Over the course of the last year, tremendous momentum has been building for ZigBee. The low-power wireless sensor networking market, based primarily on industry-standard IEEE 802.15.4/ZigBee is now set to take off. Growth is expected to be significant in the coming years. Key to realizing that growth is for OEMs and end-product manufacturers to have a clear understanding of the specification and how to implement it, as well as its potential applications. An excellent source of this information is the ZigBee Alliance (www.zigbee.org), an association of companies working together to enable reliable, cost-effective, low-power, wirelessly networked, monitoring and control products based on an open global standard. The organization is now more than 200 alliance members strong and has a presence in 24 countries spanning six continents.

The ZigBee Alliance web site offers a variety of resources, including access to a downloadable version of the ZigBee specification and information on ZigBee compliance options. Also available are white papers on topics like why ZigBee SoCs provide cost-effective solutions and how ZigBee provides efficient wireless control.

For additional information on the ZigBee standard and techniques for its application check out the following resources.

ZigBee's mesh networking capability, which compensates for obstructions and reduces range requirements, is especially prized in industrial applications. But with a technology this new, realizing a successful ZigBee implementation requires understanding its architecture and operation, as well as assessing design options at the chip and module level. How can the RF designer best realize a successful ZigBee implementation? This white paper provides a developer's overview of ZigBee, presenting key aspects of ZigBee's architecture and certification requirements as they relate to implementation options. It also provides a brief, realistic assessment of ZigBee's value in industrial environments.

It examines the types of components available today at the chip and module level and discusses the practical considerations to be weighed in deciding to pursue ZigBee mesh networking in a specific application.

For the full article go to:
http://www.cirronet.com/pdf/wp_zigbee_engineering_options.pdf

Industrial networks are typically characterized by clusters of sensors and controls, which may be spread over a significant area. Despite the presence of many points, data traffic is generally low — usually small messages initiated by such events as a change of thermocouple temperature, cycle of a metering device or a command from the controller to an actuator. Conventionally, industrial controllers have been connected to such devices by hardwired serial or digital/voltage-based signals.

Considerable costs and disruption can often be involved in running the necessary cable connections. Also, of course, in a hardwired architecture, making connections to movable objects is likely to represent a serious challenge. It is in these areas that recent developments in wireless connection technologies have opened some particularly interesting potential. Three of the most important radio communications standards to have emerged are Bluetooth, WiFi and ZigBee — a technology focused on industrial sensors and actuators, that features a low data rate, very low current consumption and a networked (mesh) architecture with many nodes.

For the full article go to:
http://www.arcom-solutions.com/pdfs/ZigBee%20for%20telemetry%20networks.pdf

This paper details theory and case studies for mesh networks, focusing on several important issues:

• Characteristic weaknesses of point-to-point wireless systems, including proximity effects, multipath, physical obstructions and noise and how most of these concerns can be addressed by adopting an Internet-like distributed messaging model.

• Why networks for “smart devices” must be able to configure themselves without the assistance of a person, and how this can be accomplished in the real world.

• “Every node is a router” — how users can add nodes to a system without causing radio interference, and why wireless mesh systems actually become more reliable as the number of nodes is increased.

• Case study of a wireless mesh installation at a water treatment plant that took less than two hours to install, replaced more than a thousand feet of wire and conduit, and had 99.93% reliability before any error correction mechanisms were added.

• Key differences between computer/voice data networks and device networks, and why each type of network requires a completely different architecture to achieve its objectives.

Read more at:
http://www.ember.com/resources/whitepapers/index.html

Machine-to-machine (M2M) applications are the next wave of the global network. They require communications technology that is untethered, cheap and easy to use. This introduction to embedded RF covers the following topics: network topologies (star, mesh, hybrid); self-healing networks; routing algorithms; low-power radios; controlling cost and power usage; and building applications.

Read more at:
http://www.ember.com/resources/whitepapers/index.html

Many industrial operations require continuous or nearly continuous operation of machines, which if interrupted, can result in significant financial loss. For this reason, it is critical to monitor the health of essential equipment on a continuous basis and be able to detect conditions that may lead to equipment failure at some time in the future. Installation of a smart mesh wireless solution allows critical data collection on an ongoing basis, without human intervention. Maintenance labor costs are reduced and more frequent measurements create higher quality data. This white paper discusses installation, business impact, and benefits for predictive maintenance.

Read more at:
http://www.dustnetworks.com/PDF/Predictive_Maintenance_Solution.pdf

Wireless control is one of the most exciting frontiers in lighting control and energy management, offering significant potential benefits for residential and non-residential lighting systems, large and small buildings, and both existing buildings and new construction. New technologies, such as ZigBee, are now being commercialized that will redefine wireless control by dramatically expanding its utility. This special report from the Lighting Controls Association discusses how RF wireless control works, how to evaluate available technologies, and emerging technologies that may revolutionize wireless control in residential and commercial applications.

Read more at:
http://www.aboutlightingcontrols.org/education/papers/wireless_controls.shtml

Governments around the world have been involved in a variety of national security initiatives since 9/11. Securing borders, transportation services, and government facilities around the clock has been the primary focus, but remains an elusive target. Monitoring critical infrastructure cost effectively is essential to accomplishing this goal. Next-generation technology based on the ZigBee standard is poised to propel government plans into action.

Read more at:
www.airbeewireless.com

Cracking the mainstream home automation market requires cost-effective, standards-based components that support ease of use, retrofitting and future developments. Control4 and Ember have created a wireless solution that hits all the marks. This case study will examine that solution, along with the steps necessary to make it a reality.

Check it out at:
http://www.ember.com/successes/control4.html

The project involved porting the ZigBee stack from Luxoft Labs into the Jennic MCU. The eZeeNet stack was customized to work on the Jennic JN51521 board.

Check it out at:
http://www.meshnetics.com/downloads/case-studies/

This project, with the UK-based wireless system integrator BOX telematics, involved the creation of a remote building monitoring solution. The ZigBee-based wireless sensor network (WSN), based on the MeshBean motes running a ZigBee stack, provided tilt measurements and allowed cost-efficient preventive maintenance.

Check it out at:
http://www.meshnetics.com/downloads/case-studies/

1. ZigBee overview and products; educational course

   This course from Freescale discusses the ZigBee Alliance and its goals, target markets and applications. In particular, it examines the IEEE 802.15.4 wireless personal area network (WPAN) standard and the ZigBee network standard. The course also reviews Freescale's scalable ZigBee-ready platform comprised of MC13191 and 13192 RFICs, HC(S)08 low-power MCUs and software. This 72-minute course is available on CD at: http://www.embeddedlearningcenter.com/

2. Wireless mesh networking: Bringing the information revolution to the physical world; archived web seminar

   This seminar discusses wireless mesh networking technology — from the spark of an idea in the mid-1990s through the reliable networks available today. To access it go to: http://www.dustnetworks.com/news/events.shtml.