ZigBee Monitoring and Control Solutions
In brief
ZigBee is a WPAN communication (DSSS) and networking technology that uses sensor devices communicating with a centralized control or monitoring service. Produced by the ZigBee Alliance, it can be used to observe the functioning of a working or living environment (assembly lines, buildings, traffic patterns, equipment performance, …) and to respond automatically to various scenarios. By taking away frequent manual inspections, ZigBee has a huge potential to bring a cost benefit to many organizations. It is a reliable low bandwidth (made for periodic small burts of data), cost-effective, low-power (devices powered by long life batteries. Devices are either FFD-Full function or RFD-Reduced function) technology that is often embeded in many consumer, healthcare, commercial, and industrial devices.
It implements 128-bit AES for confidentiality, data integrity and authentication.
ZigBee used in a mesh-type (peer-to-peer) structure can cover a very large space. As a standard for Network, Application and security layers, it resides above the PHY and MAC layers of IEEE 802.15.4 standard for monitoring and control devices.
Common Applications
BUILDING AUTOMATION
Using appropriate software, ZigBee can automate any environmental control, including lighting, temperature, purification and oxygenation systems, and more(i.e smart sensor light switches, …). From one switch you could provide both security monitoring and automatic lighting and learn traffic patterns. In a business office, a sensor inside can detect a certain employee, cause adjustment of temperature in his office and enable the Wi-Fi in his area. Placed throughout the facility, sensors can monitor the presence of movement continually and disable network after a predetermined time without movement making Wi-Fi network administration easier, more secure and flexible compared to scheduled shutdown.
CONTROL DEVICES
These are used to control environmental and machine-specific configurations based on specifically defined scenarios. In home automation setting as security and surveillance systems or to adjust temperature, lighting, sounds, coffee makers, dishwashers, automated vacuum cleaners and lawnmowers, etc.
In a Commercial automation setting, ZigBee can be used to notify personel(for example that an item in stock has ended and inform producer or supplier) and modify configurations on-the-fly. Zigbee can be used to assist an RFID implementation by monitoring and reporting (i.e shoppers traffic in a specific department area where no salesperson or inventories or items leaving the area in an authorized or unauthorized way) to a centralized controller.
In an industrial setting, a possible application in a conveyor-belt, ZigBee used for checking temperature and speed. Other applications include extending current wired monitoring implementation, discovering equipment performance levels, improving preventative maintenance programs, enhancing employee safety through the monitoring of environmental and equipment states. ZigBee devices can communicate with central servers without the need for cable runs or PoE
PERSONAL HEALTHCARE
By using sensor devices in well-planned locations in a hospital, a patient’s heart rate and other heath indicators could be monitored and reported at second-to-second intervals to a central location. In an assisted living environment, a smart bracelet could be used. Shoud any irregularity be measured in a patient heart beat, the nurse station would be informed instantanouisly without the need for the patient to push a button.
PC PERIPHERALS
LOS infrared devices could be replaced with Zigbee since device vicinity is sufficient and more desired than LOS. Peripherals could connect and syncrhonize automatically without intervention.
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
Potential use in applaince monitoring and device access control(Consumer NAS, Wi-Fi, …)
Data Rates, Range
- 868 MHz in Europe(channel 0), 20 Kbps data rate
- 915 MHz in the US(channels 1-10), 40 Kbps
- license-free 2.4 GHz worldwide(channels 11-26), 250 Kbps
