Analysis

Cost-effective and efficient home automation with RD-0098 Kit

30th November 2018
Victoria Chercasova
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At electronica 2018 Silicon Laboratories presented its Lighting Reference Design RD-0098. The RD-0098 works with ZigBee 3.0 protocol and is designed for Home automation. The RD-0098 consists of a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3/4 processor, encryption accelerators AES128 and advanced Crypto accelerators SHA-1/2 and ECC, PHY and MAC layers 2.4GHz IEEE 802.15.4, and flash memory 512kB – 1024kB.

The ZigBee module is available with stacked flash and internal flash. The Embedded flash module EM3585 is SoC compatible with ZigBee and Thread. The development of the mesh is much faster with ZigBee and Thread protocols. The debug adaptor allows connection through the Ethernet LAN to wireless sensors in order to program a node and collect many nodes in a network.

By using this board the developer can use the preinstalled network analyser software, making the network analysis simple as a graph. The software also allows the user to control the application, collect debugging information, track API, and perform further manipulations with multiple devices simultaneously. The developer can create ZigBee certifiable applications for home automation, ZigBee Light Link, and smart energy by using the Ember App Builder and EmberZNET PRO libraries.

Initially the reference design is preprogramed with the ZigBee Z3ColorControlLight sample application. However, the designer can program the reference design with the Dimmable Light sample application from the Thread stack. Hardware design files are available at Simplicity Studio, and the ZigBee firmware application source code is available at the EmberZNet PRO stack. The reference design is compatible with the Thread protocol, and the firmware application is available at Thread stack.  The debug adapter is necessary to program the RD-0098 and is available to order through Silicon Laboratories’ distribution network.

The module integration into the developer application is very simple. The power should be provided, ground contacts and PWM signals should be located properly on the light engine.

Silicon Laboratories recently made an acquisition of the Sigma Designs Z-Wave Business, which opens a large network of ecosystems and a big range of end-node technology options for smart home designers and users. Silicon laboratories offer an extended wireless software and hardware portfolio, including protocols WiFi, ZigBee, Thread, Bluetooth and others.

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