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ZigBee is a short-range wireless technology trying to carve out its own niche in the Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN) space. ZigBee specification is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard for WPANs, and its primary functional focus area is monitoring and controlling.

ZigBee Alliance has standardized ZigBee specification for creating wireless solutions for automation in residential, commercial, and industrial applications, which require a low data transmission rate, long battery life, and secure networking. The ZigBee global ecosystem of companies works jointly with an aim to produce reliable, cost-effective, low-power monitoring and control products based on an open global standard. ZigBee's key features are low-power consumption and low cost, but its transmission range is of 1-100 plus meters, which is ideal for home/industrial automation and its data throughput rates are 250 Kbps, 40 Kbps, and 20 Kbps depending on the application.

The ZigBee Alliance announced on January 29, 2008 that the latest version of ZigBee specification and certification of the newest ZigBee Golden Unit platforms are available now for the public.

Market Opportunities
Dozens of ZigBee products are already available. Ad-Sol Nissin's ES706R077 series products, developed on ZigBee 2006 compliant platform, are multipurpose ZigBee modules providing several types of interface, including serial interface, USB, digital I/O and A/D input. Digi's XBee line is built for industrial and commercial automation applications. NEC Engineering's ZB24FM-Z series offer a PC-hosted human presence management solution. The XM2400 from S3C is a new differential pressure sensor targeted at monitoring and controlling of farming activities which involve measurement of pressure, temperature, flow, and humidity. Software Technologies Group's products are used in a variety of applications.

A Frost & Sullivan news analysis predicted that the Zigbee chipset market is likely to reach $800 mn in 2009. Further, the analysis revealed that the market generated $11.3 mn in 2005. The ZigBee Alliance has already become a 250 members-strong consortium, with product manufacturers forming more than 50% at the end of 2007, and the membership is expected to grow further. With this, alliance members, particularly product manufacturers, can effectively reach ZigBee's target market.

Kannan K
kannan@cybermedia.co.in