While the official specifications for Bluetooth mesh networking technology are yet to be announced by the Bluetooth SIG, companies like Gunitech Corporation, Axalent Solutions, and Arcadyan Technology Corporation have already launched devices based on Qualcomm’s Bluetooth mesh (CSRmesh) technology...
While the official specifications for Bluetooth mesh networking technology are yet to be announced by the Bluetooth SIG, companies like Gunitech Corporation, Axalent Solutions, and Arcadyan Technology Corporation have already launched devices based on Qualcomm’s Bluetooth mesh (CSRmesh) technology, hoping to get a jumpstart when time is right.
This year, both Axalent and Arcadyan introduced new CSRmesh enabled IoT gateways, which are AXA-GWQ4588F and IoT dongle WN7511AAC, respectively. These IoT gateways are compatible with Gunitech’s ecosystem of CSRmesh enabled products including the CHEKKA—a kit consisting of a smart plug and an all-in-one smart sensor that can function as a PIR sensor, a light sensor and a switch.
According to Gunitech’s Associate Vice President Ray Shiu, Gunitech is the first Taiwan-based company to offer compatible CSRmesh enabled smart plug and sensor for Axalent’s AXA-GWQ4588F.
The new gateways are also a good example of how companies in the IoT, from chip makers, device makers to software and cloud service providers, can work together to leverage each other’s strengths.
The AXA-GWQ4588F is a joint effort of Qualcomm, Gunitech and Axalent—it employs Qualcomm’s QCA4531 Wi-Fi SoC and CSR8811 Bluetooth v.4.1 single-chip radio while using Gunitech’s firmware and Axalent’s cloud platform and mobile app. Besides Wi-Fi and Bluetooth mesh connectivity, the device can also support ZigBee through insertion of a ZigBee dongle into its USB port. The AXA-GWQ4588F is to be plugged into the wall for power and has an Ethernet port for Internet connection.
The IoT dongle WN7511AAC also employs Qualcomm’s QCA4531 Wi-Fi SoC and CSR8811 Bluetooth v.4.1 single-chip radio, but it has an additional ZigBee chipset embedded in the device, which can support Thread via firmware upgrade. Unlike the AXA-GWQ4588F, this dongle is to be powered by a USB port and uses Wi-Fi for communication.