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ZIGBEE(tm) POISED TO PROPEL EXPANSION OF WIRELESS SENSING AND CONTROL NETWORKS.

Article Excerpt
Wireless sensors have potential to impact varied applications where it is desirable to more cost-effectively and efficiently install, deploy, and reconfigure sensors that are networked. Wireless sensor networks also can allow for addressing applications that are dangerous or difficult for wired sensors. However, wireless sensor networks have, thus far, been constrained from gaining widespread market penetration because of the absence of an accepted standard for wireless communication optimized for key sensing and control applications.

The ZigBee and IEEE 802.15.4 standards, which are aimed at low data rate, low-power, often battery-operated wireless communications, have key potential to help fulfill the promise of wireless sensing and to drive the proliferation of wireless sensing and control networks in commercial, residential, and light industrial environments. ZigBee-described as the only standards-based technology designed to address the unique needs of low-cost, low-power, wireless sensor networks for remote monitoring, home control, and building automation network applications-is being supported by powerful companies who could potentially drive the adoption of ZigBee technology in real-world applications.

The ZigBee Alliance (ww.zigbee.org) has standardized its specification on top of the Physical (PHY) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layers of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard; adding the application profile layers, security and network layers to create ZigBee. The ZigBee Alliance chose the IEEE 802.15.4 wireless standard to take advantage of the extremely high economies of scale that will be generated as a result of multiple silicon vendors developing single-chip 802.15.4-compliant transceivers.

Jon Adams, director of wireless technology and strategy for Freescale Semiconductor's (Tempe, AZ) Wireless and Mobile Systems Group, noted that the IEEE 802.15.4 can provide a very robust packet radio link. PSK (phase shift keyed) modulation has demonstrated excellent performance in low signal-to-noise environments. The direct sequence spread spectrum signal transmission technique broadens the signal to reduce impact from multi-path in difficult environments, such as metal buildings, factories, tunnels, and industrial plants, while providing processing gain at the receiving end. ZigBee's data and acknowledgement packets ensure that the sender knows when...

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