New XBee Module Illustrates Application of Thread Protocol in Industrial Applications and Company’s Role in Creating New, Advanced Wireless Solutions
PARIS, Feb. 9, 2016 – Digi International®, a leading global provider of mission-critical machine-to-machine (M2M) and IoT connectivity products and services, today announced that it has created a Thread-ready RF module to help advance the Thread networking protocol for use in wireless industrial applications.
The Thread-ready module is a new addition to the Digi XBee® embedded RF module platform. Digi XBee is the world’s number one selling RF module solution, enabling simple development, quick time-to-market and reliable wireless communications to connect, monitor and control devices from anywhere in the world.
“The Thread-ready XBee module provides Digi OEM module customers a simple migration path to quickly and easily drop a future-proof solution into their existing board designs,” said Joel Young, chief technology officer, Digi International. “Customers can easily design-in with our Digi XBee solution today, knowing they will have the full benefits of the Digi XBee ecosystem such as ease of use, reliability and scalability.”
The module itself will be based on the same industry-leading specifications of Digi’s current 802.15.4 based Series 2 XBee hardware, but will include the higher memory EM3587 chipset from Silicon Labs. This new offering provides 512kB flash, allowing for full implementation of the Thread protocol for end nodes and routers.
“As a founding member of the Thread Group, we’re working with leaders like Digi to incorporate Thread into its well-known XBee brand,” said Tyson Tuttle, chief executive officer, Silicon Labs. “Thread’s approach to wireless networking offers many technical advantages, and we’re very pleased to work with Digi to provide customers with an advanced solution that’s ready for implementation.”
The Thread protocol enables a low-power, IPv6 addressable, self-healing mesh network with advanced security implemented at the networking layer. It is expected to have a significant impact on the rapid growth of secure, distributed short-range Radio Frequency (RF) networks of connected devices, similar to the success of ZigBeeT.
Using experience gained in providing the industry’s most reliable, secure, scalable M2M connectivity solutions for more than 30 years, Digi has integrated the Thread protocol into its wireless connectivity solutions, beginning with Digi’s XBee embedded RF module platform. By leveraging Thread, Digi will provide secure, distributed short-range RF networks for the industrial IoT market and help usher in a new era of connected products for wireless industrial applications.
“The official general market availability, set for May 2016, will be the first of a series of Thread-based products Digi will be releasing throughout the year,” said Jay Kilby, director of RF product management, Digi International. “As a contributing member of the Thread Group, Digi has access to early specifications, tools and information for development of this advanced network technology. Our goal is to advance Thread’s capabilities and application within industrial networking solutions, which will include a fully certified Thread module, border router and more available later this year.”
