1 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome from the Editor 3 Deborah S. Ray
A Timeline of Home Automation 5 Infographic
Introduction to Home Automation 7 Paul Golata
Architectures and Protocols for Home Automation Systems: Part 1 of 2 9 Phil Hipol
Hardware Selections for Home Automation Systems: Part 2 of 2 13 Phil Hipol
15 Demystifying Digital Assistants Alex Misiti
How IoT Short-Range Connectivity Stacks Up in Home Automation 19 Carolyn Mathas
LEDs and Wireless Tech Combine to Build Intelligent Lighting 23 Bill Schweber
Home Automation: Engineering a Home with Eyes, Ears, and Plenty of Smarts 27 Paul Golata
What IoT Developers Can Learn from Smart Locks 33 Stephen Evanczuk
Mouser and Mouser Electronics are registered trademarks of Mouser Electronics, Inc. Other products, logos, and company names mentioned herein 1 may be trademarks of their respective owners. Reference designs, conceptual illustrations, and other graphics included herein are for informational 2 purposes only. Copyright © 2018 Mouser Electronics, Inc. – A TTI and Berkshire Hathaway company. WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR
“When wireless is perfectly Empowering Innovation Together applied, the whole Earth Jack Johnston, Director will be converted into a Marketing Communication huge brain….” –Nikola Tesla, Colliers Executive Editor interview, 1926 Deborah S. Ray
It’s hard to imagine that a technological advancement that’s only come of age Contributing Authors in the past decade was predicted nearly Stephen Evanczuk a century ago. Then again, futurist and Paul Golata electrical engineer Nikola Tesla was Phil Hipol right about a lot of things. Steven Keeping In the decades since Tesla made this Carolyn Mathas remark, a number of technological Alex Misiti advancements have brought us closer to realizing his vision. Industry 2.0 Technical Contributor brought us advances in machinery, appliances, electronic devices, and Paul Golata more, followed by Industry 3.0, which brought information technology to the Editorial Contributors forefront by connecting companies, LaKayla Garrett resources, and people via the Internet. Ryan Stacy Before we even have a chance to catch our breath from the whirlwind of recent Design & Production advances, Industry 4.0 has already Hannah Baker begun and has claimed its own identity: how a physical device connected words, to convert the whole Earth To combine the cyber systems of the to the Internet could do real-world into a huge brain.
recent revolution with the physical tasks. With Special Thanks systems that came before it. And Mouser Electronics is proud to Kevin Hess therein lies the concept of the Internet The past decade has brought a introduce All Things IoT as part of Sr. VP, Marketing of Things (IoT). plethora of advances in both the our Empowering Innovation Together physical and cyber systems that series. In this first of three eBooks, Russell Rasor The first IoT object came nearly 30 make the IoT possible, including in we explore the engineering behind years ago, in 1990: A toaster connected wireless communications, sensors, the IoT that is automating our homes, VP, Supplier Marketing to the Internet via TCP/IP that could processing, security, and power. The changing the way we live, and turn the power to ON and darken applications for the IoT are limitless, empowering people along the way. Jennifer Krajcirovic and today’s engineers, we are indeed bread to various shades of “toasted” with home automation, industrial, Director, Creative Design on the cusp of new awe-inspiring according to how long the power and infrastructure at the core. The “And some of these awe-inspiring developments. remained on. The Internet-connected IoT has the potential to turn physical developments are not so very far off.” Raymond Yin toaster could be operated from any objects into interconnected systems Director, Technical Content computer in the world with a single that sense, collect, store, and Yes again, Mr. Tesla. With your vision, Deborah S. Ray typed command, which demonstrated process data…or, to use Tesla’s a century of technological advances, Executive Editor
3 4 5 6 rampant growth should take place. will contain configurations, allowing as engineers does not. Complex INTRODUCTION TO HOME AUTOMATION As more devices connect, the IoT for the seamless incorporation and problems are waiting for solutions. and its power will grow exponentially. processing of information from The critical thinking of design By Paul Golata, Mouser Electronics More connected devices and unanticipated nodes and devices. engineers is essential to spark the nodes will mean that more data Ongoing reductions in physical size creative solutions necessary to There are times when we endeavor to accomplish what may appear to will be available. With the growth and power consumption will ensure harness the power of collaborative be too bold. One such example that is difficult to articulate is the area of of artificial intelligence (AI), what is that devices that are still not yet under human capital, which will enable new the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT is burgeoning, undergoing rapid and “smart” today will become childlike consideration can eventually board IoT possibilities that spill over into our ongoing development. Our efforts, however, are not final in nature, and we in nature in a short time. Pre-built the IoT domain. homes in the present and future. intelligence within networks will bring them to you—the design engineer, our partner and colleague. empower them to manage their own While our homes become more intelligence, and these networks and more automated, our process
There are times when we endeavor Mouser Electronics believes in the to accomplish what may appear to future of IoT and home automation. be too bold. One such example that Select household devices will benefit is difficult to articulate is the area of from their coordinated utility to the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT assist homeowners in managing is burgeoning, undergoing rapid and their scarce resources of time, ongoing development. Our efforts, energy, and money—ultimately to however, are not final in nature, and achieve higher levels of personal we bring them to you—the design productivity, efficiency, cost savings, engineer, our partner and colleague. value, comfort, convenience, and effectiveness. Our goal is to express to design engineers how IoT has made its way Underpinning today’s home into our most intimate of places—our automation systems are electronic homes. The home is the place where components and solutions that we we relax, work, live, eat, sleep, and as homeowners are increasingly enjoy life. Whether you are a new incorporating into all the things design engineer or an experienced that we utilize daily within our veteran of numerous designs, our home. Networking these electronics hope is to inform you of how IoT together—through the employment of has and is transforming the home sensors, faster and farther-reaching by bringing forward automation connectivity devices, microprocessors technology, capabilities, and and microcontrollers, interface application advancements. products, software, along with mechanical and optical, supportive, Home automation is the result of dependent physical platforms— the human action of arranging and allows for the power of the Internet empowering household items to work to expand into new domains. This primarily by themselves, practically endeavor is enabling design independent of direct human engineers to make home automation involvement. In this environment, a that focuses on helping people obtain human voluntarily yields control to goods and services that fulfill and preset devices and systems that enrich their lives. he or she establishes, which are synergistically assembled to form So! What will IoT and home a relatively autonomous command automation offer us in the near platform from which connected future? Well, simply stated, much, devices may act without the presence much more! Over the next 5, 10, of human thought or guidance. and 20 years, in great expectation, 7 8 ARCHITECTURES AND PROTOCOLS FOR HOME AUTOMATION SYSTEMS: PART 1 OF 2 By Phil Hipol for Mouser Electronics IO Mo u e
New wireless technologies are making home automation affordable and simple. Home Computer e ote ser Whether you’re an engineer or tinkerer, understanding the architectures, protocols, & Internet and products will help ensure the best combination of technologies for your needs.
OOM S art Home automation systems can make life easier for to the home computer network to enable remote IO Mo u e evice Master homeowners by automating several functions access by input modules to sensors and to control Contro er with so-called “smart” electronic devices, which are smart devices and appliances from outside of the S art commonly used for security, climate control, lighting, lawn home. S art Sensor evice irrigation, audiovisual systems, and appliances. These smart devices can also save a homeowner money through • One or more local controllers that communicate a reduction in home operating costs, and thereby pay for in a wired or wireless mode with nearby smart themselves in just a few months after their initial installation. devices and sensors and wirelessly pass data and OOM OOM S art oca oca commands to and from the master controller. Each S art Sensor Contro er Contro er local controller acts as a miniature hub for nearby Sensor New wireless technologies, combined with a growing smart devices and sensors, which may remain in number of voice, face, and touch recognition systems, certain rooms, areas, or floors of a house. are resulting in an ever-broadening array of new smart products and applications. While these technologies S art S art • One or more input modules that consist of S art Sensor evice S art make home automation affordable and easy to install, use, evice switches, touchpads, or microphones for use in a evice and upgrade, the rapid evolution of these technologies home automation system. Smartphones now contain makes it complicated for a typical homeowner to make applications capable of communicating directly with knowledgeable decisions and select the appropriate the master controller through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Figure 1: A typical home automation system block diagram. (Source: Author) system architecture, communication protocols, electronic remotely through the Internet. hardware, smart products, and applications that ideally suit his or her home and lifestyle. • One or more smart sensors that provide data and information to the controllers. This information can Part 1 of this two-part article provides a brief technical include any number of things that are measurable or background on home automation system hardware that a homeowner can monitor, such as temperature, architectures and communication protocols. Part 2 humidity, light levels, video, sound, proximity or Process Your Options explores practical things to consider to aid consumers in intrusions, and an assortment of other environmental The main component of any IoT solution is the processor. Not only must it the selection of home automation systems, applications, factors. The master controller receives this quickly process and handle data, it also needs smart sensors, and smart devices. information and processes it for decision-making, the increased performance and speed displaying, or storing. to perform numerous operations. Since many IoT applications use Hardware Architecture • One or more smart devices that are controllable small batteries or even harvested A typical home automation system block diagram, shown through commands from the controllers. Smart energy, low power is key for in Figure 1, contains the following main components: devices can be thermostats, servomotors (to open achieving higher efficiency and and close blinds or to operate locks), solenoids and longer battery life. What’s more, • A master controller that acts as the central hub switches, lights, audiovisual equipment, appliances, applications needing higher of the system, is a proprietary or general-purpose and many others. throughput can be supported computer. The master controller contains the control by adding a memory system to MAX32652 Ultralow Power software and communicates wirelessly with a variety process different functions and lower energy Microcontrollers of input devices, smart devices and appliances, consumption. sensors, and local controllers. It can also connect mouser.com/maxim-max32652-microcontrollers [CONT’D ON PAGE 11] 9 10 Communication Protocols Conclusion Communication protocols define how the controllers, input Readers should examine these communication protocols modules, smart devices, and smart sensors communicate to gain a better understanding of the way the protocols with one another. These devices speak the same language work, how many applications and smart products use the or, more correctly, share a common communication protocols, and which options work best with a specific protocol. An understanding of the different communication home automation system architecture. Next, Part 2 of protocols is essential to choosing the correct smart devices this article will outline a methodology for selecting a home for a home automation system, considering that each automation system architecture and provide an overview of protocol has different advantages and disadvantages some of the exciting new smart sensors and devices that relative to the application. can make life easier for homeowners and allow them to save money by a reduction in home operating expenses. Communication protocols fall under one of two classifications:
• Proprietary
• Open source
Proprietary protocols are typically owned by private companies that require a license or royalties to use. On the one hand, proprietary protocols are easier to support and document; however, because of the additional cost of a license or royalties, the number of products that use the proprietary protocol may be limited, or they may be more expensive.
Open source protocols are available to the public, where neither the software developer nor the hardware provider pays a royalty or a license fee to develop the platform. Products that use open source protocols may be more plentiful and less expensive; however, depending on the energy and dedication of the open source development community, these open source protocols may not have a solid support system.
There are a variety of home automation protocols available on the market today:
• AllJoyn • UPB
• Bluetooth • Wi-Fi
• EnOcean • X10
• KNX • Zigbee
• Thread • Z-Wave
11 12 devices and appliances are provided Window Coverings here: Powering Innovation HARDWARE SELECTIONS FOR HOME AUTOMATION Smart window coverings include Every IoT device requires power to motorized blinds, shades, or curtains work. It must connect to a power Interior and Exterior Lighting SYSTEMS: PART 2 OF 2 that are capable of opening or closing source and have the ability to Numerous smart lighting systems are By Phil Hipol for Mouser Electronics on demand, or they can function supply the exact or currently on the market that will allow through automatic operations near exact voltage the homeowner to turn lights on and How do you select a home automation system and know what one can do for you? according to schedules or in response at the required off, dim them, or change their color Whether you’re an engineer or a tinkerer, these steps can help. to internal or external light levels or wattage to all of the through mobile devices. The use of sunlight. These window coverings can circuitry. Managing automated lighting is convenient and work together with the climate control power for IoT and can save the homeowner money by In Part 1, we examined the different • A trigger is an event that causes Internet access requirements, and system to reduce energy costs. wearable devices providing the appropriate amount home automation system hardware an automatic response from a the type and number of local is a challenging of illumination when there is a need, architectures and communication home automation system: controllers, among other factors, that Home Audiovisual Systems task because thereby conserving energy. protocols. Part 2 outlines an approach the automation system will involve. Numerous smart home audiovisual devices are highly ■■ For a smart home security (A/V) systems can play music in for selecting a home automation Finally, by knowing the different home Read more in article: mobile and must always be system, an event might different zones (via wireless Bluetooth system and provides an overview automation system architectures LEDs and Intelligent Lighting powered up. As a result, most involve motion sensing on of some of the exciting new home and their communication protocols, speakers), select songs and movies, devices are not connected by a the perimeter of the property, automation technologies that can a homeowner can then select the Security Systems and connect with different content wire to a power source, requiring in which case it would make life easier for homeowners and most appropriate and cost-effective Components of security systems providers. A homeowner’s voice can lower power usage and maximum trigger the system to turn on save them money through a reduction electronic hardware, devices, and can include smart alarms, cameras, activate most of these systems and a efficiency. Power semiconductors, lights, sound an alarm, notify in home operating costs. appliances. intercoms, locks, vibration detectors, smartphone or tablet can control their batteries, power supplies, power authorities, and lock the and smoke and heat detectors. operations. management and delivery solutions doors. Smart home security systems allow Considering a System Generally, if a homeowner is Read more in article: all play a crucial role in IoT implementing a home automation homeowners (or a designated third- ■■ For a smart thermostat, an Demystifying Digital Assistants development. The first step in considering a home party monitoring company) to monitor event might involve changes system as a do-it-yourself weekend automation system is to visit every and lock doors; monitor the home to Lawn Irrigation Systems in temperature or humidity, project, it is wise to build up room of the home, including the protect it against vandalism, intrusion, Lawn irrigation systems will replace the presence of moisture, or the implementation in bite-size garage, basement, and exterior of and fire; set and reset alarms; and call the current timer-based systems that the presence of sunlight. increments. That is, a good first step the home, to determine which items might involve automating the lighting in the appropriate authorities if there currently operate solenoid valves. The require automation. These items will ■■ Other activities that may in a room, for example, as there are is a detection of a legitimate threat to latest systems can independently usually be those that are in frequent trigger a home automation many different lighting products on the home. operate several watering zones from use or require regular inspections a mobile device and regulate the system response may involve the market that are not too expensive. Read more in article: or monitoring, may require remote watering frequency and duration, computational results, such When comfortable, the homeowner Home Automation Security access if you are away from home, or as those from monitoring can then build on the foundation of and Monitoring based on the actual soil content, Mono Block Type Non-Isolated may result in significant cost savings water or power consumption this first implementation and take on temperature, humidity, or weather PoL DC/DC Power Converters with the addition of an automation throughout a home or several larger projects, such as automating Climate Control Systems forecasts. The varying parts of climate system. At the end of this article is an appliances. the lighting throughout the house or mouser.com/murata-mysgk-converters control systems include smart overview of some of these items. installing a smart thermostat or water Conclusion • Fully automatic operations thermostats, fans, vents, heaters, sprinkler controller. For more complex There are many smart home The next step is to determine the might involve turning devices and air conditioning units. A home projects, such as implementing a devices currently available to best way to control or actuate these on and off according to a preset automation system can significantly whole-home automation system for a homeowners, and the list of possible devices, either through manual schedule. reduce power consumption and pay new house or a home security system, devices and appliances continues operations, manual triggers, semi- for itself in a short amount of time it might be best to hire a professional to grow. A homeowner should automatic triggers, or fully automatic Developing a good understanding of by heating and cooling the home in contractor who can provide the independently research the various operations: which devices to control and how to an efficient manner. Smart systems hardware, install the devices, and home automation architectures, control them is an essential first step also can control multiple zones and program the system in one visit at a communication protocols, electronic • A manual operation includes in the selection of a home automation learn habits, adapt to a schedule, and single expense. hardware, devices, and appliances flipping a mechanical switch, controller. This information will be anticipate the needs of the home’s to ensure that the system that he or operating a virtual switch remotely useful to determine how to configure occupants. Smart Devices and she implements will allow for future on a smart mobile device, or the controls, input and output Slimseal Lighting Connectors growth and will be able to adapt to speaking a voice command. modules and zones, sensors (e.g., Appliances new technologies as they evolve. motion detectors, thermometers), Some popular examples of smart mouser.com/te-slimseal-lighting-connectors 13 14 DEMYSTIFYING DIGITAL ASSISTANTS By Alex Misiti for Mouser Electronics
Highly advanced, voice-enabled digital assistants possess inherent limitations. Many of these can be traced back to problems facing engineers and developers working on the cutting edge of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and natural language processing.
Today, upwards of 60 million people with different spellings and meanings the user’s query. In most cases, in the United States use voice- (i.e., “sea” and “see” or “pair” and this simply requires that the voice enabled digital assistants. While the “pear”), simply translating speech assistant verbalize an answer to the capabilities these devices possess into text is not the only capability question or perhaps play a specific are enough to impress technical and the software must possess. It must song. However, with the proliferation non-technical users alike, they are also be able to examine syntax and of the Internet of Things (IoT), still considered a first-generation context to determine which word the digital assistants can now expand technology, and as a result, they user is intending to use so that it can their reach through controlling the have a number of inherent limitations. fulfill his or her request. functionality of other household devices, such as thermostats, Many of these limitations can be traced back to challenges facing “...nearly 60 million people in the United engineers on the cutting edge of States use voice-enabled digital assistants.” artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and natural language Determine Intent appliances, automobiles, and TVs. processing. Primary technical The second step in the process, Also, the application programming hurdles still exist that will need to determining intent, is where the voice interfaces (APIs) for these household be overcome to push forward into assistant aims to decipher what the devices are growing in number as the next frontier of man-machine user is asking it to do. At their core, more and more engineers develop communication. digital assistants are machines and software platforms with digital require very specific input to fulfill assistants in mind. How Digital Voice a request. As a result, phrases or Assistants Work questions that are highly abstract or Digital Voice Assistant general, such as, “Tell me about the Language Challenges The process by which digital voice history of America,” can be difficult Although digital voice assistant assistants function can be broken for the voice assistant to answer capabilities have advanced into three steps: in the context of what specific significantly in recent years, the information the user is seeking. In current suite of products on the Translate Speech into Text an effort to output the most relevant market today still possess inherent For a digital assistant to understand a information, the voice assistant runs limitations, particularly with regards voice command, it must first translate the query through a search engine to computer speech recognition. speech into text. This is achieved and looks at the returned results Some prominent technical challenges using audio analysis software in order of rankings. This process that engineers and developers are designed to parse human speech is virtually identical to what would grappling with today include the and break spoken words down into occur if the user were at his or her following: smaller pieces called phonemes, computer typing their question into of which 44 exist in the English the Google search engine. language. Because English has many Semantics and Language Variability homonyms, or words made up of the Turn Intent into Action One of the biggest challenges facing human-machine interaction relates to same combination of phonemes but The third step attempts to resolve
15 [CONT’D ON PAGE 17] 16 natural language processing (NLP), York City?” He or she could also say, does. This will undoubtedly change in in real-time data and metrics to make to react as a human would. Many sometimes make it impossible for the which according to SAS Institute Inc., “How do I get to New York City?” the coming years, as more advanced them aware of things the user already devices on the market today can only digital assistant to understand the is defined as: or “Give me directions to New York semantic-analysis tools based on AI knows to be true. While simple data, handle simple commands, which user. With the help of AI and machine City.” All these requests will likely are developed, providing computers such as time and location, are easily limits conversation to one or two learning techniques, computers are “…a branch of artificial intelligence elicit the same response from the with the ability to understand retrievable, the challenge lies in lines. Although some technologies becoming increasingly efficient at that helps computers understand, digital assistant, and NLP is the language and communicate the determining what other information impress users with witty exchanges extracting a speaker’s command reason why. way a human would according to is relevant and to what extent it will when a statement is not understood, in even the most noise-laden interpret and manipulate human meaning and context. impact the voice assistant’s ability to these preprogrammed snippets serve environments. Filtering algorithms language. NLP draws from many Despite these capabilities, computers accurately answer a question or fulfill as evidence of the many limitations then isolate the voice of the speaker disciplines, including computer are still somewhat far from being able Information Relevancy a request. that the devices still possess. in real-time and remove any science and computational linguistics, to understand language variability For humans, awareness is innate. Our interfering background noise. on a level that we do. Many voice- brains are continuously processing The Art of Conversation Cutting Through the Noise in its pursuit to fill the gap between enabled technologies today only give data about what is happening in our Forward movement with the Similar issues exist with accents In addition to the linguistic and human communication and computer the appearance of understanding environment. This often occurs in the next generation of man-machine and human speech idiosyncrasies. speech recognition challenges speech, as they use keywords, “background” of our minds without interaction will require voice- AI and machine learning tools have understanding.” that face digital voice-enabled statistics, and even machine learning us even noticing. A computer, enabled digital assistants to improve been integral in helping digital technology, audio analysis and or NLP algorithms to uncover however, does not possess this conversational skills in the context assistants recognize and understand NLP enables a digital assistant filtration challenges also exist. clues as to what the user is saying. capability and must be told or of when to start listening, when to various pronunciations; however, to understand a user’s question Audio and software engineers are Leveraging these methods, however, instructed about what to be aware stop, and when to continue. For the technology has still not reached or request, even when it’s not continually developing filters to can only go so far because such of. To achieve this, voice assistants example, if a user abruptly stops a point where audio interpretation articulated the exact same way every parse through ambient noise and methods do not consider semantics are increasingly being integrated with mid-sentence to gather thoughts, the is perfect. The solution to this time. For instance, a user may ask, background chatter, which can “What is the best way to get to New to the degree that the human brain web-powered applications that pull voice assistant needs to know how challenge is rather simple: More data. As an increasing number of people using digital voice assistants and databases grows, the ability of these devices to decipher pronunciations will improve accordingly. The Road Ahead The voice-enabled digital assistant market is still young and many improvements are necessary to empower these devices to become full-fledged assistants that can communicate and interact on a level that is comparable to humans. While several difficult technical challenges lie ahead, continuous advancements in the fields of AI, machine learning, and NLP are enabling engineers and developers to make headway in solving problems related to contextualization, semantics, and audio filtration, moving the world closer and closer to the next generation of man-machine interface.
17 18 It isn’t just the power source, it’s the product’s expectation exist, which range from design resources to complete HOW IoT SHORT-RANGE CONNECTIVITY STACKS UP IN for power that is important. Devices themselves consume system descriptions, incorporating virtually all major little power, and the network must use communication considerations. The cost of IoT devices is rapidly declining HOME AUTOMATION techniques based on low data rates and minimal sensor as volumes increase. radio-frequency (RF) transmit power. While constant By Carolyn Mathas for Mouser Electronics communication is typically not an issue, IoT devices need IPv6 Capability
® to be able to receive a command from an external source, Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) is the technology that Short-range connectivity solutions like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth , Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, such as a long-range communication system, and from enables devices to connect to the web. Used since 1983, 6LoWPAN, and others abound, but which is best for home automation? the components involved. This is accomplished via sleep it has now run out of public IPv4 address blocks globally. mode, whereby functions awake to detect activity from Europe’s Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) Réseaux the component the sensor serves or the network. Except IP Européens (RIPE) associated its last block. IPv6 will for Wi-Fi, each IoT connectivity solution is designed to provide enough global address blocks for a long time, but Home automation is the use of networking technology to readily if we break it down into short-range versus long- meet this requirement. implementing it rather than IPv4 in each IoT system is not connect and communicate with other devices inside and range. The topic for discussion in this chapter is short- simple. Requiring significant changes to many types of outside of the home. Light switches, surveillance cameras, range technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Security software and exchanging data between these protocols energy meters, and thermostats are integral parts of the Z-Wave, Thread, 6LoWPAN, and solutions found under Multiple types of security ranging from Advanced depends upon special gateways. All current connectivity smart home, monitored with home automation. the 802.15.4 standard. Encryption Standard (AES) encryption to high levels of solutions either natively employ IPv6 or can be configured authentication are in use in IoT devices. The reality is to do so. Behind home automation technology are a myriad of Short-range solutions require: that each type of communication network is, on some connectivity and communication standards. Since the level, vulnerable. This will be even more challenging when Major IoT Connectivity Solutions Compared inception of the Internet of Things (IoT), standards readily • IoT devices that communicate with each other over a tens of thousands of sensors define a single network. The major connectivity solutions available today are compete against each other to perform pretty much the network, preferably mesh All participants in IoT development are working toward shown in Table 1. Wi-Fi, in existence longer than other same task. Of course, advantages and disadvantages providing greater end-to-end security. exist for each. The challenge becomes wading through • The ability to support a large number of networked short-range technologies, is fundamentally different. It was IoT devices never intended to deal with tiny, power-stripping devices the seven most available-but-exclusive solutions that Simplicity and Low Cost like IoT sensors, as the goal was to provide high-speed connect IoT over short distances, making IoT the subject • Enabling IoT devices to operate on coin cell batteries Hardware is coming down in price, and more resources data and replace wired networks. Wi-Fi is power hungry of confusion and frustration more often than not. For for years are available to help designers enable connectivity. Every and depends on fairly expensive components. However, system and device designers building home automation silicon vendor now provides an impressive array of tools its throughput ensures its appeal as an adjunct to connect solutions, IoT connectivity can be understood more • Robust security that allows the incorporation of their products into a low-power solutions, such as video surveillance to the system with low difficulty. Complete ecosystems also • The lowest possible complexity and hardware costs Internet.
• Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) Table 1: Most common short-range IoT connectivity solutions.
Enabling IoT Short-range Solutions Bluetooth 5 6LoWPAN Zigbee Wi-Fi Z-Wave Thread ANT The information gathered by IoT devices must be Standard 802.15.1 802.15.4 802.15.4 802.11a,b,g,n,ac 802.15.4 802.15.4 250 aggregated, processed, and analyzed locally and over 868 and 800 and 902 to a greater distance to access the cloud. Information Frequency 2.4GHz 915MHz, 900MHz, 2.4 and 5GHz 908.4MHz 928MHz, 2.4GHz gathered via wireless-enabled sensors may be small, and, 2.4GHz 2.4GHz 2.4GHz except for Wi-Fi, all short-range IoT connectivity options Maximum data rate 2Mbps 250kbps 250kbps Up to 1Gbps 100kbps 250kbps 60kbps incorporate a variety of networking capabilities. Mesh networking is best suited for devices that communicate Maximum range (m) 200 10 100 40 100 30 30 without data passing through a router or gateway hub. Network size Unlimited 128 127 255 232+ 300 256 Power Consumption: A Critical Factor Mesh support Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes In home automation systems, power delivery can occur through 120VAC coin cells or small batteries in indoor Beacon support Yes Yes Yes No No No No devices, and potentially solar cells for outdoor devices. The majority of IoT devices must be battery powered, with IPv6 support Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes connectivity solutions designed accordingly. Overall cost Low Decreasing Moderate High Moderate Low Low
19 [CONT’D ON NEXT PAGE] 20 Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth are further along in freeing Bluetooth to become a major player in IoT home a selection challenge: That is, what components and their development than others, and Zigbee is in use by most automation connectivity. systems will maintain longevity as new solutions come IoT applications. Thread is increasing in popularity with nearly into the marketplace at breakneck speed? Ultimately, 100 members, while ANT+1 is somewhat popular in Europe. One specific benefit is that it’s already a widely used, all new home automation solutions should address both However, a complete discussion of IoT connectivity requires short-range, global solution and is integrated into smart mains-powered and battery-powered devices, should mention of competitors that are typically dedicated to specific televisions, gaming consoles, speakers, headsets, and be manufacturer and product agnostic, and should use cases. smartphones. An important feature is its beaconing communicate using narrow and wide bandwidths. Not capabilities. Extremely small and inexpensive beacons only should these solutions address concerns regarding EnOcean can be deployed virtually anywhere. The short-range constant and consistent updates but also regarding the Sensing Everything A spin-off from Siemens, EnOcean GmbH is located in transmitters deliver short messages to smartphones with potentially long line of legacy solutions that will need IoT is about having a greater sense of Germany and its wireless modules are built and marketed a beaconing app installed. The Bluetooth phone receiver support. the world around us. Sensors form the by the company. EnOcean-based modules combine micro- receives messages and notifications are delivered to backbone of the interface between users energy converters and ultra-low-power electronics, enabling the user. Any barriers to its use have been removed in What’s Happening Now? communications between battery-less wireless sensors, Bluetooth 5.0. and the many devices that surround us, Today, and for many years to come, home automation switches, controllers, and gateways. It has a range of 300m such as smartphones, wearables and manufacturers will use multiple connectivity solutions in free space, data rates below 125kbps, and optimizes the In addition to Bluetooth’s short range, beacons can other things we interact with every day. IoT in their products. In fact, it’s likely that the number will amount of power required to transmit a given amount of send only very short messages—too short to deliver has also entered our homes. Sensors are rise rather than fall in the near future. The winners in this data. EnOcean operates at 902, 928.35, 868.3, and 315MHz long URLs—and even though beaconing doesn’t require used to control and monitor energy use, dilemma will be manufacturers of IoT radios, RF front depending on the country. authentication (as beacons transmit but don’t receive household appliances, heating and cooling, ends, and controllers that support multiple standards. data), without mesh networking large groups of beacons security, and environmental conditions. Likewise, smart designers will need to employ a single Insteon are not configurable. All of this is rectified in Bluetooth 5.0, Sensors make component-level integration device or set of devices that support multiple product This solution from Smartlabs allows IoT devices to so it’s likely that beacons will be more widely deployed to cloud-based services possible. lines while simultaneously future-proofing their offerings. communicate wirelessly or through power lines in a dual- and promoted, and more applications will make use of band-type of mesh networking and is compatible with the X10 them. With all that said, the fact remains that design and wired network standard. It has considerable industry support manufacturing will ultimately become more complicated from companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Logitech, and ABI Research and IHS Research both predict Bluetooth as selection, configuration, and interoperability attempt to others. Its maximum sustained data rate is 180bps, free-space 5.0 and its IoT-bolstering capabilities will reach five billion address the fragmented IoT landscape. range is up to about 45m, and operating frequency is 902 to by 2021 and three billion by 2017, respectively. 924MHz. Another highlight is the IPv6 over Low-power Wireless Microchip Wireless Networking (MiWi) Personal-Area Network (6LoWPAN). Standardized This Microchip-proprietary protocol is based on the 802.15.4 in 2003, 6LoWPAN has demonstrated some standard, operates at 2.4GHz or below 1GHz, is compatible significant advantages over Zigbee, Z-Wave, with Zigbee, and can be configured in star, cluster, mesh, and and other options: Notably, it operates with tree network topologies. any solution based on 802.15.4 using a very MEAS MS5837-02BA21 Pressure simple bridge or with any devices within an Sensor Modules Wireless Highway Addressable Remote Transducer Internet Protocol (IP)-based network such mouser.com/te-measurement-specialties-ms5837-02ba21 (WirelessHART) Protocol as Bluetooth or Ethernet. To compete, Designed to serve process field device networks in process Zigbee and Z-Wave need complex automation, this open standard that the HART Communication application layer gateways. Foundation developed uses a time-synchronized, self- organizing, self-healing mesh architecture. It operates at With 6LoWPAN, every node in the network 2.4GHz using 802.15.4 radios. has its own IPv6 address, freeing the network to connect to the Internet using open Changing the IoT Home Automation Landscape standards. IPv6 and Bluetooth are the new players to watch as IoT evolves in the coming Given Wi-Fi’s power-hungry nature and low data rates of the years. popular Z-Wave, Zigbee, and Thread, Bluetooth 5.0 is rapidly stepping up to be a game changer. The latest 4.0 and 4.2 IRA Series Pyroelectric versions of the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standards double Challenges IoT System Manufacturers Face Infrared Sensors the maximum data rate to 2Mbps while increasing distance Although 6LoWPAN solves the competing standards mouser.com/murata-pyroelectric-sensors four times to 120m. It also adds mesh networking capabilities, issue, home automation designers are still faced with 21 22 luminosity of these white LEDs was with luminosities exceeding 100lm and longevity, but also its flexibility. LEDs AND WIRELESS TECH COMBINE TO BUILD still poor compared with conventional and efficacies exceeding 140lm/W. LEDs can be precisely dimmed, light sources; together with being (Efficacies nearing 300lm/W have instantly switched on or off, and, INTELLIGENT LIGHTING expensive and hard to make, this been achieved in the lab.) Coupled with the addition of red, green, and lack of performance ensured LEDs with clever design from lighting blue devices to complement the By Steven Keeping for Mouser Electronics failed to gain a foothold in the engineers who understand that illumination from the primary white commercial lighting market. precisely regulated power supplies LED, “tuned” to give almost infinite Both LED lighting and low-power wireless technology have been decades in and good thermal management can temperature and color variation. gestation. Although originally developed for different applications, the two It took a visionary like Roland Haitz see LEDs provide illumination for Together with lighting’s ubiquity, such technologies have converged to revolutionize lighting applications that provide to move solid-state lighting forward. 50,000 hours or more compared to flexibility opens up thousands of more than just illumination. In 1999, Haitz and his collaborators perhaps 2,000 hours for the best applications beyond simply making wrote a paper designed to hasten incandescent bulb, such efficacy has dark areas safe. the development of LEDs. The paper seen the technology boom. suggested LED efficacy of 200lm/W In retail, for example, shop owners (ten times that of incandescent lights) And that’s not an overstatement. can tune LED light output to render History is littered with instances of that technology, Arthur Schawlow, was actually trying to invent a would eventually see worldwide According to analyst Statista, LED products in the most vibrant colors, inventions designed to solve one proposed his new device might (semiconductor) laser, this time energy consumption devoted to penetration into the mainstream or restaurants can alter the lighting problem but finding a mass market be used to help out errant typists, targeted at a real problem—optical lighting decline by 50 percent (and 10 lighting market has risen from just during the day to periodically change addressing another. The transistor, suggesting: “One day laser beams telecommunications—when he percent overall). 0.3 percent in 2010 to 35 percent this the ambience, encouraging sales. for example, was developed to will vaporize the ink on the page in a came up with his electroluminescent year. In just three years’ time, global Some modern aircraft already replace bulky and fragile valve fraction of a second without leaving oddity. The puny light output from LED Efficacy and Longevity penetration will rise to 61 percent. use different color LED lighting amplifiers and only later became the slightest trace.” Today, the list of Holonyak’s device could only be Ensure Market Share And according to analyst Zion Market to promote sleep, or gently wake the fundamental element of digital applications for lasers would fill the appreciated in a completely darkened Research, the 2020 LED sector will passengers from their slumber The impact of Haitz’s paper was electronics. Cellphones were meant rest of this blog. room, and even then, it only emitted be worth over $50 billion. before landing. And more scientific to raise awareness of the energy- for long-distance conversations red light, which wasn’t particularly applications of the customization of saving potential of LEDs to a wider when away from fixed lines rather And so it was with LEDs. The history useful for illumination. It was left to LED lighting is used in the vertical audience resulting in incentives for Connectivity Enables than forming the basis of the tiny of the LED is somewhat shrouded, Japanese researchers in the late farming sector where different colors commercial companies to plow Intelligence supercomputers that now run our but Bell Lab’s Nick Holonyak is 1980s and early 1990s to come up (wavelengths) of light accelerate hundreds of millions of dollars into Although Haitz could not have known lives. And lasers were invented, generally credited with coming up with the blue LED/phosphorous the growth of different plants. For LED R&D. Nearly two decades later it back in 1999, the real promise of well, primarily out of scientific with the first red LED in 1962. It’s combination to create “white” example, according to a University of companies offer commercial LEDs LED lighting is not just in its efficacy curiosity. One of the inventors of somewhat ironic that Holonyak LEDs suitable for lighting. But the California report, plants grew more
23 24 quickly when exposed to LED light Because modern wireless determine if additional congestion- richer in red and blue wavelengths. technologies are bidirectional, relief measures were required or to Red light increased the rate of growth an LED fixture can become more detect when the sidewalk was rarely of peppers and edible flowers, while than just a clever light, it can used to dim curbside illumination blue light boosted tomatoes and become a data-generating hub. accordingly (or even brighten it in basil yields. For example, imagine dozens of high-crime areas to deter would-be fixtures—combining LED light assailants). And power consumption The key to realizing LED lighting’s with wireless connectivity and monitoring could be used to flexibility is wireless technology. motion, temperature, and power- determine if the LED efficacy was Protocols such as Bluetooth Low monitoring sensors—illuminating declining to the point where the cost Energy, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi are a town boulevard (with information of replacement would be outweighed now routinely incorporated into transmitted by the short-range by future energy savings yielded from commercial lighting endowing the wireless technology relayed new components. products with high throughput and via a cellular modem back to a robust connectivity. Bluetooth Low supervisory center). Then imagine Both LED lighting and low-power Energy, for example, is interoperable the temperature sensor in one of wireless technology have been with smartphones—allowing the street lights detects the LEDs decades in gestation. It is remarkable consumers to remotely operate are running 20°C over normal that both have reached mass-market lights, change light color and operating temperature and computes commercialization at the same temperature, even vary light intensity because of the excess heat light time. But even more remarkable is from one small area of a room to the failure could occur within 72 hours. how two technologies—originally next, all from an app on the mobile. This information would be rapidly developed for other applications— Bluetooth Low Energy and Zigbee transmitted to a supervisor, allowing have converged to revolutionize also support mesh networking which a maintenance call to be made lighting applications. The future for not only extends effective range, before motorists collided in the the technology will be as much about but also builds in redundancy to a dark and lodged an insurance claim information as illumination. lighting network and the ability to against the authorities. control specific lights or groups of lights. The lights’ proximity sensors could be used to calculate traffic density to
Making Connections Connectivity links every IoT solution together. IoT devices are required to collect data, transmit it to the cloud and receive commands back from the cloud— all through a wireless connection. Cellular networks like LTE offer an energy- efficient solution for transmitting large chunks of data. Also, adding multiple RF wireless technologies such as ZigBee, Bluetooth, or others onto the SoC, power consumption is greatly reduced for longer battery life.
XBee3™ Zigbee RF Modules XBee® Cellular LTE Cat 1 Embedded Modems mouser.com/digi-xbee3 mouser.com/digi-xbee-cellular 25 26 consumption of utilities such as Automated homes consist of multiple level of false-positives is expensive HOME AUTOMATION: ENGINEERING A HOME WITH power, water, gas, and data. This separate systems that one integrates and ends up producing a syndrome automated home would have the to work together. In its simplest form, analogous to the Aesop’s Fables EYES, EARS, AND PLENTY OF SMARTS intelligence to allow it to act as one might envision an entire network classic, “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” its own steward over low-end as connecting in a manner as shown By Paul Golata, Mouser Electronics tasks within the home, operating in the illustration in Figure 2. Smart sensors now have wireless in a manner analogous to a well- capabilities, allowing for their optimal Leading-edge innovation and electronic component technologies now support intentioned house sitter. This type Since our focus is on security and placement around the home. Many advanced smart home security and monitoring solutions. These advances stem from of automated house would be both monitoring, we will forego further smart sensors have the requisite new developments in electronics, technology, and design areas involving power, smart and connected. discussion on the three other blocks intelligence to ascertain what a true sensing, compute, control, and communications. in Figure 2. The three areas that we positive-alarm trigger condition Today’s electronic components will not discuss in this article include: is, thus avoiding false-positives. have become ever more affordable Programming options through while simultaneously increasing • Smart heating, ventilation, and improved command and control exponentially in performance air conditioning (HVAC) and products, like microprocessors, capabilities. Today’s communication smart lighting control allow for custom tailoring of sensors, My third daughter recently graduated and turbulent world is of enormous remaking the home environment— infrastructures and services have especially for specifications such as from college with an art degree. I economic value. making it safer and more secure • Smart meters for utility become wonderfully standardized, sensitivity and multiple-confirmation have had the opportunity to see her (Figure 1). monitoring convenient, and ubiquitous. The triggers that assist with improving artwork displayed in areas made to One aspect of home automation that integration of both passive and active accuracy in identifying an legitimate resemble a museum. Besides the helps drive peace-of-mind involves • Communication and Security and Monitoring semiconductors to produce these alarm trigger. artwork on the wall, museums always home security and monitoring. This entertainment Consider for yourself a home complex infrastructures has brought make me think of security. If you are article articulates how leading- automation system that could forth a network so powerful that it Before the development of the Occupant health monitoring is an a fan of heist movies, you know that edge innovation and electronic provide security and monitoring equates to a personal, 24/7, “around- smart home, false alarms of intruder expanding area of development it always requires that the thieves component technologies are along with a wide variety of the-clock,” electronic butler in your detection could account for up to 98 with the creation of powerful employ ingenious effort to get in and supporting advanced smart home entertainment options. This home home, on your property. percent of security triggers. This high accelerometer monitors and motion/ snatch the priceless treasure. They security and monitoring solutions. would incorporate infrastructures must maneuver through all sorts These advances stem from new that can transmit and receive secure of security, laser beams, motion developments in electronics, high-speed internal and external detectors, pressure sensors, and technology, and design areas communication. It would do so the like. How awesome would it be involving power, sensing, compute, in a manner that both optimizes if our homes had the same technical and control, and communications. and minimizes home resource advantages? Home automation is conveniently
Home automation has evolved into the “connected home”—a broad system of home electronics that has so much intelligence it can quickly repay owners for upfront investment costs through efficiency savings and in a relatively short amount of time. The connected home promises to bring further automation into the home, linking together disparate technologies, appliances, and devices and coordinating them into a synergistic platform to serve homeowners, all within the control of their fingertips. As a simple and fully integrated system, home automation offers home occupants’ peace- Figure 1: This image illustrates the details of an IntelligentHome security system. (Source: Mouser) of-mind, which in today’s chaotic Figure 2: Connected homes host a network of devices. (Source: AVX) [CONT’D ON NEXT PAGE] 27 28 temperature sensors. Sensors have in the form of electric double-layer temperature) resistance presence, proximity, distance, flow, expanded to include monitoring capacitors (EDLCs). level, and velocity. Light and image water (H2O) leaks, carbon dioxide • Low cost sensors and sensing analog front end (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) DC/DC power converters that Power designs require protection (AFE) help designers capture a broad buildup, and other volatile organic adjust the input voltage to what the against transient voltages. Using a range of wavelengths. compounds (VOCs). Likewise, other system needs to output are often capacitor is a common technique important items that concentrate on in operation. Designers working on to control transients and protect Because your human eyes cannot the health and efficiency of systems such power converters may consider the circuit in voltage control be everywhere, it is helpful to have such as HVAC performance relative high-quality, synchronous buck designs. A capacitor may operate another set of eyes on your home to specifications undergo monitoring converters, as they are compact across the line/pin to integrate to establish extra protection. One as well. and easy-to-use. These parts may the voltage and assist in the option a designer might consider provide ample efficiency advantages prevention of electrostatic discharge employing is an ambient light Read more in article: over low-dropout (LDO) regulators. (ESD) damage. Engineers often sensor. An ambient light sensor What IoT Developers Can Learn overestimate the performance of a measures the intensity of visible from Smart Locks When home automation systems standard multilayer ceramic capacitor light. The spectral response of the Power utilize battery-powered devices, (MLCC) because of the capacitor›s sensor tightly matches the photopic often designers employ step-down significant value drop upon an response of the human eye and Turning our attention to the four converters. These parts assist applied ESD event. The introduction includes significant infrared rejection key technology-related design with battery-based applications, of supercapacitors, in the place of (Figure 3). considerations of power, sensing, as they are capable of drawing MLCCs, will actually make a design command and control, and very low quiescent currents (IQs), more robust. Still, looking for home intruders is not communications, which enable home guaranteeing that the part will draw the only required sensing function in automation security and monitoring, low currents from the battery when in Sensing many security monitoring systems. we will start by examining how a wait state. Often a change in the ambient power management technology Electronic systems allow security environment warrants monitoring. A advancements are assisting in this Capacitors are key components and monitoring systems to respond change in humidity may indicate that effort. for efficient power conversion. in changing situations, conditions, an environmental shift is in process One common thread among high- and contexts. Sensors may signal that may cause significant damage to Power management is a key design efficiency switch-mode power door and window motions, smoke or valuables within a monitored location. challenge in every Internet of Things supply, microprocessor, and digital CO presence, physical disturbances, In such a situation, a humidity sensor (IoT) and home automation security circuit applications is the need to pressure changes, and more. may do the job. Humidity sensors product. The ability to answer high- reduce noise while operating at These connected sensors offer a can provide excellent measurement peak current demands and very higher frequencies. Specifically wide range of uses in smart home accuracy at very low-power levels lengthy, low-power system standby valuable for filtering, tantalum security and automation applications. and may also include an integrated times requires solutions that extend capacitor technology has many of Whether through specific sensor temperature sensor. battery life. Electronic components the ideal characteristics that components and related op-amps manufacturers’ focus on offering a DC/DC converters, power supplies, employed to enable battery-powered In isolation, sensors alone may wide variety of products in which and other applications require. In wireless devices or through ESD not be able to complete the job. electrical energy gets efficient home automation applications, protection for high-speed signal Often sensors need a signal utilization and distribution where it is power supply capacitors should lines, engineers require a range of boost using amplifiers so that essential. exhibit many of the following positive products to safeguard their designs. downstream electronics can further characteristics: Now, we will examine how sensor manipulate and evaluate the sensors’ Non-isolated direct current to direct components and related solutions electronic information. Ultra-low- current (DC/DC) and point-of-load • High capacitance retention at lead to excellent security monitoring power, operational amplifiers find (POL) power supplies function in high frequencies design. employment in sensing applications security and monitoring applications. with battery-powered, wireless, On the input side, power may come • Low failure rate Sensor devices provide real- in via wired-power options, often time system protection, feedback • Wide voltage range Figure 3: Automated security entry through 12VDC or using a battery- control, and high accuracy system systems offer an additional set of powered option, with the possible • Surge robustness monitoring. Position sensors enable eyes for a homeowner’s protection. inclusion of supercapacitors—a type engineers to determine absolute and (Source: Mouser) of high-capacity capacitor—or often • Environment (moisture/ relative positions, including angles,
29 [CONT’D ON NEXT PAGE] 30 and low-power wired equipment. Communications Such levels of integration will simplify Such ultra-low-power, operational designs and ensure continuously Home automation security and amplifiers help to reduce power reliable communication. monitoring applications, of which consumption in equipment like the increasing need for wireless CO detectors, smoke detectors, connectivity to accommodate Conclusion and passive infrared (PIR) motion the Internet of Things (IoT) is Security and monitoring in the field detectors where operational battery- driving, require a new dimension of of home automation continue to life is critical. wireless connectivity security. Upon evolve. New electronic designs and proper authorization, only where solutions continue to accelerate this Command and Control appropriate, data must undergo trend. Now that many homes are At the core of any home automation proper protection by allowing proper automated, smart, and connected, security and monitoring application, send and receive transmissions. electronic designers need to continue there is a need to have command to offer improvements on issues and control over the electronic Read more in article: related to power, sensing, command signals. A proper command and How IoT Short-Range and control, and communications. control system allows for the Connectivity Stacks Up in A design engineer’s imagination is Home Automation achievement of greater energy never automated. Consider how and operational efficiency in the In home automation security and your imagination may take hold of system. By incorporating products monitoring designs, wireless MCUs, the future, and continue to make and technology with the brains to which fully support Bluetooth, our future and our homes more better monitor and regulate systems, Zigbee, low-power wireless personal- convenient, secure, and safe. including lighting, windows and area networks (LoWPAN), Thread, doors, video cameras, and more, Wi-Fi, Sub-1GHz, Sigfox, or other a home becomes more safe and protocols, must by design provide secure for its occupants. highly secure, cloud-ready solutions for IoT accessibility. Additionally, An effective way to utilize the wireless MCUs require an input command and control functions voltage filtering/decoupling network is to use a controller—specifically and an output impedance matching a microcontroller unit (MCU). network for the radio frequency (RF) Microcontrollers are useful in antenna. embedded devices—as they contain the processor, memory, and Today, wireless MCUs can offer peripherals in one integrated unit. designers access to distinct wireless Many of today’s MCUs may excel protocol modes. Wireless MCUs may at ultra-low-power sensing and offer a blend of long/robust range, measuring. They allow designers low power, and high-data rates. By to use a command and control design, they often consume very platform from which to coordinate low amounts of power, allowing their design requirements. Since for battery operation. They may they possess internal memory, both come with sensors that help them random access memory (RAM) and recognize when they should be active read-only memory (ROM), MCUs and communicating or when they are well positioned to deliver fast, should be in a sleep or wait state. flexible, and reliable command and control functions without requiring Wireless MCUs give engineers additional off-chip capabilities. greater flexibility, as these designers Onboard memory and peripherals may consolidate the command help MCUs minimize their total power and control functions with the consumption. communication functions, ultimately to offer high levels of integration.
31 32 Yet, the lure of the IoT has attracted developers well- Specialized security devices typically encapsulate all of WHAT IoT DEVELOPERS CAN LEARN FROM versed in connected-product design, but with little the various components required for security—combining experience in mechanical lock design. Some of the secure key storage, crypto accelerators, authentication SMART LOCKS resulting products failed even in basic physical security: algorithms, and other capabilities needed for secure IoT Users found themselves with locks built with soft metal connectivity. At a deeper level, these devices typically By Stephen Evanczuk for Mouser Electronics that could easily be broken or built with screws that could provide built-in protection against threats such as side- easily be removed to gain access to the locking hardware channel attacks and even use advanced techniques that Secure IoT devices arise from an effective combination of domain expertise and mechanism itself. In some cases, the lack of domain eliminate the chance that private keys might be exposed cyber security implementation. IoT products often demonstrate weakness in one or expertise combined with weak security implementation in somewhere in the development cycle or product lifecycle. the other, but few do so with such dramatic effect as smart lock designs. products, has resulted in the worst kind of publicity for the developer. Taken separately, each of these mechanisms is straightforward enough and certainly well-documented. “...the lure of the IoT has attracted developers As a result, developers without extensive experience Smart locks are the canaries in the coal mine for the well-versed in connected-product design, in security can find themselves lured into approaching internet of things (IoT) industry—an indicator of the security implementation with their own security designs. state of security and even overall design effectiveness. but with little experience in mechanical lock Again, the evidence from the smart lock industry shouts Perhaps more so than other IoT applications, failures design.” a warning against this approach. In a recent case, in smart locks typically show themselves with dramatic developers devised their own security mechanisms to effect: Owners find their doors mysteriously unlocked; Although domain expertise is fundamental to design support standard high-level security methods. Security they find themselves locked out of their own residence; or success in smart locks or any IoT application, developers researchers defeated these mechanisms easily, leaving they find that the smart lock is completely unresponsive. can in fact implement security without deep expertise that developer with the dual challenge of product redesign Unfortunately, this sort of evidence has become all in security mechanisms and protocols. With the rapid and credibility repair. too common, further eroding consumer confidence in emergence of secure MCUs and dedicated security ICs, connected products and even in the IoT vision at large. developers can practically drop a security device into It would be a mistake to represent the well-publicized an existing design to add industry-standard encryption, failures of smart lock designs as something unique to that Equally unfortunate: Other IoT devices and connected authentication, secure boot, and more to their connected application area. To demonstrate both market appeal and products almost certainly face the same underlying product. security, any IoT design requires the right blend of domain weakness. For these devices, however, the evidence expertise and security. Solutions for the latter requirement can be less obvious. Penetration of a Wi-Fi router, for Although security implementation is becoming easier, at least are readily available. example, can remain undetected. Indeed, the purpose of security design itself remains challenging indeed. that kind of penetration is often to actively reach through the compromised network device to access attached devices or even to passively observe Wi-Fi traffic to gather passwords and other personal data. Few users Security is Confidence will even become aware that their connected product is IoT presents an expanded attack surface that goes beyond traditional endpoint compromised, even when the product is recruited into security features such as antivirus and antimalware. Since the focus is on botnets and the like. providing immediate access to information or data, security often becomes a distant thought. Instead, security needs to take high priority and be Smart locks aren’t uniquely vulnerable. In fact, the case embedded at the design level. Being able to authenticate an IoT device can be made that smart locks merely expose fundamental and encrypt data at rest and in transit are both key to safeguarding all issues revolving around IoT product development. things IoT from would-be hackers. As with any IoT application, a successful smart lock design requires significant domain expertise as well as a reliable cyber security solution. It›s no surprise that even some of the most experienced mechanical lock manufacturers have stumbled in their smart lock offerings. The mechanical design and physical security of these products is typically exceptional. Their problems lie in MAXREFDES155 ® failures to meet challenging security requirements largely DeepCover Embedded unique to resource-limited connected products. Security Reference Design mouser.com/maxim-maxrefdes155 33 34 ee Bu e the le the e t ele t o o o u t to t ou e
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