The rising popularity of ZigBee-based sensor networks has prompted proponents to offer a variety of products for this burgeoning market. While Texas Instruments Inc. has released an unparalleled system-on-chip (SoC) solution with a hardware location engine for low-power ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 wireless sensor networking, Sheffield UK’s Jennic Ltd has readied a ZigBee starter kit for under $200 for those with little or no RF design or software development experience. According to Jennic’s CEO Jim Lindop, "no one else currently is offering such a kit to help make things as easy as possible to enter this business.”

Article Tools

• 

It is the first design kit at this price point to offer ZigBee functionality as standard, asserted Jennic. The starter kit provides three hardware nodes (based on its JN5139 wireless microcontroller modules) that allow users to evaluate and develop wireless sensor network applications from an easy-to-use, low-cost start point. The key benefits are that users can easily understand 2.4 GHz RF performance, experiment with network topologies, and test applications via a simple application programming interface (API). It can be expanded with additional nodes from Jennic design kits to develop a full mesh network, said the developer. The starter kit is particularly suited as a development route for modules, either with an embedded application, or as a dongle to an external microcontroller.

Meanwhile, targeting applications such as asset and equipment tracking, inventory control, patient monitoring, remote controls, security and commissioning networks, TI has released CC2431 SoC that combines the performance of its popular CC2420 RF transceiver core with an enhanced 8051 microcontroller, and up to 128 kbytes of flash memory, 8 kbytes f RAM and many additional features – all in a small 7 mm x 7 mm package. Plus, its RSSI-based location engine accurately calculates the node’s position based on the receive signal strength from CC2430-based reference nodes with known locations and can then send the location information to a collector (e.g. computer, PDA, handset). This capability reduces network traffic and communication delays compared to centralized location systems, said TI. In typical applications, accuracy of 3 to 5 meters can be achieved. This chip is supported by its ZigBee protocol stack, and Z-Stack

TI’s Z-Stack protocol software is compliant with the ZigBee 2006 specification and supports multiple platforms, including the CC2431, CC2430 and CC2420+MSP430 platform. Additionally, the Z-Stack has been awarded the ZigBee Alliance’s golden unit status by the ZigBee test house TÜV Rheinland. Z-Stack is available for free downloading at www.ti.com/zigbee. According to TI, 0.18 μm CMOS-based CC2431 is sampling now, with volume production scheduled for third quarter. The device is available in a RoHS-compliant 7 mm x 7 mm QLP-48 package. In addition, TI is also offering the comprehensive ZigBee development kit, CC2431ZDK