The resulting SIGMesh platform will be based on the u-blox NINA-B406 Bluetooth low energy module and will serve building automation use cases, including smart lighting, access control, and energy management.
According to market research by the Bluetooth SIG, smart lighting system revenue is expected to grow from around $4.4 billion in 2020 to over $19 billion in 2029. In addition to connected light fixtures, smart lighting systems also comprise of switches, relays, and sensors that communicate with each other using wires or wirelessly.
Bluetooth Mesh technology allows for battery-powered wireless sensor and control devices with 10-year battery life. Wireless components also help to reduce the costs of deploying smart lighting systems in new buildings, retrofitting existing ones, and changing the location and behaviour of operational nodes.
Bluetooth Mesh technology further scales up Bluetooth coverage to the entire building by relaying messages from node to node to their destination. This allows data packets to take the most effective path available to them, e.g. avoiding nodes that are down and directing signals around walls rather than through them, increasing overall network resiliency.
These attributes have helped to make Bluetooth Mesh a key enabler of smart lighting networks. Once in place, the nodes offer a wireless communication backbone for any number of building automation applications to transmit sensed data, device status information, and commands.
Douglas Lighting’s new open standard, Bluetooth SIG-compliant SIGMesh building automation platform delivers interoperability with a vast ecosystem of third-party devices. To meet technical requirements in terms of low power demand, moderate range, and an integrated antenna with a uniform radiation pattern, Douglas Lighting has built its solution around the NINA-B406 Bluetooth low energy module.
“We are excited that Douglas Lighting has chosen to work with u-blox to further extend its portfolio of wireless smart lighting products,” said Stefan Berggren, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Product Strategy Short Range Radio, at u-blox. “It also underscores the value that standardised wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth bring to smart lighting use cases.”
“We believe that the Bluetooth Mesh 5.0 standard allows us to bring hardware to the market that meets the user’s need and allows for interoperability opportunities. The interoperability will offer the customers more choices and freedom when working with Douglas Lighting Controls,” added John Cavacuiti, VP of engineering at Douglas Lighting.
