Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Coming Soon: ZigBee Control by PDA

Posted by timothy on from the wireless-torchiere-is-a-zigbee-pole dept.

palmtops writes "The new ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4) wireless protocol designed for home automation is getting a lot of exposure lately and got some more exciting news today. Wired Home Weblog has a brief mention and press release about the first ZigBee SDIO card that allows your home to be controlled by your PDA. The card was introduced by C-Guys at Cebit today and will definitely add a whole new dimension to home automation."

3 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. ZigBee was not design for home automation by Bob+Fr · · Score: 3, Informative

    It's a protocol for sensor networks. It's being used for some home automation products but it's a not a very good match since the ZigBee design point assumes a relatively static configuration

  2. Zigbee != IEEE 802.15.4 by Russ+Nelson · · Score: 4, Informative

    Zigbee are proprietary layers added to IEEE 802.15.4. They aren't the same thing. Zigbee is NOT an open protocol.
    -russ

    --
    Don't piss off The Angry Economist
  3. 802.15.4 Protocol by Spellunk · · Score: 5, Informative
    As for saying the ZigBee is for static networks: that is 100% wrong.

    ZigBee's main purpose is to create self-assembling, autonomous networks.

    This means that well written firmware will enable a tech with no education to just replace nodes if something goes wrong, versus having to understand anything about networking.

    My job is in the development of ZigBee networks and I have worked with these devices for about a year now.

    The main purpose of the ZigBee standard is to develop low-cost deivces that operate, assemble, and route messages with no human intervention. The latest chips cost less than two dollars, meaning a whole node can be designed for much less than $10.

    --
    Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur.