The smart home market is currently a messy mix of many different technologies where each manufacturer has its own solution and there is a lack of compatibility between products. It is possible to get around to some extent with the help of bridges like Google Home, Alexa, or The axes Like Atom Homi and Hubitat Elevation. A higher degree of home automation usually requires prior knowledge and personal installation if users do not stay within the same ecosystem.
To address the problem, Project 2019 has started.Project Connected Home via IP“(CHIP) by the Zigbee Alliance with the support of, among other things, technology giants Amazon, Apple and Google, who joined forces to develop a new communication protocol to increase compatibility between devices. And after a long time, Working Group A. View on YouTubeIt is stated, among other things, that CHIP-compliant products could already find their way onto the market during the last quarter of 2021.
CHIP will use Internet Protocol (IP) with a combination of Wifi, Bluetooth LE, and IPv6 based “Thread” protocol for connection and installation. However, in their last presentation, they made sure to point out the importance of distinguishing between a network protocol and an application layer.
Network protocols like Wifi allow devices to communicate with each other, but they don’t necessarily understand each other. Instead, it enters the application layer and translates the information. This is where CHIP will improve compatibility, by becoming a common “language” for all devices.
“The first edition of the specifications for the planned protocol will complement existing technologies such as Wi-Fi, Thread, and BLE, and members of the working group encourage device manufacturers to continue innovating with technologies available today.” – ZigBee Alliance
Devices that transmit over the 433MHz or Z-Wave band don’t really fall under CHIP, at least not in their first version, partly because they transmit at completely different frequencies. However, its website encourages continuous development with other technologies, and Zigbee Alliance Zigbee technology continues to develop it together with CHIP. Currently, more than 170 major players have joined the project, including IKEA, Signify, SmartThings and Samsung.
Do you believe in CHIP as the next smart home standard?
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