Z-Wave Alliance presents solutions for the “Digital Home” at Light+Building 2012

The digitalised building is more comfortable, more secure and cheaper to run than ever before. Current developments in the field of home automation can be seen live by visitors to Light+Building in Frankfurt. The Z-Wave Alliance, which comprises specialists in energy efficient and secure home control systems, is the place to go. At joint stand C88 in Hall 9.0, Alliance members FAKRO, Sigma Designs, Aeon Labs, Eminent e-Domotica, Fujikom, Honeywell, Motion Control Systems, Square Connect, QEES and Zonoff are presenting their new products, ranging from integrated alarm systems and motor-operated applicances to universal remote controls and innovative home control systems. Z-Wave Alliance, as an open manufacturing consortium, offers people interested in a Smart Home diverse opportunities to digitalise their homes, and its wireless technology is the basis for countless devices by Alliance partners for the networked home or office. It enables a whole range of products from different manufacturers to be connected to each other and thus integrated into the home automation system. Create a ‘Live Home’ with Sigma Designs and Zonoff System developer Sigma Designs is presenting its newly developed Set Top Box (STB) which, together with the integrated Diplomat home automation software by Z-Wave Alliance member Zonoff, operates numerous home control devices. The Diplomat solution can be combined with Internet-connected home devices and thereby transforms the STB from a processor into a home control gateway. The software interface comprises an energy management system that passes on data regarding electricity consumption and all system warnings to the user. Furthermore, the interconnected devices can be centrally controlled by residents via a software user interface. If monitoring cameras are also integrated, users can watch these via the Internet using the live overlay video software. This allows users to safely monitor their buildings at any time of the day or night. For more information, please visit www.sigmadesigns.com and www.zonoff.com. Buildings with Eminent e-Domotica online monitoring The Dutch manufacturer Eminent presents its new version of the all-in-one home automation solution, e-Domotica. The Starter Kit includes an e-Centre 2 touchscreen, a control switch with power metering, a switch for lights, an Internet camera, a motion sensor and a smoke detector. They are all linked via wireless Z-Wave. The e-Centre 2 is the control centre. Here the user is able to configure three different home control scenes via a touch pad. Users can create a comfortable atmosphere with the aid of lighting and device settings by using the “at home” scene, while with the “night” scene they can automatically switch off all devices at the touch of a button, thereby preventing unnecessary energy consumption. In addition, in the event of a break-in or fire, the incident is recorded by the integrated motion and smoke detectors and residents are informed by e-mail, SMS or a phone call from the e-Centre 2, thus enabling them; to react as quickly as possible. The interconnected power metering allows users to continuously monitor their energy consumption. For more information, please visit www.e-domotica.com. Motion Control “moves” the home network The US system developer Motion Control is a company renowned for tubular engines. At Light+Building the manufacturer is presenting its motor-operated roller shutters, Venetian blinds, awnings and even screens for the home cinema experience, etc. The motors connected to the home network devices need only be plugged in and integrated into the Z-Wave network. This way, for example, the interconnected roller shutters and blinds can be optimally positioned via electronic encoding according to the position of the sun, ensuring ideal protection from UV rays. Additionally, residents can conjure up the cinema experience in their homes at the touch of a button using motorised movie screens by Motion Control, and then store them away again when they want. For more information, please visit www.zwavemotors.com. Square Connect: Home control for every size of building Square Connect Inc. is presenting its newly developed system; SQ Home. Using Z-Wave wireless technology for home automation and energy management, the solution from Square Connect also controls all infrared (IR) devices in the Smart Home including TV systems, Blu-ray players and air-conditioning units. It is simple to connect to the home network and can be optimally placed in the home thanks to its Wi-Fi capabilities. The system has four addressable IR connections, which connect up to 24 IR controlled devices with one unit, as well as internal IR emitters. Ideal in smaller homes and apartments, it is also scalable for larger installations. SQ Home boasts a slim-line low-profile design, and offers control via smart phone, table (Android and iOS) as well as on PCs and Macs. www.squareconnect.com. The other Z-Wave Alliance partners FAKRO, Aeon Labs, Fujikom, Honeywell and QEES are also presenting their energy-efficient new products at Stand C88 in Hall 9.0 at Light+Building as well as at the Stand for Alliance member WINTOP. For more information, please visit www.z-wave.com or www.z-wavealliance.org.
11 April 2012, 12:00am

High momentum for Z-Wave at CeBIT 2012

At CeBIT 2012 Z-Wave had a string of good news to report, including the announcement of the 600th certified Z-Wave device. Of particular importance to visitors was the Z-Wave principle that all certified Z-Wave products must be interoperable. This allows customers to be sure that all devices can communicate with each other, regardless of the manufacturer that developed them or the year that they were produced. In this way, customers are not dependent on one individual manufacturer, giving them the freedom to combine at will the Z-Wave solutions on the market that are most appropriate for them. A Z-Wave network can thus be constructed with products from different technical areas. Amongst other products presented by the Alliance at CeBIT were IP Gateways, through which Z-Wave equipment is connected to the Internet, and the new cloud solution, Z-Cloud, with which the individual Smart Home can even be remotely managed online. Even the new, OSGi platform-based “Home Smart Home” solution by network specialist ZyXEL works with Z-Wave. This allows the user to control heating, ventilation, air conditioning, etc., using their PC, tablet PC or Smartphone. Additionally, “Home Smart Home” makes it possible to design entire home automation scenarios according to the user’s requirements. “As one of the first network solution providers we’ve succeeded in bringing a Z-Wave based home automation solution onto the market. With Z-Wave we have the benefit of a recognised home automation standard, which can be used flexibly and is simple and straightforward in its operation”, explains Claus Uellendall, Director of the Technical Competence Center Europe at ZyXEL. “House and apartment owners are increasingly seeking solutions that simplify the control of electronic devices at home and that are, above all, more efficiently designed. With the development of the ‘Home Smart Home’ and as a member of the Z-Wave Alliance, we are doing our part to achieve this.” Mark Walters, Chairman of Z-Wave Alliance, adds: “The high market potential and value that Z-Wave offers telecommunication companies, service providers, smart energy and AAL suppliers, for instance, are significant factors in the high momentum of Z-Wave in these areas. The continuously growing number of Z-Wave devices also testifies to the fact that comfortable and, above all, energy-saving control of appliances within the home network is increasingly arousing consumer interest. The certification of the 600th product and cooperation with recognised manufacturers, such as ZyXEL, Verizon, Danfoss, Dong Energy etc. are additional milestones in the Z-Wave success story.”
16 March 2012, 12:00am

Z-Way controller software at CeBIT 2012

Z-Way makes it easy for the user to set up, manage and control a Z-Wave based automated building/home network using a single software. The software can be used to manage complete Z-Wave networks, control actuators and read sensor data. In addition, Z-Way allows the user to set up so-called action sequences that can be triggered by events. This makes it, for example, conceivable that the blinds open, the windows are tilted to ventilate the house and the lights are switched on in the bedroom, hallway or bathroom at a pre-set time in the morning. The sequences can be activated from the actual devices or by using programmable scripts in Python. Clear graphical display An internal database that lists all current devices is available, which makes it easy to configure the existing Z-Wave devices. New devices are added all the time in order to keep the list up-to-date. For greater clarity, the software displays all the entered Z-Wave devices in the form of a table or a floor plan of the building or apartment. Hardware or cloud model Z-Way is available both as a local and an online version. The local version is integrated into the Z-Box, which has interfaces to the Z-Wave wireless network and an Ethernet interface to the Internet or local IP network. At the same time, Z-Way works completely independently from the Web, allowing all the data relating to the home control network to be stored locally. The online version is called Z-Cloud, and is available to users at www.z-wave.me. As an introduction to home control using Z-Wave.me, the alliance member offers starter kits for the areas of lighting control, heating, security and surveillance. In addition to the specific components, such as radio-controlled radiator thermostats, dimmers or motion detectors, these kits also include a Z-Stick. The Z-Stick plugs into your computer or laptop and, after registration, connects the user to Z-Cloud. Smart Home forum on 6 March at CeBIT An expert’s forum entitled Smart Home will be held by members of the open consortium of manufacturers, Z-Wave Alliance, to address the additional application possibilities offered by Z-Wave technology and why that technology may offer a way into the smart grid. The forum will be held on 6th March starting at 1:30 p.m. in Hall 13, Stand A56.
5 March 2012, 12:00am

Z-Wave announces 600th certified product: RCS TECHNOLOGY EM52 Wh

When installed, this meter can monitor accumulated energy usage and instantaneous demand data kWh/kW for single-phase and two phase circuit installations. This information is reported to the Z-Wave network using Z-Wave’s Advanced Energy Control (AEC) standard. Because Z-Wave products are interoperable, the RCS Home Energy Monitor’s data can be used by any number of Z-Wave devices from multiple manufacturers including; in-home energy displays, energy management controllers, gateways, thermostats and other devices. The Whole Home Energy Monitor is a key element in Home Energy Management systems (HEMs). “RCS has been a long standing member of the Z-Wave family, we even have Z-Wave Development Kit #002. We continue to utilize Z-Wave because we believe that, for years to come, Z-Wave will be a complete end-to-end solution that will solve the needs of end users when it comes to energy management and home control products for the residential, commercial and hospitality markets,” stated Gene Goodell, VP of Business Development at RCS Technology. “We just certified our 500th product in July of 2011. This accelerating growth proves that the Home Control and Smart Energy markets see the value in bringing together a truly connected home,” stated Mark Walters, Chairman of Z-Wave Alliance . “As our members rapidly deploy to more homes and business, with a technology that delivers high customer satisfaction and increased efficiency, they validate the Z-Wave-based solutions are the best in the industry. For more information please visit www.z-wave.com, www.z-wavealliance.org and www.rsctechnology.com.
29 February 2012, 12:00am