Methods of Wireless Communication

When it comes to smart home devices there are a variety of methods that they can use to communicate. This method of communication is used to allow the devices to speak to each other, provide you with access and help you configure them. In this post I will provide you with a list of these methods.

Z-Wave

A wireless protocol used by smart home devices to connect and communicate with each other. A Z-Wave network consists of smart devices and a primary hub which is connected to the internet. Z-Wave allows for lower power consumption than wi-fi and goes further than Bluetooth.

ANT+

ANT+ is another wireless protocol but its primary function is allowing monitoring devices to talk to each other. The best example of this technology is real time monitoring of health information. There are many smart devices on the market that are designed to help keep you in shape and monitor your vital signs. Smart watches are a prime example. ANT+ helps send data like your heart rate, steps and the speed at which are you running to a smartphone.

NFC

NFC stands for Near-Field Communication. This technology evolved from RFID but it is limited to about four inches in range. Since the range needed to communicate is so short many people consider this much more secure than RFID. Many devices use NFC such as smartphones. An example of how you may be using this currently is with Google Pay or Apple Pay. In these examples you will usually be prompted to enter in a password or use some sort of biometric feature like a fingerprint to authenticate.

Bluetooth

Probably one of the most well known methods of wireless communication. It is used to exchange data between devices such as your car stereo and your cell phone. The latest version of Bluetooth is 5.1 as of this posting. Originally Bluetooth was designed as a way to get around the use of cables. This type of wireless communication only covers a short distance.

RFID

RFID tags are used to store electronic data. They are often used as an alternative to barcodes but unlike barcodes they do not need to be within a scanner’s line of sight to be read. RFID tags are changing the way organizations keep track of their inventory. They are also used to track sensitive items like pharmaceuticals and have even be implanted in livestock to help positively identify animals.

These are just a few examples of the new methods of wireless communication that are allowing various devices to connect and communicate. Every day more devices are introduced into the market and these methods of communication make the collection of data much more efficient. We didn’t even touch on Infrared Technology which is being used in a variety of really cool ways to create things like interactive whiteboards. Technology is always evolving and at a much faster rate. It will be interesting to see what lies just beyond the horizon.

Thanks for reading.

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