Track Overview

ZigBee: The Path to Applications

Track Leader:  Bob Heile
Thursday May/24/2007

With the significant development that has been invested into ZigBee, a number of key standards now exist to allow creation of ZigBee based products and solutions for a number of key areas. This track will explore how ZigBee is being deployed today by major system and equipment vendors, and uncover applications where ZigBee is being used to solve unique and valuable challenges.

The track is organized in partnership with the ZigBee Alliance and its members, and focuses on three areas of adoption:
- Commercial Buildings
- Energy
- Residential

ZigBee in Commercial Buildings

9:00 - 10:30

One of the most promising applications of ZigBee is in the growing complexities of today's commercial facilities. Many of the major commercial building system vendors are today starting to deploy ZigBee based wireless solutions.

At this session, attendees will listen to experts who have or are in the process of deploying wireless products, as a wire replacement for existing applications as well as for new found applications that can only be made possible by the use of wireless technologies.

This session provides the intersection for BuilConn attendees to understand how wireless can provide them with a powerful tool to further the vision of Buildings 2.0.

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ZigBee in Energy

11:00 - 12:30

With the current concerns for energy, the role of connectivity technologies and specifically wireless is starting to be explored with significant success. ZigBee is one of the most promising technologies as far as the deployment of energy management and peak avoidance strategies in buildings and residential applications.

With a number of developing projects, the ZigBee Alliance, together with a number of its members and partners are discovering valuable applications of ZigBee in energy management scenarios.

This session, as a companion to the GridWise Expo, will provide attendees with a view of what is currently being done with ZigBee in the energy space.

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ZigBee in Residential Applications

14:00 - 15:30

The vision of broad adoption of home automation has been around for many decades, with the rapid adoption of wireless technologies, this vision is rapidly becoming a real and near-term prospect. ZigBee technologies are increasingly being used today, as a standard communicating platform for all manner of devices in the home, from control or entertainment systems to energy management and lifestyle systems.

Experts at this session will provide up-to-date views of the products and solutions now available for residential applications using wireless mesh networks.

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Discussion: Adoption Strategies of ZigBee

16:00 - 17:30

With the realities of widespread adoption of ZigBee based devices and systems, a subject that needs to be addressed is how such systems should be deployed? From the necessary tools, to processes and business models, the questions from integrators and OEM implementers continue to be asked in this new and exciting field, full of opportunities.

This session will include a number of panelists, who have the experience with deploying ZigBee and wireless solutions. These experts will draw the picture of how ZigBee solutions should be deployed, what tools and skills will be required and what pitfalls should be avoided to ensure successful use of wireless in commercial, industrial and residential environments within a broad number of applications from energy to entertainment and many others.

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