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ZigBee Low-Power Wireless Networking
asmithmd1 writes "Do you you have a great idea for a wireless device that really doesn't need the 1 Mbit/sec (and high power consumption) of Bluetooth? Well you will have a new choice soon, ZigBee. Zigbee is the trademark for IEEE 802.15 Personal Area network low data rate standard. Designed to run in low power 8 bit devices at data rates of 20k bits/second, a ZigBee node will run for months if not years on one set of batteries. With heavy hitters like Motorola and Phillips behind it and chips available soon for half the cost of bluetooth, it looks like it will become a reality."
I can think of a lot that would only require 1 bit per second. A flow indicator on water,gas or electricity lines would tell the computer if there was flow on any particular line than if the computer knew by sensors on the users of that flow could determine if the flow was caused by a leak or short. The computer could either notify someone or take corrective action on it own. Automatic control of blinds by the need or lack of need of heat in that room. Automatic fans that would turn on if the outside temperature is less than the inside temperature and it is not raining . I could see a home with hundreds or thousands of sensors if they could be produce cheaply enough.