Silicon Labs Bows ZigBee-Based SoC Reference Designs for Developers

Silicon Labs bowed wireless occupancy sensor ($49) and smart outlet ($119) reference designs for the home automation market, the company said in a Tuesday announcement. The designs are FCC and UL certified and include hardware, firmware and software tools based on the Silicon Labs ZigBee Golden Unit Home Automation (HA 1.2) software stack and multi-protocol Wireless Gecko SoC portfolio. The tools enable developers to move from design to final product with certified wireless technology, open-source hardware design files and software stacks based on proven test setups and manufacturing methods, said the company. The occupancy sensor’s small, battery-powered design, the size of two AAA batteries, can operate for up to five years before the battery needs to be replaced, it said. Detection range of the sensor is close to 40 feet with a 90-degree viewing window. The smart outlet reference design can be used to power and control home and building automation products. It’s powered by an AC main voltage line and communicates wirelessly to ZigBee mesh networks, it said.