Platform technology simplifies smart living
Drawing together the various elements of its advanced semiconductor technology, Bridgetek’s all-encompassing platform is for users to be able to control the various lighting, air conditioning, heating and security systems that are present in their house/apartment via one single point of contact.
Currently home automation relies on various systems from different manufacturers each relying on their own proprietary control technology that requires users to access a multitude of specific apps. But users want to centralise the control of these functions rather than having separate standalone controls for each respective system.
PanL home automation hubs comprise an array of different wireless and wireline connectivity options, including Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 4.2, Zigbee and PoE-enabled Ethernet (100Base-T). This gives them the scope to connect with numerous systems simultaneously.
Their processing capabilities derive from the Bridgetek FT900 series of 32-bit microcontrollers. Inclusion of one of the company’s second generation FT813 Embedded Video Engine (EVE) high resolution graphic controllers in each unit takes care of the human machine interface (HMI) aspect. This provides the user with simple, intuitive control with access to rich graphical content and multi-touch functionality.
The centralised approach also allows co-ordinated operation of different systems, so that lighting and heating could be switched on at the same time, for example. Furthermore, it means that data from different systems can be consolidated, allowing parameters such as overall household energy consumption to be monitored.
Announcements over the course of 2017 will see the PanL portfolio expand, making use of the modular framework that has been put in place. Further developments will result in additional wireless technologies being integrated into the platform, thereby enabling direct connection to the cloud.
