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“You really need to develop a whole product solution—hardware, software, UI, interfaces, and process redesign—with a consideration for what problem you are really trying to solve.” —Aldo Zini
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John Reid, director of Product Technology and Innovation at Moline Technology Innovation Center, a part of John Deere’s Global Technology Innovation Network, discusses how his company’s technologies will help feed the world’s billions.
Mark Ingebretsen
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The ZigBee Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies, creating wireless solutions for use in energy management, residential, commercial, and consumer electronics applications, announced two of its popular standards, ZigBee Home Automation and ZigBee Remote Control, are now available for public download.
Since 2005, ZigBee standards have been downloaded more than 100,000 times, demonstrating a strong public interest in using the alliance’s open-source standards and developing applications that provide new ways to control for businesses and consumers. Public availability of the ZigBee profiles helps drive the proliferation of ZigBee worldwide, signifying the true open and global nature of the alliance’s work.
The enhanced ZigBee Home Automation public application profile, announced in August 2009, features expanded security and device support. The standard offers control for home appliances, lighting, environment, energy use, and security. It defines control of HVAC systems, power outlets, motorized devices, doorbells, mechanized window shades, security, and other devices. Products using ZigBee Home Automation are ideal for new construction, do-it-yourself, and retrofit markets. The download and full list of features are available on the alliance’s Web site.
Announced in December 2009, the ZigBee Remote Control public application profile frees consumers from pointing remotes at devices, offers flexible control from nearby rooms, enables unique two-way communications between the remote and device, plus delivers improved remote battery life for a variety of consumer electronic (CE) devices, such as HDTV, home theater equipment, set-top boxes, and other audio equipment. The download and full list of features are available on the alliance’s Web site.
“These two ZigBee standards for the home offer a variety of benefits for CE product manufacturers and consumers,” said Bob Heile, Chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. “ZigBee gives product manufacturers new ways to innovate and differentiate. As a leader in the home space, our standards provide consumers with more ways to control a smart home than ever before.”
Today, 28 products from a variety of ZigBee Home Automation categories have been certified by the alliance and wear the ZigBee-certified product logo. The categories include buttons, deadbolts, dimmers, electrical switches, gateways, key fobs, meter relays, portals, sensors, smart plugs, and development kits.
About ZigBee
ZigBee is the global wireless language, connecting dramatically different devices to work together and enhance everyday life. The ZigBee Alliance is a nonprofit association of more than 340 members, driving development of ZigBee wireless technology. The alliance promotes worldwide adoption of ZigBee as the leading wirelessly networked, sensing and control standard for use in consumer electronic, energy, home, commercial, and industrial areas.
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