ZigBee Alliance - Experts & Thought Leaders

The Connectivity Standards Alliance, an organisation of hundreds of companies creating, maintaining, and delivering open global standards for the Internet of Things (IoT), announces the release of Zigbee PRO 2023 of the Zigbee protocol stack. The revision brings several enhancements and new features to the technology, allowing mesh networks to have a universal language that enables smart objects to work together. Hub-centric operations Zigbee PRO 2023 expands on secure-by-design architecture by adding a number of security enhancements to address changing market needs while simplifying the user experience and extending supported bands beyond 2.4 GHz. The revision also enables Zigbee Direct, simplifying device onboarding and control utilising Bluetooth Low Energy, a technology found in many voice assistant products and mobile devices. The Zigbee PRO 2023 version also progresses standardisation of hub-centric operations The Zigbee PRO 2023 version also progresses standardisation of hub-centric operations with the first phase of 'Works with All Hubs', a feature that improves network resiliency on a Hub-centric network by helping devices to identify the most suitable parent for securely joining and rejoining the network. Finally, the added support for sub-gigahertz frequencies for Europe (800 Mhz) and North America (900 MHZ) delivers increased signal strength and range to support even more use cases. New security mechanisms "After two decades, Zigbee continues to empower consumer and industrial use cases, enabling richer and more reliable connectivity for utilities, homes, industry, and buildings. With PRO 2023's new features and security enhancements, our hundreds of members continue to evolve and increase Zigbee's relevance and value to manufacturers, their customers, and consumers," said Tobin Richardson, President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance. One of the critical components of the Zigbee PRO 2023 release is a set of feature enhancements and new security mechanisms for protecting the network during the onboarding and operation of devices to address modern-day security threats. The key new security features include Dynamic Link Key, Device Interview, and Trust Center Swap Out. Device Interview technology Dynamic Link Key is a significant improvement based on Public/Private key pairing Dynamic Link Key is a significant improvement based on Public/Private key pairing and advanced security curves, further protecting the network from attacks. Device Interview technology allows users to query and filter out the devices before allowing them onto a network based on ecosystem requirements. The Trust Center Swap-Out feature allows changing out the 'Trust Centre' which can be a gateway, hub, smart speaker, and even commercial electric meters for a network without requiring all devices to be recommissioned. "Security always needs to evolve as new exploits and attacks are introduced. With the PRO 2023 release, Zigbee now includes several critical security features to address modern-day threats," said Asad Haque, Chair of the Security Advisory Group, Connectivity Standards Alliance. Protecting network security Asad Haque adds, "These enhancements utilise industry-standard cryptographic algorithms and mutual authentication to protect network security during commissioning and subsequent operation. It is great to see well-established standards like Zigbee continue to adopt the latest security technology available to deliver peace of mind to consumers." In addition to the security improvements, Zigbee devices built to Zigbee PRO 2023 specifications with a sufficient level of security are now able to be on the same network as Smart Energy devices, providing the exchange of important information to further improve control and use of the energy and devices. Zigbee Certified Products can connect and communicate using the same IoT language with each other, and hundreds of millions of Zigbee products are already deployed in smart homes and buildings worldwide. Over 3,900 Zigbee products have been certified, and over a billion chipsets have been sold globally.

DigiCert, Inc., the provider of digital trust, announces that its Root Certificate Authority (CA) is approved by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (Alliance) for Matter device attestation. As the first Matter-approved root CA, also known as a Product Attestation Authority (PAA), DigiCert can now provide rapid time to market for smart home manufacturers looking to earn the Matter seal on their products. A multi-year participant in Matter, DigiCert contributed its expertise to the security and attestation components of the standard and has the scalable technology to enable an efficient path to compliance. Smart home industry “The introduction of Matter to the smart home industry is an exciting move that improves interoperability between devices and raises the bar for security, creating a more efficient and secure experience for consumers,” said DigiCert VP of IoT Security, Mike Nelson. DigiCert has been involved in building the Matter standard for several years" He adds, “DigiCert has been involved in building the Matter standard for several years, and we’ve already helped many leading companies evaluate their device attestation procedures using our test Certificate Authority. Now, with our PAA approved for production, we are ready to help customers save time in achieving Matter security compliance.” Secure device updates Matter participants may gain the following benefits by partnering with DigiCert: Accelerate time to market in achieving Matter compliance. Save money by avoiding the costs of technology, maintenance, staffing and ongoing compliance. Enjoy flexible deployment options, including on-premises, hosted or batch issuance. Simplify management of device attestation certificates and product attestation intermediates through the DigiCert® IoT Device Manager. Gain efficiencies using a scalable platform to sign and secure device Smart home ecosystems Matter is an industry-led effort of the Alliance bringing together the manufacturers to achieve secure, reliable and seamless use of smart home devices. Matter enables IP-based networking and communication across smart home devices, mobile applications, and smart home ecosystems. Matter devices offer consumers assurances of secure use through a consortium-led standard for authenticating device identity that only allows Matter-certified devices to connect to the network. Device attestation “DigiCert has been an integral part of the development of the attestation policy for the Matter release and its inherent improvements in the security of the IoT space,” said Chris LaPre, Director of Technology at the Connectivity Standards Alliance. He adds, “Device attestation allows existing Matter devices to locally confirm new ones when they have been recognised by the local network, and quickly remove non-compliant devices when needed. Consumers are no longer under the burden of ensuring new devices are secure; it happens automatically.”

Rapid aging population, high healthcare costs, and physician shortages are creating an increasing demand for care at home, especially for seniors with long-term health conditions. The GX-Cubic2 Series Smart Care Medical Alarm from Climax Technology Co., Ltd. (Climax), features an LCD display that shows clock time, temperature, GSM signal strength and sensor faults, to keep users fully informed at all times. GX Smart Care Medical Alarm GX Smart Care Medical Alarm is an all-in-one wellness and personal safety medical alarm solution GX Smart Care Medical Alarm is an all-in-one wellness and personal safety medical alarm solution, bridging medical health monitoring and emergency alarm, to keep seniors safe in their own homes. GX is compatible with Bluetooth medical devices, like blood glucose/blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, etc., to track medical data and remote monitoring directly from caregivers/physicians, and also has telecare alarm features, including voice recognition, emergency monitoring, inactivity monitoring, voice control, and home automation capabilities, in order to assist seniors to have a more secure and healthy living. Some of the major features of the GX-Cubic2 Series include: Bluetooth Medical Device Pairing GX is compatible with Bluetooth Medical devices, like blood pressure/blood glucose monitors, pulse oximeters, thermometers, etc., to track health and medical data, and allow care-givers/physicians to remote monitor and provide treatment as needed. Smart Home Automation ZigBee, Z-Wave, and/or Bluetooth automation devices incorporated into GX creates a smarter and safer home, by auto-turning on hallway lights at night, to decrease the chance of a fall, or auto turn on the heater, if there is a sudden temperature drop. Voice Recognition GX has built-in voice recognition and can activate an emergency all to CMS by preset vocal commands or keywords. Allowing seniors to receive emergency attention even in situations where they are unable to seek help manually. Location Tracking GX can be paired with BRPD-1 Bluetooth pendant, a small wearable panic button that partners with a smartphone application for GPS location reporting and trigger help alarm with one button press, whether the user is at home or out for a walk. Voice Control GX is compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa voice control to control home electronic devices, allowing seniors to use their voice to make their environment more suitable without lifting a finger. Visual Monitoring and Verification GX can integrate Camera PIR Motion Sensors to deliver real-time visual monitoring and verification. When an emergency occurs, alerts are immediately sent to family members and Monitoring Centre to verify the event and sending immediate assistance as required. Pivotell Advance Automatic Pill Dispenser GX is compatible with Pivotell Advance Automatic Pill Dispenser, keeping secure of all pills, remind users to take their medication, keep track of their medicine intake, and allow caregiver/physician to monitor pill taking results/record and keep an eye on user’s needs. Safety & Inactivity Monitoring GX can support wireless sensor devices, allowing users to add in smoke detectors, water leakage sensors, and gas sensors to monitor emergencies, and motion sensors, door contacts, sensor pad transmitters for inactivity monitoring, to build a healthier, safer independent living. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) & DECT GX’s built-in VOIP function allows users to initiate two-way voice calls to contact CMS and family members during alarms and emergency. With the optional add-on of DECT, GX can pair with voice extenders, talking pendants, call points, etc. placed around the home, to create a safety net and peace of mind. Colour Lighting Function GX also has an LED nightlight featuring both multi-colour adjustment and light level button control for a pleasant ambiance.

Zigbee is a familiar name in the smart home arena, and the Zigbee Alliance is expanding its technology approach to address the challenges of the Internet of Things. As the Internet of Things (IoT) has evolved, the need has become obvious for stronger unity among brands and ecosystems to enable products within smart environments to work together more easily. Working to serve that need is the Zigbee Alliance, which seeks to promote collaboration in the Internet of Things by creating, evolving, and promoting universal open standards that enable all objects to connect and interact. Shifting the smart home market Their IoT effort took off when Amazon, Apple, Google and the Zigbee Alliance announced an industry working group in December 2019 to take the ‘best of market’ technologies from smart home standards, portfolios and ecosystems and to develop a ‘super spec’ that will be open, inclusive and a significant industry shift in the smart home market. Zigbee Alliance has been for a while now working on openness and interoperability" “Zigbee Alliance has been for a while now working on openness and interoperability, which has led us to the Project Connected Home over IP (CHIP), which is looking to unify the environment, under one technology, one certification program and one logo,” says Chris LaPré, Zigbee Alliance’s IoT Solutions Architect. “It really does fuel IoT possibilities, whether in security or any other sectors.” Project CHIP is a royalty-free connectivity standard that unifies brands and ecosystems into a single smart home automation system that operates any other technology based on Internet Protocol (IP). Simplifying product development The intent is to simplify product development for device manufacturers, broaden consumer choice, and to ensure easy discoverability, deployment and engagement to fuel connected living. “We have noticed that, as the IoT has evolved, there is a stronger need for unity, which is why we are developing Project Connected Home over IP,” says Jon Harros, Zigbee Alliance’s Director of Certification and Testing Programs. “It fits with the Zigbee Alliance’s goal to unify systems, and to focus on everyone using the same application at the top. It unifies that environment, whether you are integrating your system with Amazon Echo devices or connecting to Google Home.” Participating in development of Project CHIP are 125 companies of various types from around the world working together with more than 1,100 of their experts serving across sub-committees to formulate specifications and fine-tune the project. Home system technologies The original Zigbee protocol is used for many applications around the world, including smart homes Although the technology is being developed for the home market, the specifications have been formulated with an eye toward expanding into the commercial market in the future. Development of open, interoperable systems provides greater freedom for consumers to choose among the many technology choices on the market, without being tied to a single brand or ecosystem. Zigbee Alliance certifications and memberships span the globe, with roughly a third in Europe, a third in North America and a third in Asia. Involvement in Europe is slightly higher than the other regions. Alliance members represent manufacturing sites all over the world. Project CHIP is a newer initiative of the Zigbee Alliance, which previously developed Zigbee Pro to enable home system technologies to operate using IEEE 802.15.4 wireless signals on the 2.4GHz radio band over a self-healing true mesh network. The original Zigbee protocol is used for many applications around the world, including smart homes. Certification transfer programme Among the strengths of the Zigbee Alliance are years of experience certifying products, which includes testing them and confirming that they comply with the promoted specifications and functionality. The specifications are open standards that are developed in cooperation with all the companies that are Zigbee Alliance members. Another route is the certification transfer programme, in which a company chooses a certified white-label product, becomes a member of the Alliance, and then rebrands the product while retaining the certification. “It helps them get products on the market quickly while they build their own knowledge base,” says Harros. “All our work is focused on standardising the behaviour and functionality of products and making sure everyone is following the same standard to get interoperability,” says Harros. “Members all contribute to the standards.”

Industry experts predict that sensors in the home will reach a level of sophistication never considered in early versions of Smart Home. These devices will know when the house is empty and be able to shut off heating and cooling systems. Smart phone with geolocation will then tell it when the owner is on their way back so it can start adjusting the temperature to a comfortable level. And, it won’t just be lights that turn on and off. Sensors in washing machines will know that clothes have been put inside and will start the cycle at a time when costs are at a lower level.  The Smart Home market is also driving innovation in the form of Bluetooth low energy (BLE)-enabled locks for external doors on homes and adding mobile credential use to their offering. This in turn is driving volume in the wireless lock sector and having a positive impact on volumes and pricing in the commercial locking market. Data capture form to appear here! Wireless home automation As the home automation industry has expanded with an ever-growing number of devices and services, companies are placing bets on which wireless protocols will dominate. The past few years the leaders have been Z-Wave and ZigBee. Companies are also using a variety of other standards including Crestron’s Infinet, Insteon, and proprietary technologies such as Lutron’s ClearConnect. The home automation industry has expanded with an ever-growing number of devices and services The popular ZigBee and Z-Wave short-range wireless technologies have proven ideal for the kinds of home-area networks that are becoming prevalent. Based on the IEEE’s 802.15.4 personal-area network radio standard, ZigBee is an open wireless standard. Z-Wave was developed by Zensys (later acquired by Sigma Designs) as a proprietary wireless standard. Z-Wave’s wireless mesh networking technology allows nodes to communicate with each other directly or indirectly through available relays if they’re within range. Out of range nodes can link with each other to access and exchange information. A Z-Wave network can have up to 232 nodes. Some companies have sought to hedge their bets out of a desire to be more “manufacturer agnostic.” Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are gaining popularity with new low-power variations of these standards. Smart doors and their benefits Despite a wealth of features offered by the latest smart door locks — remote and location-based locking/unlocking; voice activation; timed access; emailed entry alerts; and integration with smart camera and lighting systems — most people still have limited knowledge of their capabilities. Only 14% of survey respondents described themselves as “very familiar” with what a smart lock can do. Even though most of them probably use smart access control solutions at their workplace. While smart video surveillance solutions that can impact home automation are still in nascent stages, the potential is immense. Modern video analytics and surveillance technology have the capability to offer convenience to the connected homeowner and lower energy consumption. By determining the optimum lighting, heating and cooling needs of a connected home, smart video surveillance technology can drive down energy-related costs significantly. Smart cameras will also have an impact on the need for DVR/NVR products in an automated home, as analytics-driven video surveillance solutions that generate large amounts of data will reduce the need for these devices. Another emerging element in home security is the use of drones The resolution of an advanced radar sensor Smart video surveillance technology can drive down energy-related costs significantly Today, the resolution of an advanced radar sensor is high enough to enable not only presence detection, but also to provide advanced features for security, automation and well-being, all in one. Imagine for example, that the security sensor installed in an elderly parent’s home could also detect a fall having occurred, monitor the breathing of a baby or even leaks in the wall. Due to the unique field of view that radar provides as well as the multi-functional potential, this technology will be the key to the awaited convergence of smart home functionalities and minimisation of home devices. A radar sensor’s accuracy and its ability to support wide functionality and applications are determined initially by its resolution, which is based on two key factors: bandwidth and number of channels. The wider the bandwidth and the more channels the radar supports, the more accurate the data received. Imagine the difference between a 1990s television model and a 4K 2018 television model: as the resolution is ever improving, the sharper and more detailed is the image. Drones as a security mechanism Another emerging element in home security is the use of drones. An Amazon patent outlines how its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could perform a surveillance action at a property of an authorized party. It would be “hired” to look out for open garage doors, broken windows, graffiti, or even a fire. The drone would only view authorized locations and provide information back to the homeowner. The idea is to deploy Amazon’s previously proposed (but not yet realized) “delivery drone” to provide surveillance of customers’ homes between making deliveries. In a “surveillance as a service” scenario, Amazon’s customers would pay for visits on an hourly, daily or weekly basis. Drones would be equipped with night vision and microphones to expand their sensing capabilities. Catch up on part one and part two of our smart home mini series.

There’s growing noise around smart homes and smarter security. You’ve probably heard it. But there is a place where access control and more have been smart for decades: the workplace. Home automation and IoT are still playing catch-up with the commercial sector. A new insights report from ASSA ABLOY and IFSEC Global — “The Smart Door Locks Report 2018” — measures just how fast consumer smart technology is running. According to a survey conducted for the report, 61% of households now claim to own at least one smart home device or system. Energy monitors, home CCTV cameras, intruder alarms and smart door locks are the most popular, according to the report. All these functions, of course, have been available to businesses for years.61% of households now claim to own at least one smart home device or system Educating the smart home consumer Paradoxically, report data also questions how much consumers really know about their smarter home. A surprising 42% of those surveyed, for example, were unaware they could control a smart door lock from their phone. In fact, many leading smart door lock models offer this feature, delivered by Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and an app. Despite a wealth of features offered by the latest smart door locks — remote and location-based locking/unlocking; voice activation; timed access; emailed entry alerts; and integration with smart camera and lighting systems — most people still have limited knowledge of their capabilities.  Smart technology is increasingly becoming the new norm in terms of home security  Only 14% of survey respondents described themselves as “very familiar” with what a smart lock can do. Even though most of them probably use smart access control solutions at their workplace. Secure homes through smart technology Monitoring and security are not the only drivers for smart home adoption. We humans also love convenience, and modern living presents us with problems that smart home technology can solve. Ironically, given the report’s findings, it takes a smartphone to really unlock the convenient possibilities of smarter living. The device that’s “always to hand” is central to the newest generation of smart door locks.A smart door lock is a convenient way for a landlord or agency to offer round-the-clock check-in and check-out If homeowners wish to remotely manage property access for friends and family, many smart door locks oblige. You let in guests remotely, send them a virtual digital key, or provide a temporary or single-use PIN to unlock the door. It is just as easy to revoke a digital key, if you don’t want its owner to come around anymore. This is a significant improvement over sharing physical keys — or hiding one under the doormat. We cannot be totally sure where a metal key ends up and have no way to track or cancel it once it’s “out in the wild”. Commercial access control offers such functionality as standard, of course.  In addition, smart door locks offer more than just stand-alone operation and clever functions. In a domestic setting, magic happens when locks work in harmony with a home automation system, connected by protocols like Z-Wave, ZigBee or Wi-Fi. "Smart" security on the move  The smartphone is becoming a remote control for managing a connected life beyond just home (and even workplace) security. According to Accenture, the parcel delivery services market will grow by $343 billion by 2020. Just like home security, convenience is a major driver of change. Homeowners can send guests a virtual digital key to their phones, or provide a temporary or single-use PIN to unlock the door A recent PostNord pilot in Sweden aimed to remove the inconvenience of waiting home for a postal delivery. Selected customers of some major Scandinavian e-retailers could choose to have parcels delivered inside their front door, if it was equipped with a Yale smart door lock.  Home delivery is among potential smart services covered in “The Smart Door Locks Report 2018 ”. When asked whether the ability to receive parcels securely in a porch or lobby would make them more likely to invest in a smart door lock, 79% said it would.It is easy to revoke a digital key, if you don’t want its owner to come around anymore Holiday rentals and smart home tech ASSA ABLOY research published in 2017 forecasts continued growth in the European holiday rentals sector (at 5.8% CAGR). Smart door locks are also making an impact here, at both ends of the market: for service providers — agents and homeowners — and for travellers. A smart door lock is a convenient way for a landlord or agency to offer round-the-clock check-in and check-out, without creating extra work or staff costs. Both Intersoft, in Croatia, and Hoomvip in Spain have built holiday rentals management systems around an app and the ENTR® smart door lock. Agents issue, revoke, track and manage virtual keys for all their guests, saving everyone time and hassle. Travellers use their phones and an app to unlock their apartment. For these visitors the smartphone is already an essential travel accessory. It is a boarding pass, a credit card, a travel guide, and a postcard home... why not a door key, too? And if this key is backed by a trusted home security brand — and a company with vast experience in the mature market for commercial “smart” security — better still.