart switches, curtain controller, door/window sensor, IP camera, etc. With the Z-Wave to IR translating ability, the commands can also be translated into IR signals which enable control over appliances such as air conditioners, fans and TVs. http://www.avadesign.com.tw/

edimAx ediLiFe

BTSTAr HeimdALL

Edilife proposes a range of solutions and services to build and regenerate real estate assets improving. Edilife home devices are focused on 2 dimensions such as cameras and smart plugs. Wi-Fi network cameras provide round-the-clock, high-definition, remote monitoring, as well as acting as sensory inputs for smart plugs (e.g. motion and sound detection). The motion detection uses passive infrared (PIR) sensors. http://www.edimax.com/edimax/ global/

BTstar, a brand created by Sunitech Co., Ltd. provides the latest Z-Wave Plus gateway “Heimdall” embedded wireless 500 Series Z-Wave module, which provides higher power output for increasing range compared to 300 series Z-Wave modules. It supports Wi-Fi connectivity with WPS function, Ethernet port, and Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE). Also, Heimdall allows dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP). http://www.sunitec.com.tw/

iei SmArT Home SoLuTion IEI Smart Home Solution provides a smart management approach to control home appliances through the electronic components and system. The solution system is mainly controlled by ATC-iTouch which is as a web server and wireless communication capability for mobile phones or tablets to configure. It provides app and APK for controlling home devices, and connects with iHome via Wi-Fi for managing up to 100 home appliances and setting up ten different group IDs. Moreover, Users can control home devices alternatively through controllers such as ATC-iCurtain, ATC-iButton and ATC-iButton-Rx, ATC-iPlug and ATC-IrDA. http://ieismartcity.com/ 58 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

yodo mini nvr cLoud The YODO Mini NVR Cloud has two models: one supports external hard drive while the other is designed with a hard drive inside. Both models support two channels of IP cameras. Via P2P recording technology, IP cameras and the mini NVRs can be located in separate places, which makes deployment of the surveillance solution more flexible. These NVRs are compatible with cameras from different brand owners, and therefore able to be included into DIY packages in any possible ways. http://www.yodotech.com.tw/

Sunix ioLiFe IoLife (Intelligent/Internet of Life) is the Cloud management for home solution. SUNIX dedicates the strategy to achieve T2T (Thing-to-Thing) communication and focuses on IoT gateway and Cloud management for the combination of sensors, the integration of appliances and the collection of Big Data. IoSensor communicates with devices via SUNIX Cloud to achieve the application of T2T. Using Wind River to be the interface between devices and Cloud, the platform supports protocols such as Wi-Fi, ZigBee and Bluetooth. http://www.sunix.com/tw/

icp dAS Sc SerieS SC series is designed for smart home control and automation, consists of lighting, air conditioning, electric curtain, dimmer controls and alarm systems to prevent from intruders. ICP DAS adopts common interfaces like Modbus and RS-485 for high compatibility and easy integration. The system supports Modbus and DCON communication protocols with digital input or RS-485 interfaces. It also supports RJ-11 connection for data transfer. The supported functions include group on/off, dimming, temperature and humidity control and door/ window break-ins detection. http://www.icpdas.com/index.php

ApAc opTo SmArT LiGHTinG SoLuTionS The wired and wireless solutions, designed for home lighting, plants, buildings, plants and public facilities, are controllable by mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Its smart lighting solutions support dimming, centralized and scheduling controls, and user-defined scenario settings. The scenario setting and dimming based on specific environment or condition help to achieve comfortable living and energy consumption. The DDL series LED drivers with built-in DALI interface and PIR detectors, applied either for buildings or individual lamps, can create smart lighting control system and illumination adjustment. http://www.apacoe.com.tw/

TorcH Led BuLB The LED bulb prototype has a 720p IP camera inside with PIR function. By combining functions of a LED, an IP Camera and PIR, when the LED camera detects any suspicious movement, it would push notification and send a 30-second recording to a smart phone via an app while lighting up to daunt the intruder at the same time. The inner plastic material is fire-retardant and the outer aluminum shell can reduce heat. An antenna is also adopted to guarantee that the Wi-Fi connection can penetrate the aluminum layer smoothly. The Wi-Fi LED camera can be easily set up by downloading the app and following the instruction to complete the installation process. Besides, the recorded footages can be locally stored in a SD card. http://www.pirled.com/ July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 59

Feature

i-TrineTecH mediAWALKer963 MediaWalker963 is a Wi-Fi LED Module supporting Wi-Fi AP router and NAS/FTP server. With multiple built-in models in the LED lighting, it can be applied as a network camera, lighting and media device. Users control all these functions by their smart phones with an app. To be a network camera, MediaWalker963 will take a snapshot and send the push notification to usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; smart phone when it detects intruders. Embedded antenna (2.4GHz) 1T2R and speaker allow 2-way communication through a smartphone. Also, MediaWalker963 supports multi-play with A/V separated render and the audio output power is 10W. The light can be set as 8 models to flash with the music melody. http://www.itrinetech.com/EN/default.html

coASiA Air menTor Air Mentor, a 6-in-1 air quality sensor, monitors the following parameters: temperature, relative humidity, concentrations of CO (carbon monoxide), CO2 (carbon dioxide), VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and PM 10 & PM 2.5. By employing cloud computing, Air Mentor produces an overall air quality score from measurements results of the parameters. A mobile app is available. When connected to the sensor via Bluetooth, it can not only show real-time measurement results but also download recorded data from the sensor. http://www.coasia.com/

KGuArd eASy LinK pLuS SerieS comBo KiT The highlight of this PLUS Series is the wireless design from door sensors to sirens. Users can use the integrated kit to work with both the Easy Link Plus DVR and Pan/Tilt IP Camera. Easy Link Plus is available in 4 or 8 channels and comes with 720P cameras, which provides one mega pixel video quality. In addition to 3.6mm lens and 65 degrees viewing angle allocated, all cameras have powerful night vision with a range of up to 30m/98ft in total darkness. Waterproof cases protect outdoor cameras in rainy days. With free KViewLink Plus app, users can setup remote viewing on mobile device in 90 seconds. Easy Link Plus is also compatible with KGUARD wireless alarm kit of Plus Series. http://www.kguardsecurity.com/

60 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

opcom Home SySTem The OPCOM Home system includes a hub called Smart Box that acts as the control center and can connect up to 256 connected devices. OPCOM Home has three kits such as Basic Set, Starterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Set and Deluxe Set available. The Deluxe Set includes LED Bulb, Color LED, PIR, Door Sensor mini, Dimmer Switch, OPCOM Link Tablet, Smart Outlet, Smart Box, Long Range Outdoor HD Camera, Smoke Sensor, and Siren. Users can choose to expand on these kits with other products in the OPCOM Home family such as the air quality sensor, light switch, and more. http://www.opcomgroup.com/

nxconTroL nxpider & nxBee SoLuTion The solution which not only simplifies home control over multiple IR devices but also promotes a smarter life via user-pattern learning. The solution embeds a ZigBee gateway into the remote control “NxPider.” The “NxBee” is a round-shaped gadget with the size of a coin and able to convert ZigBee commands into IR signals. When the NxPider is paired up with several NxBees, which can be attached to IR receivers on any devices/appliances, users can easily control these devices/ appliances with just one remote control, or they can manage them via smart phones which communicate with NxPider. http://www.nxcontrol.com/

GrAndex oTTo The DIY home automation solution oTTo, running on RF2.4GHz frequency, allows users to control door/window sensors, and home appliances through light switches, dimmers and power outlets. Users can control the smart devices via the remote or the app on their smartphones or tablets. Users can program the PS350 Remote to activate groups of lights or custom scenario setting. PS430 door/window sensor is used to activate lights or even sound an alarm when there is an intruder. http://www.grandex.com.tw/

ABeLTecH ioT cAmerA With the well-tuned light filtration and the water-proof housing, the cloud camera can be installed either indoor or outdoor. Combining the camera which has a built-in ZigBee gateway with other accessories, users are thus able to remotely monitor and control their home devices anytime, anywhere. The gateway embedded inside of the camera can therefore act as a control center which sends commands to sensors, controllers and smart plugs in the home. ABELTECH also produces baby monitors which have built-in two-way audio and environmental sensors. http://www.abeltech.com.tw/

T-mod Hd SmArT ALArm & SurveiLLAnce SySTem The system includes window sensor, PIR sensor and emergency beeper. All sensors are connected with IP camera. Users can access camera through Wi-Fi signal via smartphones and then control other devices. The feature of IP camera is enhanced an unprecedented function which enables to rotate and preset position automatically when alarms are triggered. Each camera allows to be paired up with 7 sensors and remote controlled. Users can choose alternative ways of free app or scanning QR code to connect with IP camera. http://www.tmod.com.tw/ July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 61

Viewpoint

Market drivers for smart home in the European market are Homematic (EQ3), RWE and QIVICON, Michael Zulauf, group executive vice president of Consumer Products at ASSMANN Electronics.

By Evelyn Yang

ASSMANN Takes a Broad View of Asia from Europe

without any Active-X, VLC player or plug-in. “HTML5 attracts smart home partners such as QIVICON and EverHome to integrate DIGITUS cameras with their gateways easily without plug-in,” Zulauf explained. “Market drivers for smart home in the German market are Homematic (EQ3), RWE and QIVICON,” Zulauf commented. “Our DIGITUS IP cameras are already available on the smart home platform QIVICON.” German-based enterprise ASSMANN Electronic has made its name as a Currently, ASSMANN is conducting talks with other manufacturer and retailer of network and periphery products with global telecommunication companies to explore more chances operations. In terms of the smart home market, ASSMANN first signalized to integrate the solution in further established smart home IP cameras under the DIGITUS brand to offer a secured cloud-based home systems. camera system with HTTPS protection and encrypted P2P tunnel between “Our major sales channels are retail and online the camera and device. With a projected annual growth rate of 10 percent channels with European partners such as Media-Saturn in the European market, ASSMANN will further expand smart home Group, Conrad, Cyberport, Euronics and Amazon, as lineups in the near future to enhance revenues in the Asian region. well as our distribution sales channel,” Zulauf added. “Today, we are well-positioned in Europe. DIGITUS Plug & View is not “Pan-European broad-line distribution includes Ingram limited and can be used globally. In the next few years, we look to expand Micro Pan Europe and ALSO for example.” our presence in Asia and the rest of the Pacific region,” said Michael Zulauf, Besides IP cameras, ASSMANN is planning to launch group executive vice president of Consumer Products at ASSMANN kit solutions for two product segments in order to Electronics. broaden the smart home lineup, he said. According to Zulauf, the European market indeed covers up to 70 “For home or small office demand, we will provide Wipercent of ASSMANN’s sales revenue. Fi and RF433 solution including contact sensors, motion sensors and power switches controllable via App,” Zulauf Looking to Expand beyond Cameras said, adding that in the professional segment, ASSMANN The DIGITUS camera system, a focused smart home product, features will also offer complete kits with ZigBee technology. They HTML5 to provide a plug-in free browser solution for live camera streams include temperature and humidity sensor, contact sensor, motion sensor, power switch, and wireless gateway ASSMANN Electronic Asia to control all smart home products together with DIGITUS Plug & View IP cameras as a Ltd. was set up in Taiwan complete integrated home security and surveillance system. to manage engineering, In the new smart home lineup kit, all sensors will also be available as standalone products.

sales, marketing and direct shipment.

Expanding towards Asia In a bid to becoming one of Asia’s major buyers, there are several key factors in which ASSMANN considers before making a purchase: technology, innovation, design, and the price-performance ratio. “Our major sourcing areas are Taiwan and China,” Zulauf explained, adding that from his perspective, Taiwan is more technology-driven with innovative ideas for product development whereas China is more cost-driven with similar products. However, as Asia gradually moves away from being a manufacturing-oriented region to research and innovation, it is a good time for ASSMANN to gain access to its expanding influence. “We want to expand our presence in Asia and the rest of the Pacific region,” Zulauf said. Following the establishment of its manufacturing bases in China and Hong Kong, ASSMANN Electronic Asia Ltd. was set up in Taiwan to manage engineering, sales, marketing and direct shipment. With the company’s highly integrated camera system, ASSMANN is confident in Asia’s growing smart home potential in the coming years.

62 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Viewpoint

The retailer price of ASUS Smart Home has not been set, but the series will be sold in the kit box and single product separately. Jim Yeh, senior director of ASUS Smart Home Team.

By Veronica Chen

ASUS Debuts Smart Home Series, Using Zigbee Consisting of a smart gateway, door lock, temperature & humidity sensor, door/window sensor, meter plug, motion sensor and siren, “ASUS Smart Home” will be on the retailer market in late year 2015. The series is based on Zigbee, featuring easy DIY installation. Jim Yeh, senior director of ASUS smart home team, highlights the smart door lock. “DL100 has the intrusion sensor in the key hole. Users receive immediate notifications on their mobile phone, when the lock senses intrusion attempts. So as the motion sensors.” Users can unlock the door by NFC touch, Zigbee remote controlling, passwords and the traditional key. With the aesthetic design, HG100, the brain of ASUS Smart Home coordinates the devices via Zigbee, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It embeds Miracast function which turns the TV into the multimedia center at home. The series also features the free scenario settings to achieve the better intelligent performance according to users’ need. For example, “when the sensor detects unusual motions, the system triggers the AiCam and video recording on the cloud,” Yeh said. AiCam is ASUS home camera launched earlier in year 2015. According to Yeh, the retailer price of ASUS Smart Home has not been set, but the series will be sold in the kit box and single product separately. Not just the retailer channels, “we are also talking to B2B channels such as telcos and MSOs. The discussions have been taking places in ASUS.”

For users who have been enjoying ASUS notebooks, smart phones or its IT solutions, you now have new gadgets to try. The brand debuts its first-ever smart home series.

DL100

HG100, the brain of ASUS Smart Home.

AS100 Alarm Sensor generates a loud sonic alert that can be triggered by any compatible sensors.

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 63

Viewpoint

Lack of standardization and interoperability discourages consumers to accept the new and convenient technology. James Yih, General Manager, Full Enterprise Corp.

By Weili Lin

Full Enterprise Fulfills Smart Home Demands with One-Stop Shopping

ensure all devices at home to be communicable with one another.

Four Major Pillars

Full Enterprise believes smart home is built by four smart home categories, power and light control devices, communication, sensors and new applications. The company thinks smart plugs and light switches are the fundamental parts in the smart home with the highest demand in terms of shipment Established in 1984, Full Enterprise Corporation is a Taiwan-based volume. Its portfolios comprise light switch, in-wall company with factories in Taipei, Taiwan, and Kunshan, Jiangsu, and external power plug, and strips. To facilitate China. With more than 30 years of experiences in manufacturing home automation and security, the company has networking products and power supplies, the company entered the developed security and safety sensors, cameras and smart home industry by offering smart switches in 2010. Nowadays, light bulbs. the company’s product lineup covers home automation, energy Full Enterprise believes the gateway is the center of management and security systems, distributed through DIY channels the smart home when talking about the home control. and system integrators. James Yih, General Manager of Full Enterprise The company offers the complete communications Corp. shared his observation on the smart home industry and the solutions supporting mainstream home networking strategies to stand out from others. standards, such as Z-Wave, ZigBee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Yih considers the smart home fueling over the next few years. To be and RF433MHz. For the DIY home use, the company competitive and unique in this promising market, Yih expresses the emphasizes on wireless technologies, and sees the company's strategy—to create intelligent products for the growing bright future of Bluetooth technology. energy-saving market with intelligent data analysis. Yih pointed Yih added, “Wearables and healthcare are two out the challenges to hurdle the growth for the market. “Lack of promising applications to the IoT industry in the standardization and interoperability discourages consumers to accept following years besides connected cars and robots. We the new and convenient technology,” explained Yih. It’s essential to believe Bluetooth is one of the dominant technologies for wearables used for healthcare and personal safety.” Full Enterprise provides oneHe added, “In the near future, we could see robots being used for the elderly care.”

stop shopping services for smart home buyers with flexible form factors and a wide array of products. The company offers modular designs to fit in different spaces and meet various requirements with reduced costs. Facing the fragmented market, the company offers the solutions supporting major communication standards, including ZigBee, Z-Wave, WiFi, Bluetooth and RF433MHz to fulfill the various market requirements.

64 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

Potential Markets As an export-oriented company, the company’s major export destinations are Europe, the US, Southeast Asia and India. Its customer base consists of power plugs, mobile phone companies, and utilities. Seeing ASEAN as an emerging market to watch, the company works with distributors and importers to further expand its presence there. At present, its products are adopted by local system integrators and telecom operators in the region. Yih indicated, “The ASEAN accounts for around 1/10 of global population. After Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is settled, the region will contribute to 1/3 of global GDP.” As one of major suppliers of wired home automation solutions for builders and system integrators, the company added wireless products for its DIY customers. Its products are delivered to system integrators and available at the retail stores, accounting for 80 percent and 20 percent respectively. Yih believes DIY products are promising with high growth rate in the coming years.

Viewpoint

We choose ZigBee because of its stable ability in transmission, Will Hu, prodct manager of Haier Computer Solutions Department.

By Evelyn Yang

Haier U+ Smart Home Vision Integrates Now and Future Founded in 1984, Haier is one of the biggest home appliances and consumer electronics manufacturers in China.The company is dedicated to designing smart and user friendly products worldwide for the company vision. In addition, based on the insight of growing IoT market, Haier is also one of the earliest Chinese companies to enter the smart home industry with the original niche background. Demonstrating smart home solution with Internet-connected appliances (Internet of Services) and its U+ Smart home system and Smart Life ecosystem, Haier is working on connecting original product lineup with the new IoT era.

U+ Smart Home Solution The system includes gateway, door and window sensor, smart plug, smart lamp, water level sensor and multifunctional sensor. The smart gateway applies ZigBee protocol. “We choose ZigBee because of its stable ability in transmission,” commented Will Hu, product manager of Haier Computer Solutions Department. “Now we prefer to sell a

There are many resources already available on the platform, including Baidu, Huawei and Qualcomm for completing the ideal system.

whole system, furthermore, we keep on launching a range of smart cloud products like refrigerators, washing machines, TVs or other smart products in the System.” The air purifier is named Air Cube and Air Box. The Air Cube is used for purification, dehumidification, humidification, and fragrance. The Air Box detects the IAQ (harmful VOC gases and PM2.5), temperature and humidity. As being a conjunction with smart air conditioners, the device can control conventional air conditioners and purifiers for improving air quality at home.

Haier U+ Smart Life App In order to provide the Smart home solution, Haier U+ smart home app plays a role as a customized gateway collection. Through personified communication between devices and users, indistinct identification and Big Data analyzation enable users to control home appliances at anytime and anywhere. When users get home and open the door, the system will automatically transfer to home mode and disarm security devices at the same time. While sensors are triggered by unusual situations, devices will react and the system will send users push notifications with related information. Haier enables the interconnection and information sharing between devices of different categories and models, but it also allows connection to different resources for the cloud service. Haier welcomes related manufactures to join this smart home ecosystem. “U+ system will provide open service and share abundant resource benefits with partners. There are many resources already available on the platform, including Baidu, Huawei and Qualcomm for completing the ideal system,” Hu added. The open platform consists of hardware, software and service, offering open API. Third-parties and makers are able to develop hardware, software and service for their customers.

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Viewpoint

Z-Wave's mesh network technology requires low bandwidth, energy and computing power, fitting for most smart home devices. Peter Huang, Regional Product Marketing Director, Sigma Designs (Asia) Ltd. Taiwan Branch

By Weili Lin

Sigma Designs Brings Z-Wave to IoT with New Development Kits

mainstream and accessible. From the industry’s perspective, large industry players like AT&T, BT, Orange have entered the market to seek new services and revenue streams. Operators’ push is another major driving force. Telco and security companies have entered the market aggressively since 2010, driving the growth of the home control market.

New Demand, New Solutions Sigma Designs introduced new development kits and software solutions for a higher level of interoperability with expected device functionality. The company also pointed out the market drivers for the sizzling smart home market.

Previously, Z-Wave developers design products with binary files. Since 2015, Z-Wave Alliance provides open source codes of middleware to authorized members for customize designs. Facing surging demand of cloud applications, Z-Wave Alliance and Sigma Designs offers solutions to put Z-Wave data to Market Drivers for $10 Billion Market the IP layer, and introduces two development kits to The global smart home market scale is forecast to surpass US$10 billion shorten development timeline. in 2015. Peter Huang, Regional Product Marketing Director of Sigma Huang explained two major remote control Designs (Asia) Ltd. Taiwan Branch indicated the market is heating up with technologies—P2P and connectivity through proxy explosive growth over the past three to four years. First of all, consumers servers. The traditional proprietary system provides are ready and willing to spend money on the devices and services. local control via a home controller like home hub at Secondly, smartphones and tablets, becoming the more affordable and home, and remote control via P2P technology. For data easily accessible smart home controllers, boost the market penetration and behavior analysis and prediction, it is necessary to and enable the easier control over smart home devices. “Previously, the put all the data to the cloud. All the controls are done traditional control panels cost FOB $20,000, and the end-user price could via the cloud platform. It requires the proxy server, cost as high as NT$100,000,” Huang mentioned. With the technologies or so-called cloud server, to perform the task. It can evolving and getting mature, home control solutions are becoming truly realize the smart home concept as what Nest does. Users don’t have to set up or control smart home Over 35 million Z-Wave devices all the time. Huang indicated that it requires stable network infrastructure and chipsets are deployed full coverage locally. worldwide. There are over Sigma Designs released Embedded Development Kit and Controller Development Kit, 1,300 Z-Wave enabled home leveraging Z-Wave over IP (Z/IP) software early this year for the development of Z-Wave devices and 150 Z-Wave controllers and end-devices. The Embedded Development Kit is designed for enddevice manufacturers. devices, such as remotes, sensors, switches, door locks, lights, sensors and thermostats, The Z-Wave sales value is running on RF868, 908 and 920 MHz. The solution provides quick prototyping with expected to grow 50 percent embedded sample applications and Z-Wave RF modules. It also provides framework, for in 2016. building new software applications, to modularize the codes with predefined applications for easy task deployment. The versatile development modules enable easy hardware prototyping. The Controller Development Kit is a Linux-based reference design for both in-home and cloud based services. The Z/IP Gateway is included with a host build environment in Ubuntu Linux creating targets for the TI BeagleBone Black. It utilizes TI’s BeagleBone Black platform to create an open platform. It contains both the Z/IP Gateway and Z-Ware offering as full source code releases, for developing or modifying Z-Wave controllers. It can be applied to gateways, portals, televisions, set-top boxes, and additional consumer electronics products and services.

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Z/IP Gateway and Z-Wave Portal With Z-Wave Gateway, developers can design solutions based on P2P technology. Z/IP Gateway is an application that handles all communication between Z-Wave and Z-Wave for IP in a similar way that a home router handles the communication between the home PC and the internet. The Z/ IP Gateway allows polling from multiple connected Z/IP clients such as tablets, PCs and smart phones. With its Z/IP Gateway and Z-Wave for CE SDK, P2P remote control is enabled with nearly no latency and fast data transmission. Z/IP Gateway provides instructions on compiling for various platforms, and full explanation of each API. Developers can build the application code directly without referring to the source code. With the sample codes that run on Ubuntu O/ S and BBB platform, the developers can know how to utilize the libraries to perform Z-Wave functions like ZIPGW discovery, adding / removing node, controlling nodes. Z-Ware C library contains a C API that can connect to a Z/IP Gateway and discover all connected Z-Wave devices exposing them as software objects. Besides, it converts the C API into Serialize ZIP commands and sends them to Z/IP Gateway. The Z-Ware Portal is a reference solution on hosting a Z-Wave Web program on an open source Server, connect to the Z-Ware C lib and eventually connect to the Z/IP Gateway to access Z-Wave devices remotely. Different UIs are available for TVs,

smartphones and tablets. It also features iOS & Android Web Renderer—source code to create a full screen UI on the iOS & Android device. The Z-Ware portal binaries can be installed directly on Ubuntu OS.

Future-Proof Technology In comparison with other low-power wireless technologies, Z-Wave technology adopts sub-1 GHz frequency featuring less interference for stable connectivity. Besides, Huang said, “in smart homes, interoperability and backward compatibility are also important. The newly-developed Z-Wave products now can even be backward compatible with the 1st Z-Wave certified products launched in 2004.” Eric Cheng, Business Development and Tech Manager of Sigma Designs (Asia) Ltd. Taiwan Branch said, “Z-Wave features interoperability. You can buy one Z-Wave door locks from one of seven different companies and they all communicate with one another. It provides competitive price, resilience of supply and future proof products. Consumers can purchase what they want from the retail stores like New Egg or Home Depot without thinking of interoperability. For product manufacturers, they can just focus on the know-how and produce the single product for different application markets.” Huang added, “Z-Wave’s mesh network technology requires low bandwidth, energy and computing power, fitting for most smart home devices.” Z-Wave technology features low-power battery-to-battery operation, ideal for battery-powered sensors. The technology is designed to for whole-home mesh network coverage, supporting up to 231 devices per network. Each node works as a repeater. Huang commented, “developers should put more emphasis on the application layer and user-centered scenario designs to meet the consumers’ demands.

Reference design of Z-Wave Portal for routers to connect to the cloud Main features of Z-Wave Security

Native IPv6

Low-power

• AES128 bit encryption • Secure public key exchange • Hardware implementation

• Each node can be a relay • No need of coordinator • Lifeline minimize NW traffic for group reporting • Each end point can assign an IP, can be pinged

• Battery-to-battery network • Ideal for battery operation • 1uA standby, 30mA RX/TX

Z-Wave employs Sub-1 GHz frequency band: U 908/916 MHz E 865~869 MHz H 919~923 MHz Auto Baud Rate (ABR)

<Source: Sigma Designs>

North America, partial Latin America EU, CN, IN, RU, ZA, South East Asia HK, TW, KR, JP, BR 9.6Kbps/40Kbps/100Kbps <Source: Sigma Designs>

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Viewpoint

Gemtek offers reference designs of battery-powered IP cameras for spy, sports and doorbell cameras. By Weili Lin

Gemtek Offers IP Cameras and Cloud Gateways for Smart Home and City Its IR Extender can replace all remote controllers, and update IR codes on the cloud servers from the app on the smartphone. The TD-LTE Data/ WiFi Cloud Gateway features multiple wireless connectivity technologies, such as 3G, LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, NFC, and optional Z-Wave for connecting IoT sensors at home. The users can access the Cloud Gateway from their mobile devise, with the application developed by its Android / iOS library SDK.

IP Camera Reference Designs Gemtek offers reference designs of battery-powered IP cameras for spy, sports and doorbell cameras.Gemtek offers reference designs of battery-powered IP cameras for spy, sports and doorbell cameras.Gemtek offers reference designs of battery-powered IP cameras for spy, sports and doorbell cameras. They feature power management IC, HD 720p resolution, echo cancellation for clear audio, 3AA batteries for battery life of half to 1 year, high-power IR LED for night vision, 150-degree wide angle and waterproof designs.

Gemtek provides TD-LTE Data/Wi-Fi Cloud Gateway, ZigBee IR gateway, and IP camera reference designs for smart home solutions, and IoT gateway for smart grid application.

â&#x2013;˛ Battery-base IP camera structure

Besides, the company provides a DSP-based IP cam solution. The architecture uses Wi-Fi as the client, and video processor for all processing. With the built-in hub supporting Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, the IP camera can connect to sensors. In addition, it also provides I.C.E 360 and I.C.E mini IP cameras. The I.C.E 360 features triple lenses, waterproof case and battery docking station. The camera offers 360-degree surround view, cloud video recording (CVR), MT7620N chipset and OV788 video processor. The singlelens IP camera I.C.E mini features HD resolution and CVR under development. Its smart devices support scenario design by linking IP camera, control box and sensors together. All functional control and settings of different events are provided, including triggering certain devices under different scenarios. For example, the open door will trigger the IP cam to take a photo and send it to all binding users. When the indoor temperature is too high, the binding users will get the notification, and fan will automatically switch on. Lights will turn on at 5pm and turn off at 10pm from Monday to Friday.

IoT Gateway for Smart City Its IoT AP/gateway for smart grids, offered to utilities, connects with gas and electric meters. The AP can be configured to work in repeater mode for last mile coverage, and supports cloud service for easy deployment. It is claimed to be cost effective for service providers to deploy this for sensor networks than to deploy a GPRS network for sensor network applications. It is designed for wide-area smart city applications. The gateway, to be released by the end of June, supports LoRa and features low power consumption with around 10 years of battery life.

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Focus

mARt plUG KeepS Home eNeRGY USAGe IN CHeCK

With all the pluggedin devices at home, one may sometimes forget to turn the devices off before leaving home, which can lead to stress, waste of energy, or even fire hazards. At other times, one may just want to be able to control home appliances remotely for convenience and comfort, such as turning on the coffee machine before getting out of bed, or lighting up the house before entering. Smart plugs offer just such opportunity.

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With smart plugs, users can remotely control most of their home appliances to get peace of mind and the feeling that things are under control. Furthermore, smart plugs also allow users to monitor the energy consumption of their appliances to help save money. For instance, users can find out which appliances are the most power-hungry and reduce their usage accordingly.

A compact form factor is desired when it comes to smart plugs. A bulky smart plug may block the adjacent outlet, resulting in loss of an available outlet. To address this issue, companies like iHome have designed their smart plugs to fit over a single outlet. If one outlet is not enough, ConnectSense offers a dual outlet smart plug that comes with two outlets and supports individualized control for each outlet. Consumers can find smart plugs supporting different protocols on the market. For example, smart plugs supporting Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, or Z-Wave connectivity. For Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled smart plugs, only a smartphone is needed for setup and operation in most cases—no computers or hubs are necessary. However, for ZigBee and Z-Wave smart plugs, a hub is required as the brain of the system. For example, the ZigBee-based SmartThings SmartPower Outlet requires a SmartThings hub.

EASy SEtup A MuSt for SMArt plugS Easy setup is a must for smart plugs to encourage adoption, and it is usually done with the app provided. In many cases, the app guides users through a step-by-step setup process, where it is desirable to have as few steps as possible. Other than having a userfriendly and intuitive interface for setup, it is also important that the plugs can easily connect to the Wi-Fi networks or the hubs, and that the connections remain stable. Once setup is complete, users can start to enjoy the freedom of automating their homes without being restricted by location, such as controlling their coffee machine in the kitchen from their bedroom or office.

CoMMon fEAturES Common features of smart plugs include real-time energy usage monitoring, energy usage reports, scheduling, status alerts via push notifications or email, and LED light for status indication. Real-time energy usage monitoring can help users understand how much power is being drawn by a particular device, thus giving them the opportunity to take actions such as to reduce or eliminate usage of that particular device. Energy usage reports can show usage history for the past day, week, or month, and graphs are often used for easy visualization. For scheduling, users can set their smart plugs to turn on/off at specific times. For example, turn the lights on when the family goes on vacation to pretend someone were home for enhanced home security. Some plugs are equipped with safety mechanisms to make homes safer. D-Link’s Wi-Fi Smart Plug DSP-W215 supports thermal protection via its builtin thermal sensor, and it can turn off overheating appliances automatically. With multiple plugs, scene setting is also possible, where several plugs can be grouped to create scenes.

VoiCE Control, triggErS, ifttt intEgrAtion Besides the features mentioned above, some smart plugs also offer other interesting features like voice control, triggers, and IFTTT integration. With HomeKit integration, smart plugs like ConnectSense Smart Outlet and iHome iSP5 SmartPlug support voice control using Siri. Furthermore, Users can also control HomeKit-enabled accessories with Siri. Triggers and IFTTT integration appear to be promising features for the future due to the fact that they can greatly expand on the applications of smart plugs. Take SmartThings SmartPower Outlet for example, the outlet supports triggers, and when used with SmartSense Motion, users can set the outlet to turn the lights on/off based on motion detected. Belkin WeMo Switch, which is part of the WeMo collection of products designed to work with each other, is compatible with IFTTT. IFTTT allows users to create ‘Recipes’ that connect apps, websites and devices to perform tasks as defined. For instance, users can use the IFTTT Weather Channel to trigger the light to turn on when the sun sets. With all the apps, websites and devices that are already around, IFTTT can potentially be a very powerful service for delivering a wealth of new applications. While it is not clear just yet what role smart plugs will play in the smart home in relation to other devices for the future, for now at least, smart plugs will continue to help homeowners better manage and stay on top of their energy use to save both energy and money. In this feature, we have compiled 14 smart plugs from Asia, North America and Europe.

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Focus

AsiA D-Link mydlink Wi-Fi Smart Plug DSP-W215 • On/Off scheduling • Local and remote control – Users can instantly turn the devices on/off with the free mydlink Home app from a smartphone or tablet • Simple setup – It can be easily connected to existing Wi-Fi with WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup button) • Thermal protection via a built-in thermal sensor that will automatically turn off overheating appliances • Energy usage statistics for power consumption monitoring of connected devices • Wi-Fi connectivity – Requires no additional hub or device; works with any Wi-Fi network D-Link Taiwan sales@dlink.com

VAE Vision ZL7261 Smart Plug • EU, FR, IT versions available • Power meter to remotely switch on and off home appliances and monitor power usage • Auto inclusion after power on • Press the button 3 times within 2 seconds for including or excluding • LED indicators display power status • Maximum Loading: 16 Amp • Input Voltage: 90-230 VAC Vision-Elec. Technology Taiwan business@visionsecurity.com.tw

Edimax Smart Plug Switch with Power Meter SP-2101W • Easy wireless installation with a smartphone or tablet – No additional hardware required • Supports remote on/off control from an iPhone, iPad or Android device • Automated power usage reports & email alerts • Automatic budget control • Real time power data and history with daily, weekly & monthly statistics • iOS and Android apps Edimax Taiwan marketing@edimax.com.tw

POWERTECH Wi-Fi Smart Plug

DAS Technology EZSwitch • No hubs or gateways required • Ease of use – Just plug the EZSwitch into an outlet and download the free app to start controlling the smart devices at home directly over Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G network • Supports schedule setting and customized notifications • Voltage measurement for users to monitor and control power consumption DAS Technology Taiwan adamwu@das.com.tw

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• Sends notifications when preset situations or events happen • Over/under voltage, over current, overheat, and surge protection for enhanced safety • Built-in preset rules for specific home appliances • Allows users to control home appliances while away from home • Supports schedule and timer setting for home automation POWERTECH Taiwan sales@power-tech.com.tw

Focus

North AmericA Visible Energy UFO Power Center • Real–time feedback — Understands the energy each individual electrical devices uses and its cost • Socket schedules — Automatically turns off appliances when not in use • Socket roles — Automatically turns on appliances when needed • Socket timers — Starts appliances at off–peak times • iPhone and iPad interfaces — Easy to use, no PC needed • Wi-Fi connectivity — Connects to existing wireless home network, no additional gateway needed • IP device – Connects to Visible Energy Web Portal for software upgrade over the Internet • Free EnergyUFO app Visible Energy USA info@visiblenergy.com

Belkin WeMo Insight Switch • Allows users to monitor electronics’ usage/cost and receive custom notifications • Users can turn electronics on or off remotely • Supports scheduling or can have the devices respond to sunset and sunrise • Works on multiple smart devices simultaneously • Works with existing home Wi-Fi network and mobile Internet (3G/4G) • Modular system for easily adding more switches at any time • Works with the entire family of Belkin WeMo products and IFTTT • Free WeMo App (Android & iOS) Belkin International USA www.belkin.com

iHome iSP5 SmartPlug • Wi-Fi enabled • Works with Apple HomeKit • Users can control their HomeKit-enabled accessories with voice using Siri directly from their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch • iHome Control app for smartphones – users can control music, lights, fans, heaters and more with one tap verbal command • Apple and Android apps available soon (Apple: iOS 8.1 or later; Android: Jelly Bean 4.2 or later) SDI Technologies USA ihomeaudiointl.com

ConnectSense Smart Outlet • Comes with two Wi-Fi enabled electrical outlets that users can control and monitor separately • Works with Apple HomeKit and allows users to control HomeKit-enabled accessories using Siri on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. • Provides advanced security with end-to-end encryption and authentication • Users can install and configure the Smart Outlet with the ConnectSense app • Users can turn on and off any plug-in device with voice • 2.4A USB charging port supports rapid charging for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 plus, and iPads, while freeing up an outlet and eliminating multiple chargers • ZigBee-enabled for communicating with other sensors and devices while also acting as a functional gateway for all other smart devices Grid Connect USA www.connectsense.com

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North AmericA Leviton Decora Z-Wave Controls 15-Amp Plug-In Appliance Module DZPA1-1LW • Z-Wave enabled universal appliance module designed for use for most residential lighting and motor applications • Supports 5A LED/CFL, 15A incandescent, halogen and magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, fluorescent, and motor loads up to 1/2 horse power • Fully compatible with the Wink Hub as well as all other certified Z-Wave controllers • Scene capable • Compatible with Z-Wave Network Wide Inclusion, Beaming and Security • Transient surge suppression built-in • Not for use with Vizia RF+ systems Leviton USA www.leviton.com

SmartThings SmartPower Outlet • ZigBee-based • Allows users to control lights, electronics, and small appliances from their smartphones • Lights can be triggered to automatically turn on when someone comes home, and turn off when the person leaves • Users can use their smartphone to power things like coffee machines, Crock-Pots, and blenders • Users can save energy by restricting power to electronics or appliances • Sends alerts if lights or electronics were accidentally left on SmartThings USA www.smartthings.com

Zuli Smartplug

Digi XBee Smart Plug ZigBee

• Zuli Presence – any room with a Zuli Smartplug will know when the user is there and instantly adapt to personal lighting and temperature preferences (requires three or more Zuli Smartplugs) • Supports control from the Zuli app (iOS) • Dimming for every light • Scheduling for lights and appliances • Shows energy consumption at a glance • Supports Bluetooth Smart for simple setup (no hubs, router configuration or 4 digit pairing necessary) and direct communication between Smartplugs and users’ smartphones Zuli USA support@zuli.io

• Intelligent wireless energy management device • Extends the range and strength of a ZigBee network • Creates additional network pathways for more reliable mesh networking • Plugs into a standard power outlet for easy setup • Small form factor for unobtrusive deployment • Integrated current and ambient light sensors Digi USA www.digi.com

europe

Eneco Toon Slimme Stekker • Provides insight into consumption and costs of individual devices or a group of devices • Supports control via the ‘Toon op Afstand’ and ‘Toon op Tablet’ apps • LED ring for showing how much power is consumed— color changes when consumption increases, and light flashes when the maximum load (2.5 kW) is exceeded Eneco Netherlands www.eneco.nl

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News

What happened Smart home news highlights from May to July 2015

CORPORATE

Avago Technologies to Acquire Broadcom for $37 Billion Avago Technologies and Broadcom Corporation announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Avago will acquire Broadcom in a cash and stock transaction that values the combined company at $77 billion in enterprise value. Upon completion of the acquisition, the combined company will have the most diversified communications platform in the semiconductor industry, with combined annual revenues of approximately $15 billion.

CORPORATE

CSR and SK Telecom Launch Smart Lighting Beacon with CSRmesh CSR plc announced that its CSRmesh technology has been used by SK Telecom to enable a range of smart LED lightbulbs which also function as Bluetooth Smart beacons networked together using CSRmesh. The intelligent CSRmesh lighting system will allow an almost unlimited number of smart lightbulbs to be simply controlled and networked together in-store while also enabling location-based special offers and targeted information to smartphone users. CSRmesh enables Bluetooth low energy devices not only to receive and act upon messages, but also to repeat those messages to surrounding devices thus extending the range of Bluetooth Smart and turning it into a mesh network for the Internet of Things.

CORPORATE

Apollo Enters Security Sector via Acquisitions of Protection 1 and ASG Security Protection 1 announced it has signed definitive agreements to be acquired by funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management. Funds managed by affiliates of Apollo also announced the concurrent signing of definitive agreements to acquire Marylandâ&#x20AC;? based ASG Security, which will be combined with Protection 1. The newly created company, which will continue to operate under the Protection 1 brand, enables Apollo to enter the security monitoring industry by generating $40 million in monthly recurring revenue and total annual revenue well in excess of $500 million.

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On yOur smart phOne. Scan the QR code or see mySMAhome.com/news for more info.

CORPORATE

Essence and Assa Abloy's Yale Brand Partner to Enrich Smart Home Offerings

Essence, a provider of M2M, cloud-based connectedliving solutions, and Assa Abloy, the provider of door opening solutions and parent company of Yale, have partnered to combine Essence's connected home solution, WeR@Home, with Yale's smart locks. Essence's WeR@Home multi-service platform, which provides home security, safety, and remote home management, quickly and easily integrates with Yale Z-Wave smart locks. Consumers will be able to directly program their lock via any Internetsupporting device with the WeR@Home application from any location, managing home access remotely or onsite, including the use of virtual keys to allow others' permanent or temporary home access.

CORPORATE

Qihoo 360 and Huayuan Group Pioneer to Build China's Intelligent Real Estate Community Qihoo 360, China's Internet security software provider, and Huayuan Group, one of China's real-estate developers, have formed a strategic partnership to promote the adoption of smart home and security technologies in China's real-estate market. Under the agreement, Qihoo 360 will design and provide intelligent home security products and management systems for Huayuan's realestate developments. These will include intelligent surveillance cameras, security routers, location- and healthtracking wearables, electrical appliance safety alarms, intelligent gas and fire alarms, and other devices to help Huayuan improve and optimize existing security systems and establish new intelligent home security management systems.

CORPORATE

Samsung Adds SIGFOX Internet of Things Protocol to Its New Samsung ARTIK Platform and Invests in IoT Pioneer SIGFOX announced the integration of its Internet of Things (IoT) network protocol in the new Samsung ARTIK platform and Samsung Ventures’ investment in the company. The integration is designed to extend the costeffective and energy-efficient benefits of the network to the Samsung ARTIK developers designing IoT products and services around the world. The integration will allow developers to quickly activate the network through a simple cloud connectivity subscription.

CORPORATE

Marvell’s Latest IoT Solutions for Google Brillo, HomeKit and BT 5.0 Indoor Navigation Marvell Technology Group demoed its smart home solutions applied for Apple’s HomeKit, ZigBee smart lighting and Google’s Brillo gateway. Marvell’s IoT platform offers full HomeKit support to hardware manufacturers for smart plugs, network camera, gateway, thermostat, fans, smart watering controllers, water heaters, smart locks, air conditioners and etc. Marvell’s SDK for HomeKit includes EZ-Connect IoT platform with 88MC200 microcontroller, Avastar 88W8801 Wi-Fi SoC and EZ-Connect software. The Marvell 88MC200 microcontroller is designed for smart devices, including heating and cooling systems, household appliances, lighting controls, smart-meters, sensors, and irrigation systems. Now its partners include Onida, Broadlink, Whirpool, Blossom, Voyce, Rheem, August and so on.

Apple Becomes Promoter Member of Bluetooth SIG The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) announced that Apple has become a Promoter member of the Bluetooth SIG. Current Promoter members also include Ericsson, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Nokia, and Toshiba. Promoter members are the sole voting class on Bluetooth SIG corporate matters and hold a continual seat on the SIG Board of Directors. The Bluetooth SIG is comprised of 10 board companies, over 26,000 member companies and a professional staff who collaborate to build the next generation of Bluetooth technology.

CORPORATE

Emerson Partners with WeatherBug to Upgrade Sensi Thermostats Emerson and WeatherBug are partnering to leverage big weather data and the Internet of Things to help consumers stay comfortable, save money and conserve energy no matter the weather. Consumers in Texas using the Sensi Wi-Fi Programmable Thermostat from Emerson can now take advantage of WeatherBug Home, a software upgrade that optimizes connected thermostats based on the latest weather conditions, at no additional cost.

TECHNOLOGY

CEA, LONMARK Announce Two New Home & Building Automation Standards The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and LONMARK International announced two new standards available for home and building automation. These standards provide multiple parties including, users, developers, vendors, integrators and specifiers of open building control systems a mechanism to develop and deliver a higher level of device-to-device interoperability using any open control networking communication platform.

CORPORATE

Amazon Introduced Alexa Voice Service and ASK for Voice Control Amazon announced Alexa Voice Service (AVS), the cloud-based voice service that powers Amazon Echo, a new category of device designed around your voice. Hardware developers can use the Alexa Voice Service (AVS) to integrate Alexa into their Internet-connected devices with only a few lines of code. No experience with natural language understanding or speech recognition is required.

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News

CORPORATE

Nortek Security & Control Acquires Health and Wellness Technology Business from Numera Nortek Security & Control LLC, a Nortek, Inc. company and a group in the residential and commercial security and smart control markets, announced it acquired mobile personal emergency response system (mPERS) and telehealth business assets from privately held Numera, Inc. Headquartered in Seattle, Numera creates best-in-class, easily implemented, mobile PERS products and cloud-based software platforms that enable providers and healthcare-related companies to create new safety and health monitoring services for their customers.

TECHNOLOGY

Silicon Labs Introduces DualMode Bluetooth Smart Ready Module BT121 Silicon Labs unveiled a dual-mode Bluetooth Smart Ready module BT121 that gives embedded developers flexibility to integrate both Bluetooth Smart and Bluetooth Basic Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR) wireless technologies while minimizing design time, cost and complexity. BT121 is ideal for applications requiring connectivity to legacy devices that only support Bluetooth BR/EDR, as well the latest applications using Bluetooth Smart such as connected home, health and fitness, wearables and point-of-sale terminals.

CORPORATE

TI’s SimpleLink SensorTag Connects Sensors to Cloud in Less Than Three Minutes Texas Instruments (TI) introduced the next-generation SimpleLink SensorTag, a new development kit that enables easy and quick integration of sensor data with wireless cloud connectivity. The SensorTag kits come with ready-to-use protocol stacks, free Code Composer Studio integrated development environment (IDE) license, online training and 24/7 online TI E2E community support. In addition, TI's cloud-based software development tools provide instant access to examples, documentation, software and even an integrated development environment (IDE) all from the convenience of the web.

CORPORATE

Panasonic to Open “Wonder Life-BOX” to Display Future Lifestyles Panasonic will open a showcase that presents the company’s global communications hub for linking Panasonic and its customers. Looking ahead to social challenges and megatrends to come, the Wonder Life-BOX will present a concrete vision of future lifestyles from a daily life perspective. While offering the latest information via the Wonder Life-BOX, Panasonic will develop new business partners and establish new business models based on feedback from customers who experienced firsthand the future lifestyles in the showcase.

TECHNOLOGY

ABI Research: Combo ICs to Take 12% of the 802.15.4 Market by 2019 The 802.15.4 wireless connectivity market is set to continue its transition towards IP-enabled solutions, increasing from 6% of the market in 2015 to over 30% by 2019, finds ABI Research. Alongside this, the market share of combo ICs from the total shipments of 802.15.4 chips is set to grow from 1% to over 12%. Emerging IPenabled networking technologies such as Thread are expected to take a significant proportion of the 802.15.4 market, while the recent collaboration to enable the ZigBee Cluster Library to run over Thread networks will bring about a more rapid development process and provide a boost to 802.15.4 chipset shipments as a whole.

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TECHNOLOGY

Renesas Introduces IoT Enabler Kit as an Application Development Shortcut Renesas Electronics America introduced the IoT Enabler Kit – a jointly developed demonstration platform with Arrow Electronics, Bug Labs, and NimbeLink that will support developers in bringing designs from concept to cloud more quickly, efficiently, and reliably for connected home, healthcare, industrial building, and other IoT applications. The platform enables developers to freely access remotely deployed edge sensors, peripherals and MCU I/O pins in real time via a standard, RESTful API. It also allows users to access the on-board peripherals, develop custom applications using simple APIs, and customize the dashboard using popular web programming languages like Python, Javascript and Ruby.

CORPORATE

Silicon Labs Simplifies IoT Connectivity with Thread Solution Silicon Labs introduced its anticipated Thread networking solution, delivering a software stack built upon years of mesh networking expertise and advanced mesh networking software development tools. Silicon Labs’ Thread solution offers developers a fast path to developing Thread-compliant products for the IoT including thermostats, wireless sensor networks, smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, connected lighting devices, control panels, wireless access points and gateways. Thread technology fills a critical gap in the IoT ecosystem by providing a standards-based, lowpower mesh networking solution based on Internet Protocol (IP), enabling reliable, secure and scalable Internet connectivity for battery-powered devices in the connected home.

CORPORATE

Z-Wave Frequency Extends Global Reach with Approvals in Caribbean and Latin American Markets Sigma Designs announces the availability of approved frequencies by the government bodies in 23 new territories. Spanning the Central and South American regions as well as parts of the Caribbean, Z-Wave frequencies are approved for use in the 23 countries and territories listed in the chart below. The rapid proliferation of the Z-Wave standard across the globe has increased demand for frequency availability in new regions. With recently announced milestones of 40 million Z-Wave IoT devices shipped worldwide and 1350 certified devices, the Z-Wave ecosystem continues to dominate the smart home and lifestyle security markets.

CORPORATE

Icontrol Networks Enters Israeli Market with Bezeq Partnership, Using Piper for Smart Home Platform Icontrol Networks announced that it is powering Bhome, a comprehensive smart home offering from Bezeq, Israel's telecommunications group. Bhome, based on Piper by Icontrol Networks, is a self-install, Wi-Fi-enabled All-In-One Home Security System that combines panoramic video, Z-Wave home automation and environmental sensors with mobile control. Bhome marks the first time Piper will be deployed as a platform for a service provider solution, highlighting its flexibility as both a B2C and B2B product.

TECHNOLOGY

Thread Wireless Networking Protocol Now Available The Thread Group announced the release of Thread, the new IP-based wireless networking protocol designed for low-power connected products in the home. Product developers who are members of the Thread Group can now access Thread technical specifications and documentation to build Thread-compliant products. Qualcomm Incorporated is joining the Thread Group Board of Directors. Qualcomm’s subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., has established a solid framework for interoperable connectivity and communications. The company is committed to delivering standards-based IP technologies and supporting open platforms that coexist and interoperate with a broad range of solutions.

Corrections: Issue 08, May / June 2015 FEATURE: 5 TARGETS International Sourcing Buyers Respond at SMAhome International Conference & Exhibition 2015 The article incorrectly attributed a quote to Tobias Anderson, Technical Manager of Smart Home at Proove. He did not say: “We base our buying decisions on technology — some Chinese companies only provide RF433/868 MHz, but it is too low-end for us. We think product quality is good here and our purpose is to buy Z-Wave products from SMAhome Expo to sell in Japan”. The quote was by Paul Spee, not Tobias Anderson. The online version of the article has been updated to reflect that. FOCUS: HOME KITS: A QUICK WAY TO KICKSTART THE SMART HOME The photo for Nortek Security & Control Home Security Suite was incorrect. The correct photo can be found at http:// goo.gl/wmb25Q

Include us in your media list. We want to know what you launch or are involved in smart home. Email your press releases to a&s SMAhome Editor: SMAhome-pr@newera.messefrankfurt.com

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 79

Product

Home Camera ASSMANN

DIGITUS Plug&View IP Camera info@assmann.com

• Wi-Fi IP camera series from 720P to 2MP, H.264 • Simple 3-step installation with P2P cloud services via iOS and Android apps (DIGITUS Plug&View) • HTTPS 128bit encrypted video streaming • HTML5 video streaming for plugin-less solution to allow smart home gateway to integrate easily without Active-X or VLC player • Local SD card for event recording and automatic backup to Google Drive • Supports sharing

StArVediA

IP Camera IC731z sales@starvedia.com

• Smart home solution on a camera (SoC) – IP camera with built-in smart home gateway and inclusion of Z-Wave aware sensors and devices • Pan: 320° / Tilt: 90° • Supports 802.11n standard and WPS • Supports 64G MicroSD card, Dropbox cloud storage (free 2G storage space) and NAS recording for data backup

GiGAFASt

IP Cam PC10 sales@gigafast.com

• Easy installation – Just connect the camera to a power source. No need for complicated Wi-Fi setup. • Eggcam App available for both Android and iOS devices • Based on HomePlug AV specification to allow full-home coverage

80 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

• Silicone base for adjustable camera angles • Records HD videos • Supports notifications • Can link up to 8 cameras throughout the house • 12 high-power infrared LEDs for night vision

energy management VStArcAM

WiFi Lamp AF820 sales@vstarcam.com

• True color light bulb with a selection of 1.6 million colors • Supports remote control using mobile phones • Eye protection • Low power consumption • Long lifespan • Supports Wi-Fi connectivity

AuMiliGht

Aumi

www.aumilight.com

• Bluetooth Connectivity: Bluetooth LE / Smart (iOS & Android) • Automatic: Sensors can be used to turn light on automatically when dark, or off when it’s daylight • Timer: Users can use timers to turn off or dim light, set reminders • Battery: Built-in rechargeable Lipo battery—up to 8 to 10 hours of light per charge. • Lighting: High-quality RGB LED’s with over 16 million color choices and adjustable brightness • Responsive: Users can manually adjust the brightness or turn the unit on and off with simple intuitive controls

gateWay & HUB Good WAy

FG3200 WiFi to Z-Wave Home Gateway

• Seamless interoperability – Compatible with 5 billion devices out of the box, allowing users to access content from any source and stream it to any device • Cross-platform support – Enables applications to work across platforms, including Android and iOS • Optimization & maintainability – Optimized for the best performance on all platforms and operating systems while ensuring that every module is always up to date and works with all hardware versions • Easy integration – Easy to be embedded in any third-party application or hardware

sales@goodway.com.tw

• Supports scenario setting for lighting and HVAC control • Allows easy monitoring of home activity via the Internet • Flexible SDK kit available for Linux system developers

Full eNterpriSe

ZigBee Gateway FR-H-01-UN-DU0222 fullbiz@fullcorp.net

• Compliant with ZigBee PRO (IEEE802.15.4), AES-128bit hardware encryption • Compliant with IEEE 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi MIMO 2T2R internal antenna • Wi-Fi data transfer speed: Up to 300Mbps • DC 5V / 2A input • Supports both AP and client modes • Supports Wi-Fi WPA-PSK / WPA2-PSK wireless security • Stylish 7-color LED indicator • Portable and compact design

SoFtWare tuxerA

AllConnect Software Development Kit (SDK)

HeaLtHCare GuidercAre

gcare 800

service@guidercare.com

• Supports time display, phone calls (answer, reject, or end calls), reminders, and SMS and MMS notifications (on mobile phones) • Location finder using GPS, GSM, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies • Geofencing: Users can define an area and be notified when watch wearers enter the area • Fall detection and emergency call • Tracks indoor activity of watch wearers and triggers alerts/notifications when abnormal activity patterns are detected • Guidercare Watch iOS & Android apps

sales@tuxera.com

• Serves as a platform that allows each and every device to communicate regardless of operating system and protocol July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 81

Product

Door reLateD huANSo

Wifi Video Door Phone CT568W sales@huanso.cn

• Users can see, talk to and open door for the visitor from their smartphone with Internet connection • Plays HD 720P video in 30 fps and audio smoothly in real-time • Wide viewing angle • Long Wi-Fi distance • Supports video recording • Waterproof with the metal exterior • Vivid colors • Full duplex

IntegrateD SyStem & KIt

ScieNtech electroNicS

Home Management System LS-X0 scientech@lifesos.com.tw

• Advanced wireless home management system • Uses IoT, cloud and big data analytics technologies • Free iOS and Android apps • Monitors temperature, humidity, air quality, power consumption, etc. • Users can view and control the system using a smart phone • Can identify lifestyle patterns using big data analysis

diNSAFe

MatiGard Air Smart Alarm System info@dinsafe.com

• Integrates IP camera, smart home system and smart alarm system into one system, one application • Easy to install – Installs in 5 minutes or less • Supports code scanning for pairing with accessories • Battery can last up to 24 months with low battery alert • Check before Arm – Automatically checks all the doors or windows before arm, and informs the system administrator which door or window is still open

iNterloGix

Simon XTi

presales@interlogix.com

• Self-contained security system with a simple, no button interface. All interaction occurs via a 3.5" color LCD w/graphical user interface (GUI) • 40 wireless zones — Two can be hardwired (normally-closed loop only) • Built-in PSTN 2-way voice capability (over GSM with optional module) • Supports both Crystal and SAW learn Mode Sensors, Repeaters • Supports 2-Way RF Products (version-specific) • Chime feature for monitoring door, window or motion activity • 1 master access code and 8 programmable user access codes of 3~6 digits • SIA or CID central station reporting formats and voice event notification reporting via PSTN (native) and/or optional GSM and IP modules 82 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

ASKey

QBee

hello@shiftcontrolplay.com

• Includes QBee Gateway, QBee Remote, Multi-Sensor Camera and Energy Control Switch • QBee Gateway—Android-based and allows users to play content from the built-in hard drive, any connected storage device or the Internet. • QBee Remote—Allows users to control the system and trigger scenes without having to switch the TV on • Multi-Sensor Camera and Energy Control Switch combine sensors for detecting movement, noise, temperature, light, humidity and energy • Users can define scenes where various devices work in sequences • All-in-one system for home entertainment and connected home

SEnSOR SenSative

Strips

info@sensative.com

• Ultra-thin wireless magnetic sensor measuring less than 3 mm • Can be mounted invisibly on most windows and doors between the window / door and its frame • Notifies users when something is left open or when something is opened or moved • Built-in battery with up to 10 years of battery life • Two-way Z-Wave communication: Strips can be connected to a Z-Wave gateway to be included into an existing smart home network

OTHER ayla networkS

Ayla Design Kit www.aylanetworks.com

• Gives manufacturers a fast path to securely connect their products to Ayla's cloud platform and application libraries • Hardware: Includes a STM 32 Host Microcontroller from ST Microelectronics, a Wi-Fi module from USI pre-loaded with Ayla's Embedded Agent, and a demo mobile app • Software: Allows access to microcontroller driver source, demo applications, and Ayla Mobile Application Libraries • Developer access: Allows access to Ayla's Developer Portal, a simple UI driven design that allows developers to build or modify templates for their products in the cloud in minutes • Support: Allows access to Ayla's support site, which contains the documentation and how-to guides for product development

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 83

Product

here

LifeBring

info.hereapps@gmail.com

• Includes B-Door and B-Tag • Users can stick the B-Door to the door, and place B-Tags on any objects they do not wish to lose • B-Tag will send an alert or sound an alarm when it moves out of range • Wireless connectivity: Bluetooth LE (BLE) • Operation range: 30 meters • Sleep mode for power saving • Users can search the missing objects with the mobile app within 30 meters

Good MiNd iNduStrieS

7460C Digital Wireless HDMI Sender sales@goodmind.com.tw

• Digital wireless HDMI sender featuring FHD 1080P A/V transmitter and receiver • Uses RF 2.4GHz band frequency hopping • HDMI signal 1080p output • Sends video to anywhere at home • Built-in remote relay function to control source from anywhere at home • Accepts all types of remote control codes • Transmission range up to 80 meters line • Supports wall mounting for professional users

philio

Z-Wave Scene Remote and Panic Button sales@philio-tech.com

• Z-Wave 500 series chip • Z-Wave PLUS Certified • 8 sets of scenario with remote control (indoor range: 40 meters) • Arm and Disarm mode for all connected Z-Wave sensors • Panic button—Wireless wearable device for healthcare and childcare • Low power consumption • Rechargeable Li-ion Battery that can last up to 1.5 years on one charge • Waterproof case and changeable front layer

84 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

SocA techNoloGy

SUR-800 UHF RFID Long Distance Reader sales@socatech.com

• UHF band • Automatic driveway recognition when combined with an access control system • Linearly polarized antenna. An external set of antenna can be added to extend range • LED display and buzzer • Waterproof • Double-coated (painted and galvanized) for rustproof properties and uses stainless steel screws • UV resistant outer case

Preview

Melbourne, australIa | august 25-27, 2015

Integrate expo 2015

Integrate Expo 2015

Integrate, an Australia-based event for leaders and professionals in the AV industry, will be held in Melbourne for the first time this year at Melbourne Exhibition and Conference Centre from August 25 to August 27. The show is a conduit for local and global brands to meet with buyers and distributors, while communicating new solutions to AV technicians and end users in Australia. In 2014, the event had 5,100 total visits with 4,180 visitors and 129 exhibitors. Integrate 2015 will showcase the AV industry’s new and innovative technologies with more than 500 leading brands bringing products to the interactive show floor. Integrate Event Manager, Soren Norgaard, said he was excited to bring an invigorated Integrate event to Melbourne and expects about 5000 AV industry professionals to attend. “The draw of Integrate is that it showcases the latest technologies in an environment where AV and other professionals, such as IT and facility managers, can interact with them up close so they can fully understand how they work to help them find the best AV solutions for their endusers,” Norgaard said. “As the industry’s largest event it is also the ideal platform for industry professionals to network with industry leaders and sharpen their skills and product knowledge.” Leading brands at this year’s event – including Hills, AMX, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony and Schneider Electric – will unveil the latest AV technology and solutions, from home automation, unified communication, digital displays, audio and entertainment technology and Core AV. In addition, the Integrate speaker series will cover industry trends and training, and feature leading industry experts from Telstra, Extron Electronics, Samsung, Philips among others. Event partner and international industry trade association, InfoComm International, will also be holding educational seminars for professionals looking to keep ahead in the fast-paced AV industry and gain industry

certification. Terry Friesenborg, Chief Global Officer at InfoComm International, said InfoComm is pleased to be part of the premier audiovisual trade show in Australia. "We look forward to offering unparalleled AV education, business information and networking opportunities alongside exhibits from the leading AV industry brands at Integrate in Melbourne,” Friesenborg said. “We had great exhibitor feedback from the 2014 event, however we have worked hard to bring an even stronger show to Melbourne this year to provide exhibitors and attendees with a cutting edge AV experiential event,” Norgaard said.

Dates: August 25-27, 2015 City: Melbourne, Australia Locations: Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre Website: integrate-expo.com Organizer: Diversified Communications Australia

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 85

Show Calendar

2015 WorldWide exhibitions and events related to smart home a&s smahome magazine will be distributing magazines at the checkmarked shows.

melboUrne, aUstralia Integrate

berlin, germany Ifa

Integrate is Australia's largest industry event for leaders and professionals in AV and Systems to 27 Integration. Partnering with InfoComm International and CEDIA, it is the leading industry forum that brings over 5,000 professionals together.

IFA is a global trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, presenting the latest products and innovations. to 9 IFA offers a comprehensive overview of the international market and attracting trade visitors from more than 100 countries each year. IFA is the main meeting place for key retailers, buyers, and experts from the industry and the media.

aug

• + 61 2 9275 9200 • integrate-expo.com

seP

• +49 (0) 30 3038 2220 • b2b.ifa-berlin.com

amsterdam, the netherlands IBc

boston, Usa Internet of thIngs securIty

IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) is the essential global meeting place for everyone engaged to 15 in creating, managing and delivering the future of electronic media and entertainment technology and content. The IBC Conference is held from Sep 10-14, 2015, whereas the IBC Exhibition is held from Sep 11-15, 2015.

An event focused on the security issues surrounding IoT and managing the information and data associated with the to 23 ever increasing amount of connected devices and appliances. Attracting senior decision makers and buyers, stakeholders and investors together under one roof. Internet of Things Security is a must attend event for any vendor wishing to break into this market or sustain their position as a leaderin this rapidly expanding sector.

seP

• +44 (0) 20 7832 4100 • www.ibc.org

seP

• +44 (0) 20 7017 5506 • iotsecurityevent.com

london, england smart home summIt

berlin, germany Internet of thIngs World euroPe

The Smart Home Summit will bring together the complete home automation ecosystem to discuss challenges in the to 30 smart home market, together with the multiple options for success in this market. Boasting an interactive, cutting edge agenda with visionary speaker line-up, the Smart Home Summit is the platform for global authorities to present their “how-to” strategy and vision for a smart future.

An IoT focused event that takes place in Berlin, the heart of the European App ecosystem. Internet of to 7 Things World Europe will attract the entire ecosystem together under one roof to build business relationships and learn from industry experts across two days. Attend Internet of Things World Europe and get updated on the latest trends and developments happening in this space.

• +44 (0) 330 335 3900 • www.smarthomesummit.net

• +44 (0) 20 7017 5506 • iotworldeurope.com

seP

oct

List your exhibitions here if they are related to smart home. Email your show profile, website and a 60-word introduction to a&s SMAhome Editor: SMAhome-pr@newera.messefrankfurt.com 86 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015

dallas, Usa cedIa eXPo 2015

seoUl, Korea Iot Korea eXhIBItIon 2015

CEDIA EXPO is the connecting point for manufacturers, home technology professionals, media, industry partners, and more. Attend to 17 the event to expand network, explore growth opportunities, inspire and be inspired alongside the industry’s leading experts and futurists. On top of gaining extraordinary access to the most visionary thinking, products and resources in the world, one will have the chance to receive in-depth training and earn industry-recognized certifications.

Key exhibits include IoT Application Service, IoT Devices, IoT Platform, IoT Security to 30 Solution, Sensors and its Components, and Wired/Wireless Communications and Network Solution. In 2014, it gathered 144 companies from 9 countries and 15,244 visitors from 22 countries.

oct

• +82 2 3454 1225 • www.rfidkorea.or.kr

• +1 317 328 4336 • expo.cedia.net

vienna, aUstria euroPean utIlIty WeeK 2015

seoUl, Korea smart home BuIldIng Korea

An annual landmark event for the entire Smart Utility market, accumulating over 10,000 international smart energy to 5 stakeholders & 420 exhibitors. This 3-day event offers a multi-track Strategic Conference Programme, and the Hub Sessions on the exhibition floor are free to attend.

Smart Home Building Korea provides one with the opportunity to share the latest technology and to 6 products in the Korean market. Attend the event to find business opportunities!

noV

• +31 346 590 901 • www.european-utility-week.com

noV

• +82 2 6000 1516 • hnbshow.com/eng

aside from the above,

smahome magazine will also attend the following security shows. Security Exhibition & Conference 2015 IFSEC Southeast Asia 2015 CPSE 2015 SICUREZZA

15-17/07/2015 02-04/09/2015 29/10/2015 - 01/11/2015 03-05/11/2015

Melbourne, Australia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Shenzhen, China Milan, Italy

July/August 2015 mySMAhome.com 87

StatS & Figure

On yOur smart phOne.

Scan the QR code or see mySMAhome.com/market for more info.

Growth of Smart home m2m market in weStern europe from 2015 to 2019

Global State of the mobile internet

2019

94% of the global population is covered by a mobile network, 48% are covered by mobile broadband, and 28% have subscribed to mobile Internet services.

The smart home M2M market in Western Europe can be classified into six major application segments: energy management and climate control systems, security and access control systems, lighting control systems, home appliances, home entertainment systems, and healthcare systems.

47.11% (CAGR)

2015

Source: Infiniti Research Limited

94%

100% 80% 60%

48%

40%

potential economic impact for internet of thinGS applicationS in 2025

28%

20% 0%

Vehicles Autonomous vehicles and condition-based maintenance $210B−740B

Cities Public health and transportation $930B−1.7T

94% 48% 28%

Home Chore automation and security $200B−350B

Ofﬁces Security and energy $70B−150B

9 settings

gave us a cross-sector view of a total potential impact of

Factories Operations and equipment optimization $1.2T−3.7T

$3.9 trillion–11.1 trillion per year in 2025

Covered by mobile network Covered by mobile broadband Subscribed to mobile Internet services Source: Internet Society

Security deviceS for the connected home market forecaSt to reach $7.7 billion worldwide by 2021 $

7.7 Billion

2021

1.2 Billion

2014

Retail environments Automated checkout $410B−1.2T

Outside Logistics and navigation $560B−850B Human Health and $170B−1.6T

Worksites Operations optimization/ health and safety $160B−930B

Source: McKinsey Global Institute

Source: Research and Markets

emea reSidential market forecaSt The EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) residential market for intrusion equipment is expected to exceed $500 million in annual market revenues by 2019. Residential Intrusion Market Residential Construction Disposable Income Source: IHS Technology

88 mySMAhome.com July/August 2015