Page 14 - DECT Today - Issue 3 - May 2015

When you look at the underlying benefit of the DECT technology, ULE has a head start in terms of the low cost & reliability which a mature technology brings and the ability to operate in an interference free spectrum which is nicely situated away from the highly populated 2.4GHz band. Last, but not least, is the superior and secure range which the technology demonstrates, allowing ULE to operate as a star topology, without any need to be concerned with mesh networks as a solution to underlying communication challenges suffered by other wireless solutions which struggle to reach throughout the home with a single direct path.
However, it is the combination of voice and data which can bring unique and valuable applications to the IoT, and with the ability to support both, DECT/ULE is the ideal candidate. Imagine for example the case of a smoke detector. Wireless enabled smoke detectors are becoming quite common-place. In normal operation, when smoke is detected, an alarm sounds in the home or office and with newer smart home applications, can also send a message to the local control hub. Typically this alert can now also be provided on your smart device (phone/iPad/tablet/computer) via cloud applications. 'When the technology can also provide voice services, the ability to enhance the warning and even provide directions as to how to act greatly increases
“please leave the building” can also be passed. A further level of service can also be enabled using the telephony backbone, readily available with the underlying technology, which could see the smoke detector directly connected to a service centre, such as the fire department. Making two-way voice communication immediately available could provide a potential life-saving opportunity in a critical situation. Our once simple smoke detector has now become quite an integral part of the smart home and IoT.
Taking the possibilities to communicate with devices by voice a step further opens up a wealth of new opportunities when we look at voice control of devices. The most natural way to communicate to your home devices is by using voice. Instead of finding your smart device and browsing through the menus you can give immediate commands by voice, the most natural and intuitive way for people to communicate, especially in cases of stress or emergency. With ever improving voice recognition technology becoming common place, the possibility to enable different applications in the home control now opens to many different devices.
Let’s look at the example of a simple thermostat, in use for controlling the temperature in a room. Primarily these are controlled by turning the dial, which is fixed on the wall of the room. Like our smoke
smart device can be via a simple instruction, such as “turn up the heating”. However, again the ability to have a two way communication allows you to consider new functions such as asking the thermostat to provide a temperate indication. With a straightforward request, such as “What is the temperature?”, an audible response of “temperature is 25 degrees” can provide an immediate and useful indication.
There are many more possibilities for the combined use of wireless voice and data in the IoT, which stretch beyond the imagination. With no technology silos, the inevitable result of separate voice and data technology deployments, and a ready-waiting install base, ULE is poised to show how a mature technology can be updated and enhanced to provide new potential applications which bring a simple and natural communication for enhanced services.
Author: Ruth Wilson,
DECT Forum,
Chair of Marketing Working Group
MYRIAD OF HOME CONTROL APPLICATIONS
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the service's value. When smoke is detected, now the alarm can make an audible sound, as before, but a warning such as “smoke in the kitchen” can be sent to every smoke detector, and sounded in every room, providing a much more accurate warning as to the source of the fire. Additional instructions, such as
detector, there are now devices on the market which can be controlled wirelessly, connected through a control hub, and using an application on our smart device to adjust the temperature. With the enhancement of voice commands, instructing the thermostat without the need to find and access your
For more information on DECT, see
www.dect.org
For more information on ULE, see
www.ulealliance.org
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