The Bitstream» ZigMe

Description

Hey there, happy reader…

This Bitstream installment is a result of the ZigBee® Alliance’s announced development of the ZigBee Green Power feature set to establish global, standards for self–powered devices operating through energy harvesting techniques. Think symbioses: a close association, usually a mutually beneficial relationship, between two dissimilar organisms. That about sez it all for me when it comes to Zigbee–enabled sensors and whatever the heck it is their sniffing.

OK, let’s back up a moment and look at Zigbee and why it’s kewel. In brief, Zigbee is a suite of PAN or personal area network communication protocols that use UWB or ultra–wideband radio frequency for their physical layer. In other words, wireless communication. Now, Zigbee was designed from the getgo to provide a low bandwidth channel. With low bandwidth comes low power so Zigbee radios are very efficient at moving data short distances at what we moderns consider a glacial pace. But, that’s cool cuz not every wireless transport has to stream HD video plus eight channels of bombastic audio. No sir, many application require a leisurely back and forth between network nodes and ZigBee’s good at that. Did I mention ZigBee rigs are small?

Laird Technologies' ZB2430 ZigBee module

The above Laird module is a typical example: it draws 95 mAmps at 3.3 Volts. It has ...

Original URL

http://www.seneschal.net/blog/index.php/2009/zigme/

http://www.seneschal.net/blog/index.php/2009/zigme/