All prices are in US$ unless stated otherwise. See our Ordering and Delivery FAQ for more information.

WTRS Wireless Sensor Network Technology Trends Report Q3 2011

West Technology Research Solutions, LLC - 8/1/2011 - 257 Pages - ID: WTT6488656

	Publisher Purchase Options
	Online Download	$3,500.00	Add to cart

Abstract   |   Table of Contents

This year, 2011, is emerging as a strong year for the growth of wireless sensor network (WSN) component markets. Projects during the past recession were generally placed on hold, rather than being cancelled. There is a strong momentum among end product manufacturers to emerge from the recession with new and innovative products that will stimulate generalized market adoption of WSNs. Many of the technologies competing for market share in the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) sector are still in an developing state. Even those that are technically mature, such as IEEE 802.15.4, have not yet significantly penetrated the immense market opportunity for WSN components throughout a broad range of market applications. It appears that much of the growth likely in 2011 will be due to market penetration by WSN technologies with solutions to overall network connectivity and battery-free operational constraints, such as low power embedded WiFi and EnOcean, rather than the perhaps falsely perceived market leader: ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4. WTRS has lowered its forecast for ZigBee components with the publication of this issue of the WSN report based on a general lack of market uptake. While the ZigBee market survived the market recession, it did not rebound as strongly as forecast. There are two main reasons for this. First, the ZigBee Alliance has spent much of its focus on gaining a foothold for the protocol in the smart meter space. The opportunity in smart meters is far from settled. There are a fair number of ZigBee/802.15.4 chips in new meters that have been installed in the field, but most are not active and many did not ship with a ZigBee stack on board. The industry appears to be waiting for an IP-based ZigBee stack that will comply with government and utility requests. Meanwhile other wireless sensor network technologies, including 802.15.4 chips with proprietary IP-based stacks, are moving to take a strong position in the smart meter market. Thus the length of time it takes the ZigBee Alliance to complete the IP-based stack may determine how much market share can be gained in the smart meter sector. The second reason that ZigBee growth and potential has declined is that the ZigBee Alliance has not sufficiently controlled unauthorized use of the ZigBee trade name. This is leading to a fair amount of market confusion and reports of non-interoperability between supposed (labeled) ZigBee products. There is a perception in the industry of a much larger market for ZigBee-based products than actually exists as a result of this market confusion. The problem is that few applications actually require the ZigBee mesh protocol; in many cases less complex network stacks based on IEEE 802.15.4, or other more streamlined WSN technologies, will deliver required performance at lower cost or power consumption. So some end product manufacturer's adopt the phrase 'ZigBee/802.15.4' in the marketing of their products in order to associate with a well-known trade name without actually completing the certification process with the Alliance. When the ZigBee Alliance allows these exceptions to continue the result is a perception of larger market adoption but also an emergence of reports of inoperability. In the long run, both results could harm market adoption of the ZigBee protocol. Over the next five years, WSNs will particularly invade home and building applications as increased pressures drive manufacturers to look for options that will conserve installation and operation costs. This newly updated WSN report finds that the applications of energy use monitoring and utility management have the potential to contribute greatly to overall market growth. Nearly 70% of the average utility bill could be influenced by WSN application to temperature and lighting. Building owners can use interactive energy management tools to create energy management profiles that are triggered by certain established consumption rates. As energy consumption exceeds a specified set point, the WSN can automatically begin turning off low priority lighting, heating, and cooling zones, using wireless humidity and temperature sensors as well as lighting and access monitors. Wireless outdoor motion sensors could remain active while other specific energy consumers could be dimmed. WSN technologies are becoming available in more useful forms than simple protocol specifications and chipsets. Modules are becoming more sophisticated and more capable of meeting the demands of a broad market opportunity across all WSN technology types. A broad majority of the market opportunity for wireless sensor networks exists in applications that represent smaller individual market volumes, not worth the development costs entailed in producing a chip for many of the large semiconductor manufacturers. However combined these lower volume opportunities represent tremendous sales potential for companies directly engaged with consumers of the end products. Overall the opportunity for WSN technologies remains strong and a number of new protocols, such as Bluetooth Low Energy and Dash7, are emerging and will find a place in the market. There are many applications that have not been occupied by a single WSN technology and so the market is likely to grow and evolve a great deal over the next few years.

Click to View Enlarged Cover Image

Powered By: