The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has announced the release of Matter 1.4, which is now available for device makers and platforms to integrate into their products. This update takes a significant step forward in the Matter ecosystem. Matter 1.4 introduces enhancements that allow device vendors and platforms to improve the multi-ecosystem user experience with Enhanced Multi-Admin, create more reliable and interoperable home networks with the introduction of Matter-certifiable Home Routers and Access Points, that will help users save energy with expanded energy management enhancements, and build new and better experiences with several new device types and core enhancements.

The evolution of the Matter specification in the 1.4 release reflects the support of hundreds of Member companies and the dedication of thousands of engineers and product experts globally. With Matter products now in millions of homes around the world since its launch in 2022, Matter Working Group members continue to bring their real-world experiences, innovations, and challenges into Matter’s ongoing development, to improve and grow the smart home. Matter 1.4 reinforces our commitment to delivering simplicity, interoperability, and new experiences across the IoT landscape.

Enhanced Network Infrastructure with Home Routers and Access Points (HRAP) 

Devices such as home routers and modems, access points, and set-top boxes can now be designed or upgraded to provide more robust support for Matter-based smart homes. Matter-certified HRAP devices provide the foundational infrastructure of smart homes by combining both a Wi-Fi access point and a Thread Border Router, ensuring these ubiquitous devices have the necessary infrastructure for Matter products using either of these technologies. HRAP devices also feature a secure directory for storing and sharing Thread network credentials. This standardized approach makes it easier for users to add new Thread devices, including Thread Border Routers, to their existing Thread networks, rather than creating new ones, realizing the benefits of a unified Thread mesh network and reducing network fragmentation.

Starting from this foundation, the HRAP roadmap will continue to add enhancements to improve smart home infrastructure including support for the improvements in Thread 1.4. (Note, the version numbers between this Matter 1.4 release and Thread’s 1.4 release are coincidental and unrelated.)

Enhanced Multi-Admin 

Multi-Admin is central to Matter’s vision of choice and interoperability, allowing users to connect Matter devices to multiple smart home systems. However, sharing each device individually when managing multiple platforms can become tedious and complex as users expand their smart homes. Enhanced Multi-Admin makes smart home management easier with single user consent, enabling existing and new devices to connect to multiple ecosystems automatically. Matter 1.4 and future releases provide developers with flexible approaches to implement this optional experience based on their applications.

Enhancements to Energy Management 

Matter 1.4 expands its energy management capabilities by adding support for new device types like solar panels, batteries, heat pumps, and water heaters. These additions, along with improvements to the energy management and thermostat clusters, pave the way for smarter, more automated energy management within the home.

New Energy Device Types and Capabilities

Solar Power – Existing electrical power and electrical energy support in Matter has been extended to Solar Power device types, including inverters, individual and panel arrays, and hybrid solar/battery systems. 

Batteries – These include battery walls, storage units, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), capable of discharging energy back into the home or grid, creating “virtual power plants.” Enabled by home energy management systems, they support load balancing, with any controller potentially serving as the management system.

Heat Pumps are an increasingly popular appliance for managing temperature in homes, with a growing number of incentive programs for their installation. With Matter’s energy management capabilities, these devices could forecast consumption and adjust usage during peak demand. Heat pumps can shift energy use to off-peak times, such as pre-heating the home, and some feature a “buffer tank” that functions like a battery. 

Water Heaters – Electric water heaters can be set to a preset temperature or percentage, letting users monitor hot water levels. A boost command, which enables rapid heating from multiple energy sources for situations where hot water is needed quickly, allows temporary overrides in the heating schedule, ideal for situations like hosting guests. This gives consumers more control and flexibility. Additionally, the new Water Heater Mode cluster provides users with the ability to easily toggle scheduling on and off, making it simple to adjust heating patterns when normal routines change.

Enhancements to Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE): EVSE support is enhanced by introducing user-defined charging preferences like specifying when they want their car to be charged, allowing users to choose optimal times for convenience and cost, building on the provisional features from earlier versions.

Enhancements to Thermostats: Thermostat clusters add support for scheduling and preset modes like vacation and home/away settings. Presets can be triggered through motion detection, integrated with other devices, and even automation based on calendar events.

Device Energy Management and Mode – With support for Device Energy Management, Matter 1.4 allows energy-consuming devices to adjust start times based on energy usage forecasts and power management needs. This feature is ideal for devices in optimizing their consumption patterns. The new Device Energy Management Mode cluster enables easy toggling between device-specific, local, or grid-wide energy optimization, providing greater flexibility and efficiency for managing power across the home.

Mounted On/Off and Dimmable Load Control

Matter 1.4 introduces two new device types designed specifically for fixed in-wall smart home devices that deliver electrical power to wired devices, such as in-wall switches for controlling lights, fans, and other non-smart appliances. Previously, these were typically modeled as lights, which could limit user interface or automation flexibility.

Enhancements to Occupancy Sensing

Enhancements to the existing sensor cluster now support sensing features like radar, vision, and ambient sensing technologies. The update also introduces customisable sensitivity settings and offers improved tuning for sensor and history reporting through event-based updates, providing a more precise and adaptable smart home experience. These updates serve as a foundation for future work to support new sensing techniques to enable capabilities like person detection and activity classification.

Enhancements to Battery Powered Devices

Matter 1.4 introduces core enhancements that optimise battery life and communication for Intermittently Connected Devices (ICDs) like switches, buttons, and sensors. Key updates include the Long Idle Time (LIT) protocol, which extends battery life, and a new Check-In Protocol to ensure reliable communication for low-power devices that require LIT. Additionally, quieter reporting of predictable attribute changes reduces network traffic, resulting in improved battery performance and network efficiency.

For More Information: https://csa-iot.org

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The Connectivity Standards Alliance (the Alliance) is pleased to announce a significant development aimed at advancing ultra-wideband (UWB) technology through collaboration with the FiRa® Consortium (FiRa). This partnership marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of UWB solutions, paving the way forward with reduced development and certification costs for industry stakeholders while promoting interoperability across various applications and strengthening the broader UWB ecosystem as a whole.

“In a rapidly advancing technological landscape, the collaboration between the FiRa Consortium and the Alliance stands as a beacon of progress,” stated Tobin Richardson, President and CEO, Connectivity Standards Alliance. “By prioritizing interoperability and efficiency, this strategic partnership sets the stage for innovative UWB applications, transforming industries and improving user experiences worldwide.” 

With a focus on aligning technical specifications and certification programs related to UWB MAC/PHY layers, the Alliance and FiRa partnership allows for the exchange of vital information, ultimately helping to identify opportunities in defining UWB MAC/PHY technical requirements and streamlining certification processes. These combined efforts enable both organizations to ensure a more cohesive development environment for UWB technologies. It’s a cooperative approach that not only encourages growth of UWB use cases, but also reduces development costs associated with multiple certifications.

“The growth of the UWB ecosystem is dependent on various standards organizations continuing to identify use cases, aligning where and when appropriate, and driving for consistency in test and certification to ensure interoperability for users,” said Clint Chaplin, Board Chair of the FiRa Consortium.

Looking Ahead

By harmonizing standards and certification processes, the Alliance and FiRa seek to create a more cohesive UWB ecosystem. This initiative will simplify the deployments across various applications, from smart homes to industrial IoT, enabling innovation and market growth. The potential for new use cases is vast with both organizations poised to lead the charge.

For More Information: www.csa-iot.org or  www.firaconsortium.org.

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Silicon Labs (NASDAQ: SLAB), a leader in secure, intelligent wireless technology for a more connected world, recently announced that its MG21 2.4 GHz wireless SoC had been selected by SONOFF for its new ZBMicro smart switch, SONOFF’s Micro Zigbee USB Smart Adaptor. ZBMicro is a groundbreaking addition to the realm of smart home technology. From its role as a smart switch for USB devices to its capabilities as a Zigbee router and support for fast charging, the ZBMicro delivers an unparalleled user experience that elevates the connectivity and convenience of modern smart homes.

“Silicon Labs is an ideal partner for SONOFF, providing industry-leading wireless connectivity products and solutions that meet our needs for RF performance, intelligence, security, reliability, and low-power consumption, to help us create smart home products with diverse features,” said Jerry Shi, COO of SONOFF. “In the future, we will continue to work with excellent partners like Silicon Labs to create more market-leading smart home products.”

Silicon Labs’ MG21 SoC is tailored for Zigbee applications, and offers a number of advantages for ZBMicro, including remarkable output power, robust RF performance, heightened processing capability and more. MG21 is a multi-protocol SoC in Silicon Labs’ Series 2, and supports multiple IoT protocols such as Zigbee, Thread and Bluetooth Mesh. In terms of performance, the MG21 SoC offers advantages that enhance processing power, RF performance and power efficiency. In terms of security, MG21 SoC comes with Silicon Labs’ Secure Vault IoT security, which meets PSA Level 3 certification, to greatly reduce IoT security vulnerabilities and ensure safe and stable operation of devices.

“We are pleased to see ZBMicro utilizing our MG21 SoC to deliver significant progress in device connectivity, convenience and style, simplifying and enhancing the smart home experience for users,” said Colin Cureton, Vice President, Home Business, at Silicon Labs. “Smart home is not only an important application area of IoT, but also a key focus area for Silicon Labs. Silicon Labs has utilized our deep experience and technological advantages in the IoT to launch multiple SoCs to help smart home manufacturers create better products that are popular in the market.”

ZBMicro introduces a sleek design coupled with advanced features aimed at enhancing user convenience and connectivity. Serving as both a smart switch for USB devices and a Zigbee router, ZBMicro empowers users to remotely control USB devices via a dedicated app while extending the capabilities of their Zigbee network. USB 2.0 data transfer capabilities ensure seamless data transmission, boosting efficiency. Additionally, when paired with a fast-charging adapter and power cable, it supports fast charging for mobile devices, adding further utility to its functionality.

Incorporating Silicon Labs’ MG21 SoC, ZBMicro emerges as a powerhouse in smart technology. This cutting-edge SoC boasts impressive features, including a remarkable output power of up to +20 dBm, ensuring enhanced signal transmission. With robust RF link performance of MG21 at its core, ZBMicro guarantees seamless connectivity, while fast data processing capabilities ensure swift transmission of information. 

As a semiconductor company focusing on IoT, Silicon Labs offers multiple products for smart home. Most recently, Silicon Labs announced the MG26 multi-protocol wireless SoC, which integrates Silicon Labs’ proprietary AI/ML Matrix Math accelerator with dedicated core optimized for machine learning. MG26 can process ML operations up to 8x faster using as little as 1/6^th the energy as a traditional embedded CPU. The MG26 SoCs are ideal for mesh IoT wireless connectivity using Zigbee, Matter, and OpenThread for smart home, lighting, and building automation products.

More information: https://sonoff.tech

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Tobin Richardson is the President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), leading a mission to simplify and unify the Internet of Things (IoT) through open, global standards. With over 695 member companies across 45 countries, CSA drives collaboration among industry leaders to create a more connected, accessible, and sustainable world. Richardson spearheaded the launch of Matter, an IP-based standard supported by major IoT players like Amazon, Apple, Google, Comcast, and Samsung SmartThings, aiming to break down IoT “walled gardens” and foster interoperability.

In an exclusive interview with Smart Home World, Tobin Richardson, President and CEO, Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), discusses ‘⁠Matter at One Year’, recent partnerships, and future plans.  

Can you briefly describe the mission and goals of the Connectivity Standard Alliance?

The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) is an international community of more than 700 technology companies committed to open standards for the Internet of Things (IoT). Our wide-ranging global membership collaborates to create and evolve universal open standards for the products transforming people’s lives. With our members’ deep and diverse expertise, robust certification programs, and a full suite of open IoT solutions, the Alliance is leading the movement toward a more intuitive, imaginative, and useful world.

How does your organization contribute to developing and promoting connectivity standards in the industry?

Our organization is member-driven, we charter to provide a place where collaboration and important work can happen, on equal footing. We have mechanisms in place to allow for shared IP and a one-company-one vote structure. We have a member-led board of directors, member-driven leadership and technology committees, and various levels of participation available. Every company volunteers their time to the Alliance and its initiatives. 

We are always recruiting and expanding our membership to include full representation of stakeholders in all the areas we work in. We also engage with government bodies and regulators around the world, to align on priority areas and see where standards can make an impact – product security and data privacy are two of these new areas. 

Can you share with our professional readers the progress made by Matter, a protocol for smart home devices that was released by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (the Alliance) just over a year ago?

Matter’s roll-out has out-paced the typical adoption cycles of previous industry standards. Rather than taking years for users to replace hub hardware, software updates enable existing smart home hubs and devices to become Matter controllers. This has created a global market with up to hundreds of millions of homes ready to connect new Matter devices. 

There are Matter products from popular and innovative brands across all initially supported device categories, with products and apps in users’ homes, on their smartphones and tablets, and store shelves. These numbers are in the hundreds of millions, if not more. 

Since the release of Matter 1.0, we’ve had 24,600 downloads of the spec, more than 2,500 individual products – software, hardware, apps – certifications, nearly 33% growth in the number of companies who have joined the Matter Working Group, and the opening of an Alliance Interoperability Test Facility. There are 350 companies now participating in the Matter Working Group and over 4,700 individuals participating. We released two new updates to Matter in 2023, one in the spring with Matter version 1.1 and one in the fall with Matter 1.2

More than 280 companies, including vendors, are supporting the new Matter standard, and some are even innovating ⁠built-in Matter support and Wi-Fi sensing functionality to help operators continue to progress with Matter. Can share more details on the same?

This number has grown to 350 companies, almost double from when we announced the brand for Matter in 2021. We’re seeing companies joining the effort from all across the smart home and IoT ecosystem, and there continues to be unwavering support from our current members as well. Adoption is growing, and we continue to add new features, new device categories, and better and simpler tools for device and app makers. 

Another great thing about Matter is that it enables innovation on top of it. Matter unlocks new opportunities for companies and individuals to create new experiences that will benefit consumers and make the smart home experience richer. We’ve solved the interoperability problem while adding in common elements and language along with a high bar of security. Now it’s up to companies to create on top of it. 

On the Wi-Fi sensing part, I believe you are talking about presence sensors. These are a powerful use case for Matter as now people can use occupancy as a way to make their home smarter and more energy efficient. We’ve seen some great examples already coming to market from our members and see this as a big and important category moving forward.

What do you have to say about the recent report, ‘⁠Matter at One Year’, How will it help the industry?

The Matter specification along with the SDK, testing tools, and certification program are continuing to evolve with active participation from hundreds of leading smart home engineers and product experts. Their meaningful contributions and hard work demonstrate that Matter continues to gain momentum and that the overall experience for consumers and developers will continue to improve over time.

As users connect more of those Matter devices, member companies have actively engaged with each other about their experiences and initial challenges, and are continuing to make improvements in the specification to address them. We fully acknowledge that there is more work to be done in areas including interoperability, platform feature support, multi-admin, and Thread border router connectivity. We have teams actively working on making the experience better for developers and consumers alike and are confident that Matter will continue to evolve and get better over time. 

What are the current strategic initiatives that the Connectivity Standard Alliance focuses on to enhance its impact in the industry?

The Alliance transitioned a few years ago from a single technology focus (Zigbee) to an umbrella organization where member companies can come together to solve industry challenges and foster the adoption of technology through global, open standards. In recent years, we’ve introduced new efforts for the smart home with Matter, digital access with Aliro, product security, data privacy, health and wellness, sustainability, and green power. Each of these efforts takes collaboration and consensus and can come to life as new standards, new principles, or under the guise of existing standards within the Alliance. 

Product Security in particular is one that we are excited about and will have news to share about. This group’s mission has been to create a robust certification program, rooted in industry best practices, technical excellence, and adherence to existing product security regulations in countries around the world, serving as a beacon and ensuring the security of IoT devices. The aim is to improve the overall security of IoT products worldwide, with a mark recognized by regulators and consumers that confirms a product’s security meets requirements, which also makes it easier for device makers to certify once and sell anywhere.

Can you elaborate on any recent partnerships or collaborations that have been established to advance the mission of the Connectivity Standard Alliance?

We have strong relationships with the Wi-Fi Alliance and ThreadGroup and have been able to work in partnership with them to align on the technology stack that makes up Matter. As Matter is on the communication protocol level, we need transport technologies to enable full smart home control. That’s why Matter from the start has been IP-based and has used Wi-Fi and Thread as its core transport technologies. Many of our member companies are also invested in these technologies and are active in their development and direction. 

How does the CSA approach software releases for Matter, (version 1.2)? How are these updates focused on improving the out-of-the-box experience for consumers?

The matter is unique in the world of standards in that we made it a requirement that any products can be updated via software. This allows us to continue to improve the experience for consumers by solving issues that arise, maintaining a high bar for security, and adding new features and device categories over time. We have a bi-annual release schedule currently and have issued two updates to date, one last spring and one in the fall. These updates brought under-the-hood performance improvements in the first update, nine new device categories, and additional new features to expand on the experience. 

As far as future updates go, our priority first and foremost is in making the experience better for consumers, to ensure we deliver on the promises that we have made around interoperability, reliability, simplicity, and security. Matter specification releases are the result of commitments by member companies to multiple stages of authorship, implementation, and testing. 

We’ve already identified some fixes that can help make the experience better one year that we’ll roll into a future update. For new categories and features, we have active work happening on many different fronts at all times, and once we have a combination of consensus and participation, we can move forward with additions to the specification. New features and capabilities to look out for in 2024 include support for water heaters and heat pumps, EV chargers, routers, and access points, and potentially cameras, and also a standardized set of energy management features or principles. We’re still planning for two releases this year, one in the spring and one in the fall.

Considering the slowdown in the growth of the smart home market, how does Matter plan to contribute to market efficiency and automated network ecosystems?

One of the barriers to the broad adoption of smart home devices, and the evolution of the smart home experience overall, has been interoperability. It’s been hard for the industry to achieve scale when consumers have been locked into particular ecosystems or with a limited choice of devices that work with one another. Complex and inconsistent setup processes, connectivity issues, and security concerns, and reliability have also prevented the smart home from growing. 

We are still in the early days of Matter, but the unprecedented scale of what we’ve built, in collaboration with and support from 350 global companies, solves these many challenges through open standards and we hope to solve the rest. With the speed at which the adoption of Matter is happening and the innovation happening around it, we have the best chance yet to take the smart home to the next level, making it both mainstream and ubiquitous in our lives.

Smart Home-as-a-Service Model: a. With more companies introducing subscription services, how does Matter plan to adapt to the shift towards the Smart Home-as-a-Service model?

We see a lot of potential in the smart-home-as-a-service model, with companies that have experience in the space and also with carriers and operators. In both of these cases, a central hub in the home can be Matter-enabled and then be the brain for the home, delivering connectivity, local control and control, automation and intelligence, and even applications on the edge. Operators can then recommend Matter-enabled products through their channels, and through packages or recurring billing, and then layer on services on top of these. We have many of the top global operators as members of the Alliance with many more eager to join.

What are your plans for the Indian Market? 

The Alliance is a global organization, and India is an important market for the Alliance and our members. We have member companies from India and we see the potential to have a major impact in the market across our standards and technologies. From support and tools for device and app makers to align with these standards and technologies to leveraging the technology industry’s deep experience for insight and collaboration, to having a bigger on-the-ground presence, everything is on the table for India. We don’t have any specifics to announce regarding India at this time but will keep you and your audience updated when we do.

Click here to read full February issue – https://www.smarthomeworld.in/magazine-february2024/

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Somfy recently announced its successful integration and certification with Apple Home, marking a significant advancement in smart home technology. This certification facilitates a seamless connection between Somfy’s supported Zigbee motors, responsible for powering interior window applications, and the TaHoma switch.

Zigbee 3.0 technology is renowned for its interoperability, global acceptance, and robust security measures. It serves as the backbone for connecting various smart home devices to a unified network, creating a harmonious ecosystem of synchronized products. Through the TaHoma switch, the newly attained certification with Apple Home offers a secure avenue to control Somfy-powered motorized window coverings via Zigbee motors. This control is easily accessible through the Apple Home app and Siri on a range of Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, HomePod, and Mac.

Apple Home’s integration enables users to finely adjust Somfy shades with the added convenience of automation, allowing for entirely hands-free management. This innovation extends Somfy’s reach to direct integration into five major smart home control ecosystems, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and IFTTT.

Somfy’s TaHoma App continues to be a central hub for a wide range of smart home functionalities, compatible with all major devices. The user-friendly and intuitive interface simplifies the control of smart home shading products. Users can effortlessly command shade movement through voice commands. The customizable interface empowers users to personalize controls, add devices, scenes, or rooms tailored to their preferences, and even set up automated controls based on scheduled actions.

For More Information: https://www.somfysystems.com/en-us/

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May 19, 2023 – The Connectivity Standards Alliance is delighted to announce the release of Matter 1.1, which marks a significant milestone in the ongoing development and progress of this evolving technology. This release is the result of the collective effort of hundreds of companies and individuals who are members of the Alliance, contributing to the advancement and success of Matter. Matter 1.1 introduces several improvements that empower developers and facilitate new user experiences, preparing the platform for the next phase of its journey.

The updates included in Matter 1.1 provide device makers and developers with an improved starting point for working with Matter and streamlining the certification process, enabling faster delivery of products to users. Furthermore, the release enhances support for battery-operated devices, a critical feature across a wide range of smart home categories.

A key differentiating factor of Matter is its publicly available specification and open-source software development kit (SDK), enabling developers to work from a common specification and code base. Taking into account valuable feedback from members and early developers, the Alliance has made clarifications and improvements to the specification, making it more user-friendly and accessible. The updates also provide better guidance for developers to contribute and add support for new device types to the Matter specification.

In terms of testing and certification, Matter 1.1 introduces new enhancements in automation, simplifying the pre-qualification process for device makers and ensuring successful certification. These enhancements also benefit Authorised Testing Laboratories (ATLs) by making testing more efficient and comprehensive.

Matter 1.1 significantly enhances support for Intermittently Connected Devices (ICDs), also known as `sleepy devices.’ These devices, including contact, motion, and temperature sensors, as well as door locks and switches, often rely on battery power and require efficient power management for optimal operation and lifespan. The improved support in Matter 1.1 reduces the likelihood of devices being reported as offline during user interactions, enabling developers to optimize their products and deliver better user experiences.

All these enhancements are now incorporated into the Matter SDK and API, underscoring the continuous commitment of the working group to improving Matter products and enhancing the overall Matter developer experience.

Since the launch of Matter 1.0 in October 2022, there have been significant engagement and adoption, with 17,991 downloads of the specification and 1135 new products certified by the Alliance. This growing momentum has attracted more than 60 new members to join the Alliance since the release of the specification. These statistics demonstrate substantial progress towards achieving the envisioned future for the Internet of Things (IoT), where Matter aims to address challenges related to security, connectivity, innovation, complexity, and trust.

Developers who are interested in exploring these enhancements can access the following resources:

Matter 1.1 Specification

Matter 1.1 SDK Release

Alliance Opens New Interoperability Test Facility in Portland, Oregon

In a further effort to accelerate progress towards the IoT future, the Alliance is pleased to announce the inauguration of its Interoperability Testing Facility (ITF) for Matter products. This state-of-the-art facility provides interoperability testing services to Alliance members engaged in the development of Matter products for certification. The ITF is equipped with an extensive range of Matter controllers, hubs, and end devices, specifically configured to simulate typical sets of devices and installation configurations found in residential settings.

Interop testing goes beyond the compliance testing conducted for certification purposes, allowing for comprehensive evaluation of product behavior and user experience in real-life settings. It encompasses various products, hubs, and controllers from different brands, operating across diverse network configurations, including mobile apps and controller interactions. The feedback generated from this testing process is invaluable for device, app, and platform developers, with the ultimate goal of enhancing product quality and improving the user experience.

The ITF, located in Portland, Oregon (US), is staffed by Alliance personnel. Alliance members have the opportunity to utilize these facilities by booking slots to attend in person, witness interop testing, or by sending their products for testing in their absence. To book a slot or inquire further, please email your request to interop@csa-iot.org. The ITF also offers a testing environment for Zigbee products.

Moving Matter Forward

With the release of Matter 1.1, the Alliance and its members have prioritized making Matter more user-friendly and expediting product launches. Additionally, the launch of the ITF underscores the Alliance’s commitment to continuously improving user experiences with Matter products.

Following the launch of Matter 1.0 in the fall of 2022, the Alliance set a goal of a biannual release cycle. Currently, work is underway for the next version of Matter, which will introduce new features and expanded device type support, expected to be released later this year.

As an open, industry standard, companies interested in bringing their ideas and device type support to Matter are encouraged to join the Connectivity Standards Alliance and the Matter Working Group. To learn more about membership, please visit www.csa-iot.org 

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Architects and Interior designers often find themselves in a situation, where their clients ask them, why they should opt for Smart Automated Shades and Blinds. We have the answers to all of your questions right here.

Smart automated Shades and Blinds are no longer a fancy option. Gone are the days when their use was restricted to high-end homes and commercial projects because they were expensive! Today, many national and international brands in the market offer various options that are competitively priced. Plus, they can be integrated with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings ecosystems, etc. The most popular brands in this segment are Somfy, Lutron, Hogar Controls, Hunter Douglas, Crestron, Buildwell Motors, A-OK Motors and Funk Motors to name a few.  

Market Drivers

The major reason for the increasing popularity of smart shades and blinds is the latest advancements and the convenience it offers to users. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global blinds and shades market is projected to grow from $6.12 billion in 2022 to $8.76 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 5.27% in the forecast period, 2022-2029.

There are many reasons for the rising demand, and according to Future Market Insights, innovative energy-saving features in blinds and shades are drawing in more customers. Moreover, this is expected to significantly support the concept of smart buildings coupled with distributed energy systems. Growing consumer awareness of customizing product solutions offered by various manufacturers in the blind and shades market is also one of the reasons fueling the growth of the global blinds and shades market.

Smart Shade Controls

There are various types of smart shade controls offered by different manufacturers. The most popular way to operate smart shades will be via Apps. There are dedicated Apps from the maker designed specifically for a given smart shade. In other instances, the smart shade may function with one or more of the popular smart home ecosystems, including Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Amazon Alexa.

Smart Displays like the Google Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max can provide touch control for smart shades, though the controls might only be able to open and close the shades in the most basic of ways. Smart shades frequently use Works with Google integrations to connect to Google smart displays. Integrations with Amazon Echo Show displays might also be feasible. Smart speakers are built into smart displays, allowing voice commands to be used with them as well.

The feature of Voice Control with Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, or Google Assistant may indeed be an option for a given smart shade, but enabling that functionality may require an add-on smart speaker or smart home hub.

Many smart shade makers offer a companion Wireless Remote Control option. These can be convenient when you want to operate an individual shade without having to locate your smartphone or try to recall a specific voice command. They can be snapped to the wall or sit on a coffee table for easy access. These may communicate with the smart shade via radio frequency (RF), Z-Wave, Bluetooth, or other wireless communication protocols.

Another option for some brands of smart shades is In-Wall Lighting and Control Systems. These smart lighting controls can be equipped with optional colour LCD touch-screen displays to control smart shades and other devices in addition to replacing standard lighting wall switches. 

Whole-Home Automation Systems are another option that are expensive systems, which system integrators can install, and can integrate motorized and smart shades. They have dedicated on-wall touch panels, remote controls, and mobile device controls.

Smart Home Scenes can also be used to control groups of smart shades. In this case, scenes have been set up to operate all the shades in the house with a single tap, or even just one room at a time. A lockdown scene has been set up to lock all of the doors and secure the smart door locks in addition to simultaneously closing all of the shades.

Smart Home Scenes By tapping a button in an app, scenes allow multiple smart shades to be controlled simultaneously. These scenes can be combined to control other smart home accessories connected to the same network, like smart door locks or smart lighting, and they are simple to set up. Typically, voice control can also be used to run scenes.

Smart Home Ecosystem Integration

The new Matter Standard may change everything over time, but today the compatibility of smart shades between the Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings ecosystems is very mixed.

Smart shades that include onboard Z-Wave or Zigbee radios can offer the best integration across the ecosystems, particularly when used with the Samsung SmartThings platform. They are also a good bet for the long term since they will ultimately work with Matter and are also among the favorites of professional integrators.

The Samsung SmartThings ecosystem offers a broad range of integration options for smart shades. The latest SmartThings hub offers both Z-Wave and Zigbee radios, and can manage an entire home fitted with smart shades and other smart accessories.

Somfy one of the prominent brands in this segment offers curtains and tubular shades that operate flawlessly, are the fastest and quietest shades available, and are compatible with all popular smart-home platforms. They help save energy and improve home security.  Sonesse 50 Ultra are the ultra-quiet motors from Somfy for interior blinds. The newly patented and improved spring brake eliminates stopping and tilting noise. Glydea Ultra is packed with innovations that provide an acoustic performance of less than 38dBA, one of the quietest motorization solutions in the market. Adding Taral Trivedi, Managing Director, Somfy India says, “Somfy offers both motorization and control solutions for various window covering and access applications such as Interior blinds and curtains, Shutters and sun protection, connected home, access management, security. Somfy offers control solutions on open protocol platform of digital and wireless technologies available in the market, reference Dry Contact, RS485, Zigbee, KNX, IFTTT which allows third-party systems to be able to integrate seamlessly with Somfy motors. These controls allow for interoperable options of read and write commands which in turn allows the end user to establish two-way communications where you get reports on status checks and error feedback. Further extending the flexibility of control strategies, Somfy offers API-based services for customized integration with third-party automation systems in the market. Somfy has partnered with leading technology providers and system integrators in the market to offer end-to-end customized solutions.”

Adding insight on the Smart Shades and controls, Jubin Thomas, Territory Sales Manager, Lutron says, “Lutron designs and manufactures smart shades and lighting controls. We don’t just care about the performance of our smart shades such as silent operation and perfect alignment, but also the aesthetics including the shades themselves and the controllers to control the shades. We have various styles of controllers like Palladiom Keypads, Alisse Wall Controls, and a wireless controller named Pico, offering our customers different designs, finishes, and applications to meet their needs. Lutron offers seamless integration between our smart shades and lighting controls and various control option like wired, wireless, timeclock, voice, and mobile app control. On top of this, users can add in sensors like occupancy sensors or daylight sensors. With occupancy sensors, it will allow the shades to open or lights to turn on automatically when a room is occupied, or vice versa. With daylight sensors, the shades will move according to the sun positioning and incoming daylight. This is what Lutron calls total light control with utmost intelligence.”

One of the major components of Smart Shades and Blinds is smart motorization.  It is one of the most important components, while many smart home accessories may operate invisibly in the background, it’s the built-in shade motors whirring in sync with onboard wireless radio chips and software that make smart shades the most convenient choice for users.

One of the most trusted and popular brand that offers a wholesome solution is Hogar Controls. The Brand offers Smart Curtains & Blinds with varying degrees of intelligence based on usage. They have the widest and unique range of products which includes Curtain Motors that support 40-130 KG of load and blind motors which can take 15-150 KG of load. Being a leader in Home Automation they provide multi-protocol compatibility for their motors be it Z-wave, Zigbee, Wi-Fi or KNX. Hogar Controls’ VL40 & VL60 motors are one of the smartest available in this segment. Not only can you connect them with any 3rd party automation, one can use them seamlessly via App and Voice Control without even using any Automation system all together. The motors have an automation chip in built which allows them to operate via Hogar App and Alexa by just connecting to available Wi-Fi Network. And the smart curtain module allows any brand motor be it curtain or blind operate seamlessly on Hogar App.

“Apart from a wide range of Smart Motors we offers smart accessories which includes flexible tracks, Multi-Channel Remotes, Smart receiver, Smart Touch Panels etc. Their USP includes integration with any Smart Home Automation, Super silent motors, compatibility with voice assistants, compatibility with roller, roman, venetian, skyline and zebra blinds, says Jaspreet Singh Bhatia, Vice President Hogar Controls

While Buildwell Motors manufactures tubular and curtain motors that can be used to automate venetian blinds, wooden blinds, roller blinds, and curtains. Their motors can be controlled using their beautiful glass facia RF remotes, Smartphones using Wi- fi or any wired/wireless home automation. Their motors are compatible with all home automation systems. They are the only curtain motor company in India, manufacturing all plastic components, aluminium tracks and metal hardware in-house, which gives them the advantage to control quality in comparison to other companies who import from other countries.

Smart motorization undergoes regular technical updates. The most recent is the AM75 Curtain Motor by A-OK, a new generation Helical Gearbox design Curtain Motor with Superior Performance, good load bearing capacity, being one of the highest in its segment, and can work on multiple platforms such as Home Automation via dry contact, Home Automation via high voltage AC power supply, with a remote control device, as well as voice commands over leading platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, etc. and loaded with all the leading features.  

Advantages of Shades and Blinds

Light Control, and Comfort.

Whether your goal is to maximize or minimize daylighting, reduce glare, or simply stay comfortable, smart shades can make it easy to automatically control the amount of light coming into your windows to meet the needs of the moment. This modulation can happen many times throughout the day and can be tailored on an individual window or group of windows basis. You may want all of your shades to open at sunrise and close at sunset, or have them open or close at different times during the day based on their orientation to the sun, time of day, and depth of overhangs. Most shades are made from llight-filtering fabrics and can be adjusted by voice control to bring in softened daylight. They are each powered by 8 AA batteries, housed in wands hidden behind the shade housings.

Solar Heat Gain and Loss + Energy Savings.

Automations on a schedule can help minimize solar heat gain through your windows on hot days by closing the shades (to reduce cooling loads), or maximizing solar heat gain on cold days by opening them (to reduce heating loads). These hands-off automations can help save on energy costs throughout the year.

Now that we have understood the technical part we give you the option to select the right type of shades

Types of Smart Shade Designs.

Smart shade types and designs can be as varied as the windows they are intended to cover.

Roller Shades. Roller shades are the most universal of all smart shades, and nearly every manufacturer will offer them in their product line-ups. Mechanically, these are the simplest of all motorized shades and generally require the least amount of lift force from the motor—meaning the batteries tend to last longer. Their cost tends to be at the lower end of the smart shade range.

Layered Shades. Among the newest designs are smart layered shades (often called banded shades or zebra shades), where the shade consists of two layers or fabric with alternating bands of sheer and opaque material. They tend to be at the higher end of the cost range, and can be the most dramatic to watch as they raise, lower, or adjust.

Sheer Shades. Also among the newer designs are smart sheer shades (often called soft blinds), all-fabric shades that have two layers of fabric connected by fabric vanes. They function more like Venetian blinds, and also tend to be at the higher end of the cost range.

Cellular Shades. Cellular shades (also known as honeycomb shades) are also offered by many smart shade manufacturers, and these are generally in the middle of the cost range. They typically offer more energy savings than other designs due to the air trapped inside the cellular vanes.

Venetian Blinds. There are many smart Venetian blinds on the market to choose from. Due to the nature of their design, they tend to be heavier and require more lift force than other designs—so typically the lift operation is not motorized. Instead, the motorization and automation are restricted to tilting the vanes for light control. These shades can be made of aluminum, vinyl, wood, or other materials. Cost tends to be at the lower to middle segments of the range.

Types of Smart Shade Power Options.

Smart shade motorization requires continual access to electrical power. While many smart shades will be powered via batteries, shades operate via wireless connections. Plug-in Power Adapters is also a viable option, particularly where you plan on installing a large number of shades throughout the home. Hard Wiring can be installed on dedicated in-wall control boxes and power supplies in strategic locations. This will enable you to invisibly hide all wires in the walls. Solar Panels are offered by Some manufacturers. In this case, a small solar panel positioned near the shade is used to keep the batteries recharged. This may be a good option where the window location receives sufficient sunlight to fully recharge the batteries each day.

Now that we have cleared all your doubts and provided our readers with the latest updates we are sure you are confident to make the right choice.

The post Latest Innovations In Smart Shades And Blinds appeared first on Smart Home World Magazine.

The Z-Wave Alliance has declared that the Z-Wave Source Code Project is complete, and will be opening up Z-Wave development and allowing members to contribute code to determine the protocol’s future under the guidance of the new OS Work Group (OSWG).

The project’s objective is to offer a comprehensive development environment with the pertinent source code and sample applications to individuals looking to directly contribute to the evolution of the Z-Wave standard. It has been published and made available to Alliance members on GitHub.

A new required Silicon & Stack Certification procedure will also regulate the quality and interoperability of goods using Z-Wave Source Code. Z-Wave S2 security, network connectivity, range, battery life, and interoperability, including backward and forward compatibility, will all continue to be tested for and certified by full Z-Wave certification.

“The Z-Wave Alliance is deeply committed to the global smart home market,” said Mitch Klein, executive director of the Z-Wave Alliance. “This year, the smart home conversations have focused largely on Matter. Shiny and new, and with big brands supporting the initiative, Matter is bringing a lot of attention to the smart home. This makes it easy to overlook Z-Wave as the most established, trusted, and secure smart home protocol, which also happens to have the largest certified interoperable ecosystem in the market. We firmly expect that Z-Wave will play a key role in connecting devices and delivering the experience users really want.”

While the Source Code project was ongoing, Z-Wave experienced growth achieving milestones such as the availability of Z-Wave Long Range (LR) certification, surpassing 4,100 certified Z-Wave devices on the market, and seeing 90 million new Z-Wave devices enter the market since 2020.

In 2020, when Z-Wave Alliance announced that Silicon Labs was contributing the Z-Wave code to the organisation, the Alliance was re-incorporated as an independently run, member-driven non-profit Standards Development Organisation (SDO). Over the last 20 months, technical working groups specific to features such as the physical layer working group (mac/PHY), networking layer working group, application layer working group (command class specification), and security working group have collaborated to complete the Z-Wave Source Code project.

Executed in beta testing and shared with members of the Z-Wave Member Summit, Exegin Technologies completed the Z-Wave Source Code porting to third-party silicon. The operation is Outlined in a blog on the Z-Wave Alliance website. The proof-of-concept network demonstrates how the Z-Wave Source Code package will provide developers and manufacturers with flexible implementations from the controller (hub/bridge) to end devices.

Further extrapolated, the implementation could be for both new controllers, such as Z-Wave/Matter compatible bridges, and for Z-Wave or Z-Wave/Matter end devices.

Silicon Labs, one of the primary code contributors to both Matter and Z-Wave, has developed a multi-protocol software development kit, the Unify SDK, for Matter-based hubs and bridges. The software tool provides for interoperability between the different wireless IoT protocols, including Z-Wave and Matter. The Unify SDK offers a how-to kit for manufacturers and developers to connect both new and legacy Z-Wave devices with new Matter devices.

Klein added: “This is going to be an incredible year for the smart home industry and an exciting time for verticals we see growing including MDU, hospitality, energy and insurance. As an SDO. Membership is the key to the future of Z-Wave technology. With a new Board of Directors, led by Amazon’s Jonathan Adams and John Osborne II who chaired Project CHIP, the industry will start to recognise and embrace all the shiny parts of Z-Wave.”

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The Z-Wave Alliance, the Standards Development Organization (SDO) dedicated to advancing smart home and Z-Wave technology, has announced the newly elected Z-Wave Alliance Board of Directors. Effective immediately, the updated roster of roles and representatives from across the connected home and IoT industry is as follows:

• Chairman of the Board – Jonathan Adams, Amazon
• Vice Chairman of the Board – John E Osborne II, LEXI Devices
• Treasurer – Kevin Kraus, ASSA ABLOY
• Secretary – Avi Rosenthal, Bluesalve Partners
• Executive Director – Mitch Klein, Silicon Labs
• Director – Jennifer Doctor, Johnson Controls Inc.
• Director – Stephen Haynes, Vivint
• Director – Andrew Weir, ADT
• Director – Gustaf Lonaeus, Alarm.com
• Director – James Wang, LEEDARSON
• Chair Emeritus – Jacob Alamat, Silicon Labs

According to the organization, the past two years has driven high levels of growth in the smart home industry. Data is showing that 55% of U.S. adults or 110 million people now own one or more smart home devices. Z-Wave boasts that it has experienced this first-hand with milestones such as the availability of the Z-Wave Long Range (LR) certification, achieving 4100 certified Z-Wave devices, and witnessing 90 million new devices enter the market since 2020.

Conversations concerning standards and protocols are at an all-time high. Amongst talk of one of the most anticipated new developments in the IoT, the Z-Wave Alliance points out that Jonathan Adams, an emerging technology leader at Amazon is seated at the head of the organization. Furthermore, the Alliance continues to benefit from the knowledge and expertise from the collective board, which includes leaders who are founding participants of Project CHIP and who currently hold chaired positions within both the Thread Group and the Connectivity Standards Alliance.  

“Recently, the universally sourced, industry-ralling battle-cry has been that of interoperability,” says Mitch Klein, executive director of the Z-Wave Alliance.

“No other organization has as much experience at the helm as the Z-Wave Alliance, which has operated with interoperability as a core value for the past two decades. If the freshly elected Z-Wave Board of Directors proves anything, it is that industry leaders and trend setters echo our sentiment and see the future of Z-Wave as bright and opportunistic.”

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WiZ is certifying all products to work with Matter, allowing all new and current WiZ users to control their WiZ lights with Matter once the certification is done. WiZ will be among the first loT brands to support the Matter standard. This major step will make smart lighting accessible for everyone. 

The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), formerly the Zigbee Alliance, created the Matter standard as a means of bringing to market interoperable products that work across brands and platforms with greater privacy, security, and simplicity. WiZ is deeply committed to Matter and will make its full portfolio compatible, including lights and smart plugs. This is to continue delivering on our promise of bringing the most intuitive user experience and secure connectivity to our users. All new WiZ smart lighting products will have the Matter logo on their packaging beginning in H2 2023 for easy recognition by consumers. Once Matter certification is completed, all products manufactured since Q2 2021 will receive an over-the-air (OTA) firmware update to become part of the Matter ecosystem. This includes products purchased previously and already installed. WiZ has started certifying its full product portfolio, including lights and smart plugs, to work with Matter. The certification effort is expected to be completed by end of 2022.

WiZ users will continue to enjoy the best-in-class lighting experiences and advanced features such as dynamic light modes, customizable light scenes, and dual-zone light control using the WiZ App. But now they can also make WiZ lights work with any Matter device to make their smart home even smarter.

According to Maikel Klomp, Business Leader of WiZ Connected: “We are extremely proud to announce that our products will support Matter so soon. This industry-unifying technology will catapult smart home adoption and enable consumers to connect all their smart home devices seamlessly. By adopting Matter into our full product portfolio, WiZ continues to give users more flexibility and access to easy-to-use technology with the aim to improve daily convenience.”

Matter for Connected by WiZ brands

Now that the WiZ platform supports Matter, all our “Connected by WiZ” partners (companies who embed WiZ technology in their own branded products) can easily certify their products to work with Matter. Philips Smart LED is expected to have its full portfolio certified by end of 2022.

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