AND's CEO involved in UK 'Patent Box' discussions
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 08/03/2013

Valerie Lynch, CEO of AND Technology Research, has been involved in a Working Group set-up to discuss the UK Government's 'Patent Box' initiative that will be launched on 1 April 2013.

The 'Patent Box' is a new scheme introduced by the Government that links the use of patents with a reduction in UK Corporation Tax, presenting major opportunities for smaller businesses. The 'Patent Box' focuses on reducing the rate of Corporation Tax on income from products, which are protected by patents, from 23% to 10% - clearly a significant saving for companies. In addition to reducing the amount of Corporation Tax to be paid on patents, businesses will also be able to increase profitability from their patented products.

The Government's incentive behind the 'Patent Box' is to encourage companies to maintain existing patents as well as investing into the development of new patented technologies within the UK.

Valerie Lynch along with representatives from a range of businesses formed a Working Group established to provide consultation & discussion on the progression of the 'Patent Box'. The group attended a series of meetings over the last 3 years to help form the tax legislation, which was put forward to the Government last November & later announced in the autumn statement.

Once the 'Patent Box' has been launched this April, the Working Group will be involved in a number of follow-up meetings to assess how well the legislation has been working & if any improvements need to be made.

One of the key points raised by the Working Group was the accessibility of the 'Patent Box' to smaller businesses, it was decided that the guidance literature needed to be easy to understand to allow companies to apply for the 'Patent Box' & take full advantage of the legislation without having to employ costly specialists.

Valerie Lynch comments on her involvement in the Working Group, "The 'Patent Box' is a very complicated topic & a good piece of legislation, which I was very pleased to be part of. To ensure proper execution of the 'Patent Box' the legislation & guidance needed to be made clear & simple if it is to work & benefit businesses in the UK successfully."

To be eligible for the 'Patent Box' your company needs to be liable for Corporation Tax & must make a profit from exploiting patented inventions - the full benefits of the 'Patent Box' are to be phased in over the first five years.

For more information then please visit HM Treasury.

Useful links
hm treasury [www.hm-treasury.gov.uk]

iPhone app makes a splash
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 21/12/2012

Who said iPhone's & water don't mix?

…OK ultimately that still holds true, but perhaps with exception in the case of Lowman Ltd. Water engineering & services company Lowman have just taken delivery of a custom built iPhone app, developed by the team at AND Technology Research.

David Lowdell, MD of Lowman Ltd said "This app is going to make a real difference in the way we work & in the service we offer to our clients"

Wanting to move away from the traditional process of filling out paper-based health & safety forms before starting work at a site, to a fully automated system, Lowman tasked AND with the challenge of building an app that utilised the iPhones that are already in service with the company.

AND took the existing Risk Assessments, Vehicle Checklists, HAV's, & Plant Checks paper forms & developed designs not just for the User Interface but for the data too as Steven Kear, Programmes Director explains "Without question the UI is a crucial part of the app, but at AND we believe equally so is the data & how it is handled - this is what makes the difference between a 'nice to have app' & a app that is a credible business tool, that can grow & develop with the company".

With the designs reviewed & approved, the forms were then recreated on the iPhone & instantly added advantages could be realised. For example in the Risk Assessment form, Risk Scores could now automatically be calculated based on conditions entered, prompting the user with warnings or to enter additional control measures based on the auto-generated risk score.

Another advantage of the iPhone app was the addition of 'error conditions', which ensures that all fields for a particular form are correctly filled out before submitting - any compulsory fields, that could get missed on the old paper based system, now flag up error message if left blank & restrict operation. This provides the company with the reassurance that all of the essential elements of the forms are being completed to a required standard.

Of course with all this data now being entered into a smart phone, there needed to be a way in which it could be logged back in the office. AND therefore also took care of all the back office processing & so with a simple push of button within the app, data together with any photos are sent back to a central location via the iPhone's Wi-Fi or mobile phone network connection. Staff back at Lowman's offices then simply open up a spread sheet to review all the data submitted, log & generate reports.

Chris Odhams, app developer & test engineer, says, "Moving paper based processes onto an iPhone application is a great advantage for companies, it is more reliable & easily documents important forms without the added hassle of carrying around paper when engineers are out on site. The user friendly design of the Lowman app allows for ease of use & can send data securely."

If you're looking to transfer paper-based process on to an application or if you have an idea for a smartphone app, then please get in touch [sales@andtr.com] & we will be happy to discuss ideas.

Useful links
lowman ltd [www.lowmanlimited.com]

Contactless water sensing technology unveiled at Metering & Billing/CRM 2012
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 15th Nov 2012

AND Technology Research unveiled their innovative DragonFly flow measurement technology at the Metering Billing/CRM 2012 exhibition & conference in Amsterdam.

Invited to the show by Renesas Electronics Europe, the world's number one supplier of microcontrollers, ANDtr demonstrated their range of intelligent communication & water metering solutions based on technology from the semiconductor manufacturer's portfolio.

Creating a 'buzz' of excitement around the Renesas booth DragonFly, a contactless sensing solution is able to detect & accurately measure the flow of water.

The intelligent technology works by electromagnetic coupling - as the water flows through the water meter the DragonFly sensor is able to intricately count the rotations of the impeller at a maximum speed of 6000+ RPM, with a rotation resolution of 1/8 a rotation.

Designed primarily for water metering applications, one of DragonFly's key features is it's resilience to tampering as there are no high permeability materials to saturate, preventing interference from 'stray' DC fields. In addition to this, sensor signal effects are also kept local ensuring the detector only interfaces with the DragonFly sensor & no other external sources.

For a technology to be successful in the metering industry resilience to challenging environment conditions & cost effectiveness are also other key factors that need to be addressed & here DragonFly scores well. By innovatively using standard circuit board materials for the sensors, not only do they resist the effects of ageing, temperature & humidity but also can easily be manufactured at very low cost anywhere in the world.

Steven Kear, Programmes Director at AND Technology Research, says, "Metering & Billing /CRM 2012 has been the perfect platform to showcase our DragonFly contactless sensing technology. The simplicity of the DragonFly sensor means it is easily customisable & configurable into other electronics, providing the water metering industry with a solution, which is low in power & cost but importantly high in accuracy & reliability."

Also on display at the Renesas stand was a complete demonstration of AND's Connect series of products, including C-Point; intelligent power sockets that are able to identify, monitor & control appliances inside the home, C-Route; entire residence-level energy monitoring able to gather energy data from multiple assets, equipment or homes and C-Port; able to securely collate energy data & provide a bridge between the smart home/business/factory & smart grid.

For more information on any of our products or technologies, including the DragonFly or Connect series then please visit www.andtr.com or contact us at info@andtr.com

Useful links
andtr [www.andtr.com]

AND exhibit smart grid technology at the Low Carbon Networks Fund annual conference
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 15th Nov 2012

October saw AND attend the 2012 LCNF conference & exhibition held at the impressive Millennium Centre in Cardiff, Wales.

Designed as a knowledge dissemination event, the conference focuses in on the on-going Energy Networks Association (ENA) Low Carbon Network Fund (LCNF) Tier 1 & Tier 2 projects.

This year, the event was co-hosted by Western Power Distribution (WPD) & one of the key note talks focused on "Smart Hooky" - a project located in the Oxford village of Hook Norton involving partners WPD, Renesas Electronics Europe (Renesas), National Energy Foundation (NEF), Hook Norton Low Carbon (HNLC) & AND.

"Smart Hooky" aims to create one of the UK's first community-scale 'Smart Grids' incorporating Power Line Communications (PLC) & High Voltage/Low Voltage substation monitoring technologies to enable community data measurement & display capabilities for residents.

Importantly though, coupled with the application of innovative technology, the project incorporates a crucial customer engagement programme.

At the event AND showcased the technology that was built for the "Smart Hooky" trial. On display were Smart Nodes, currently installed in over forty residential properties & the Smart Hubs, fitted into four of the village's substations.

The equipment developed by AND is designed to enable communication over the important 'last mile', providing a two-way data path for energy information between homes & energy distribution companies, by deploying a PLC technology. This means that the village's existing mains power cables can be used as not only a power source but as a communication network, limiting changes to the infrastructure which otherwise would be needed.

Valerie Thorn, CEO of AND Technology Research, says, "The LCNF Annual Conference gave us an opportunity to showcase our partnership with Western Power Distribution & demonstrate the reliable & working technology we are currently utilising within the Smart Grid industry."

The conference provided the opportunity for like-minded professionals & energy experts to come together & promote the work of the networks & the companies working with them - the perfect forum to share energy saving ideas & present the future smart grid technologies, currently being trialled & tested.

For more information please visit www.energynetworks.org & www.hn-lc.org.uk & www.westernpowerinnovation.co.uk

Useful links
hook norton low carbon [www.hn-lc.org.uk]
energy networks [www.energynetworks.org]
western power innovation [www.westernpowerinnovation.co.uk]

Smart Factory technology provides deeper energy insight for plastic's company
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK -11th July 2012

Norfolk-based Merit Plastic Mouldings (MPM) has become the first UK Company to benefit from AND Technology Research’s (AND) smart factory technology.

Designed to provide centralised monitoring & control of energy, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) lighting & access control systems, the technology is not only easy to install but utilises the factory’s existing mains wiring as a communication network, limiting changes to the infrastructure which otherwise would be needed.

Steven Kear, Programmes Director who oversaw the pilot trial said “the added insight the monitoring equipment has already provided MPM into their energy usage has been fascinating. While clearly moulding & forming machinery will inevitably be power hungry, the initial data collated so far has already highlighted various options for saving energy.”

Existing Moulding machines & Chillers in the factory were fitted with C-Route energy monitors, while a C-Port data concentrator unit was added to collate the data from the C-Route devices. On activation the energy monitors & data concentrator automatically formed a network, using MPM existing mains power cables. Staff at both MPM & remotely at AND, were then able to log into the C-Port unit via their Web Browser to view/log energy usage for each of the machines.

Robert Martin, Operations Manager at MPM said “As a responsible manufacturing company we are continually working to minimise the impact of our activities on the environment. The information collected from this trial has already given us a much deeper insight into our energy needs & use & importantly allows us to make informed decisions for continued improvement in our own environmental objectives.”

Following the positive results from this pilot trial, MPM & AND are preparing to move to the next stage of the programme whereby features allowing remote control & automatic switching on/off of assets will be linked to existing planning systems at MPM.

Useful links
merit plastics mouldings [www.meritplastics.co.uk]

First village homes connect to smart grid
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 7th Mar 2012

AND Technology Research (AND) has successfully conducted initial testing of Smart Grid networking technology in the Oxford village of Hook Norton. Part of the Hook Norton 'Smart Hooky' initiative, an Ofgem First Tier Low Carbon Network Fund (LCNF) project, the testing has seen homes in Hook Norton connect & 'talk' over a Smart Grid network.

Steven Kear, Programmes Director & one of the AND team onsite during two test events said, "We are delighted with the results from this initial set of testing. The Smart Grid will provide energy companies with the information they need to control & monitor the energy they generate, a vital ingredient in the push for efficient energy use".

Designed to enable communication over the important 'last mile', the equipment developed by AND provides a two-way data path for energy information between homes & energy distribution companies by deploying a technology known as Power Line Communication. This means that the village's existing mains power cables can be used as not only a power source but a communication network, limiting changes to the infrastructure which otherwise would be needed. Steven Kear adds "... utilising the PLC solution in this way, not only provides a communications path but importantly gives fine-grain visibility into a otherwise largely hidden electricity supply network/grid".

The project involves partners Western Power Distribution (WPD), Renesas Electronics Europe (Renesas), National Energy Foundation (NEF) & Hook Norton Low Carbon (HNLC). In early February volunteer residents recruited by NEF & HNLC, had their properties fitted with a prototype Smart Node, while substations common to each of the houses were fitted with a Smart Hub. On activation the nodes & hub automatically formed a network & engineers were able to see how well the energy grid was performing.

Following the positive result from this initial testing, the project can now move to the trials stage whereby various scenarios will be exercised in addition to testing of the communications back from the hubs' in the substation to a centralised data store & website for residents. A wider roll-out of equipment is also due to take place for larger-scale testing.

Useful links
hook norton low carbon [www.hn-lc.org.uk]

AND attend Theydon Bois Xmas market
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 22nd Dec 2011

AND Technology Research is feeling all Christmassy after taking part in the Theydon Bois village Christmas market.

On 1st December, the Parish Council, local businesses & village shopkeepers came together to help support & participate in the new community event.

Despite the wintry weather & heavy showers (that didn't stop all night), the Christmas Market proved to be a huge success as villagers were treated to Christmas carols by Theydon Bois Primary School & performances from the Salvation Army band.

Having spent a few lunchtimes discussing what AND could actually sell at a Christmas market, the pressure was on & after much deliberation the engineering team decided to offer aspiring electronics engineers the chance to solder their very own LED Christmas tree decoration.

With special thanks to Hi5 Electronics, who manufactured the Christmas tree shaped PCB's & kindly turned the boards around in 3 days (at a reduced rate) - the activity was a big hit with both the children & adults. Under the supervision of AND's Embedded Engineer David Ashwell, the activity involved selecting your chosen LED's & then soldering them onto the PCB shaped Christmas trees.

AND were also running a competition where villagers had to guess how many components filled a jar, with the correct guess or nearest to the right amount winning a prize - this also drummed up much attention at AND's stall.

Valerie Thorn, CEO at AND Technology Research said, "I'm really pleased AND were able to be part of the Theydon Bois Christmas Market, despite the miserable weather it was great to see people taking part in the competition & soldering activities we had on offer."

With each activity costing £1, AND decided to donate all the proceeds collected from the event to Crisis at Christmas, a charity that has been changing lives for 40 years, helping homeless people at Christmas time.

AND were pleased to announce that from the event a total of £116.00 was raised, which is enough to offer 5 people a place at the Crisis at Christmas event where those in need are provided with a Christmas meal, hope & comfort over the festive season.

Useful links
theydon bois village news [www.theydon.org.uk]

AND's CEO speaks at local event
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 28th Oct 2011

Valerie Thorn, CEO of AND Technology Research, was invited to present at the 'Going for Growth' conference - a one-day event, aimed at a variety of companies who are looking to expand their businesses, network and learn from other established professionals who have successfully grown their companies.

Held at picturesque Writtle College just outside Chelmsford, Essex & organised by the Design for Business East network and Essex County Council, 'Going for Growth' aims to boost design promotion initiatives that networks are now undertaking to help reach wider audiences & provide the opportunities for designers to communicate the value of design.

Valerie was asked to talk about the difficulties facing small businesses who are trying to compete in a large marketplace.

By offering real life experiences from the company that she established in 1980, Valerie was able to share her knowledge of how AND Technology Research has grown over the past 31 years and how it has managed to stay afloat in the current economic climate.

During her seminar, Valerie addressed many key fundamentals of how a small business like AND Technology Research remain successful - she spoke of the importance of understanding your supply chain and recognising where your company fits into this process.

When asked how AND Technology Research made its links with bigger companies, Valerie said, "A long time ago, I was given the advice to go straight to the top, head for the CEO and if that doesn't work you'll always be directed to the appropriate person - and it has worked… along with a lot of persistence!"

At the conference delegates attended four seminars, where a range of key note speakers covered different topics from; 'Inspiring Innovation' by Chris Robinson from Olympus Keymed, to 'Stories of success and tips for growth' by Lawrence Mallinson (Covent Garden soup fame) right through to Sir George Cox, Chairman of the Design Council and his overview of the economy & its effect on small businesses.

As well as attending the four seminars, delegates were able to network with like-minded professionals, in addition to benefiting from 12 inspirational workshops that covered topics such as "Branding through story-telling", "Social media marketing", "Profit from Design" and "Intellectual Property".

Gemma Rippengale, Marketing Support Executive at AND attended the conference along with AND's Programmes Director, Steven Kear. She said, "The conference proved to be a really inspiring day, it was great to listen to real-life accounts of how different businesses have managed to become so successful. The taster work-shops also gave us some interesting ideas and approaches that we can now apply to future marketing strategies."

Useful links
essex innovation [www.essexbusinesssupport.com]
design for business east [www.d4be.com]

Metering, Billing/CRM 2011 - AND's Connect range demo
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 28th Oct 2011

AND Technology Research has finally recovered from the buzz of Metering and Billing/CRM 2011 after exhibiting for three days at one of the largest utility events of the year.

The 13th annual show held at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam, saw a footfall of around 5000 attendees, up from the 3281 participants in 2010 - proving once again that it's the lead meeting place for smart utility professionals alike.

Over 200 of the world's top solution providers for smart metering came together to present live demonstrations and discuss the various technologies now being applied across the utility industry.

AND Technology Research was invited to the show by platinum partners Renesas, to demonstrate their Connect range of intelligent communication solutions based on the technology from the Renesas semiconductor portfolio. In addition to this, AND were keen to showcase the newly announced ZigBee Pro module-based design kit which includes the Smart Energy 1.1 profile. Based on Renesas' M16C/6B single chip ZigBee silicon, the competitively priced design kit includes "TestZED" modules that can be used in product prototyping and are pre-programmed with the Renesas ZigBee Pro stack as well as the Smart Energy 1.1 profile (other portfolios available on request).

At the show AND was able to demonstrate their TestZED modules alongside other ZigBee enabled products from the 'Connect' series. These included C-Route, where ZigBee is partnered with Power Line Communication (PLC) to provide the best route for wired and wireless communications; and C-Point, where ZigBee is partnered with load monitoring/profiling technology, providing remote identifying, monitoring & control of attached appliances.

The focus of AND's live demonstration was to illustrate the versatility of the different technology blocks available and how they can be utilised, for example as a 'whole' smart grid solution, a stand-alone product or as a combination of technologies depending on your requirements.

Steven Kear, Programmes Director at AND, says: "Metering and Billing/CRM was a great success this year, the technology on display proved to be real food for thought as to what direction the smart metering industry is headed. I'm really pleased AND was able to exhibit at the show with Renesas as it provided the perfect platform for demoing the SE 1.1 ConnectZED ZigBee module as well as other products from the 'Connect' range."

For more information on any of the products in the Connect range, or for details regarding the ZigBee evaluation kits then please contact sales@andtr.com. Don't forget to take a look at "Our Pictures" page on the ANDtr website, for all the recent snaps taken at the show!

Useful links
metering & billing [www.metering-europe.com]
connectzed zigbee kits [www.andtr.com]

Renesas Electronics Europe and its Alliance Partner AND Technology Research Ltd., (AND TR) today announced the availability of a complete ZigBee Pro module-based design kit which includes the Smart Energy1.1 profile. Based on Renesas’ M16C/6B single chip ZigBee silicon, the AND TR design kits are tuned to provide optimum RF performance in the most demanding situations and have been tested for interoperability at ZigBee Smart Energy interoperability events. Competitively priced, the design kits include “TestZED” modules that can be used in product prototyping and are pre-programmed with the Renesas ZigBee Pro stack as well as the Smart Energy 1.1 profile (other profiles are available on request). The modules are easily controlled via HyperTerminal commands.

In the Advanced design kit, the specialist TestZED module is designed to interoperate with the bundled PC TestZED software and can function as either a ZigBee Co-ordinator or Router, depending on how it is initialised. However, the real hidden 'gem' in this kit is the TestZED PC software itself. This not only gives users greater visibility of network communications, but enables direct testing of the ZigBee Profile and their developed application through the reading/writing to the individual attributes of the profile's clusters. As a result, scenarios can be quickly set up and tested. As is standard with all AND products, the ConnectZED Evaluation Kits come fully backed up with direct technical email and telephone support. When users start to develop their ZigBee based design they can rest assured that there is not just technical support at a simple call or email away, but complete embedded expertise and design services available too.

The Renesas M16C/6B single chip silicon offers an extremely high level of integration including a high-performance 16-bit CPU with an IEEE802.15.4 compliant 2.4GHz transceiver, up to 256kB of on-chip Flash coupled with 20kB RAM and 8kB of data flash, in addition to many useful peripherals such as a 4 channel DMA, multiple timers (including watchdog), 3 channels of serial I/O, 8 channel 10bit ADC and much more.

Andy Harding, Senior Manager of Smart Energy Segment Marketing at Renesas Electronics Europe, comments: “The AND TR modules and design kits are not only designed specifically for the markets at which they are targeted, but are also backed up by a strong design services company able to provide dedicated support and guidance for end customers trying to get to grips with the challenges of communications and networking. Whilst the European Union and individual governments target ambitious roll outs of Smart Metering across the EU, AND TR has the expertise to turn this goal into reality and is already actively supporting a number of our customers in technology trials.”

Steven Kear, Programmes Director at AND TR, adds: “AND TR is delighted to be working with Renesas in this market. They are already a market leader and remain focused on supplying semiconductor based solutions specifically targeted for use in the Smart Grid and Building/Home Automation markets. Renesas puts a lot of emphasis on quality and supply which makes them a privilege to work with. Our relationship goes back many years and this gives customers the confidence they require to work with suppliers of components for major infrastructure projects like the Smart Grid.”

Targeted primarily at the European Smart Metering market, but also supporting Building Automation and Home Appliance applications through the optional Home Automation profile, the ZigBee design kits are available directly from AND’s website at www.andtr.com at a cost of £195.00 (€220.00) for the Standard Evaluation Kit or £550.00 (€625.00) for the Advanced Evaluation Kit.

At the forthcoming Metering & Billing conference/exhibition (http://www.renesas.eu/event/metering2011.html) in Amsterdam, AND will be demonstrating its TestZED modules alongside other products from its ‘Connect’ series which combine ZigBee with other technologies. These include C-ROUTE, where ZigBee is partnered with Power Line Communication (PLC) to provide best route for wired and wireless communications; and C-POINT, where ZigBee is partnered with load monitoring/profiling technology, providing remote identifying, monitoring & control of attached appliances.

Useful links
ConnectZED ZigBee Evaluation kits [www.andtr.com]
Renesas Electronics Europe [www.renesas.eu]
Metering Billing/CRM Europe [www.metering-europe.com]

AND to attend Smart Grids Paris
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 13th May 2011

AND Technology Research is pleased to announce that they will be exhibiting at Smart Grids Paris 2011, held at the Cité des Sciences in Paris on 24th, 25th, 26th May.

This inaugural event, spread over three days, will bring together professionals from the energy, telecom, information technology & Smart Grid fields.

Renesas have invited platinum partners AND to the Smart Grids Paris event to showcase their Connect range of intelligent communication solutions in addition to the versatile ConnectZED ZigBee module, based on technology from the Renesas semiconductor portfolio.

During the exhibition, AND will showcase a complete end-to-end smart grid demonstration that utilises various products from the Connect range to show monitoring, identification & control of appliances in the home, right through to receiving energy usage data at the supplier side of the grid.

The event promises to offer a dynamic vision of an expanding market from both a European & international perspective, through a first class conference programme, exhibition & series of demonstrations.

Focus for debates at Smart Grids Paris will centre on current research, future regulatory standards, technical solutions, recent experiences in the smart energy field & the economic/social implications of such developments.

Steven Kear, Programmes Director at AND said "I'm thrilled that AND have been asked to be part of this event, it is a great opportunity for us to demonstrate the 'smart' products & technology we have on offer. Not only are we able to demo our ConnectZED ZigBee module, the event will also be the perfect place to debut some of our newer products in the Connect range; ConnectROUTE which combines ZigBee & PLC communications & ConnectPORT a unit that collates energy data & is then able to redistribute this using various different communication forms such as Ethernet or GPRS.

We are also keen to share our experiences & expertise in integrating this type of technology into smart grid trials & larger system rollouts - so the team & I are really looking forward to the event."

AND will bring you all the latest news and information, live from the event through their Twitter page, @ANDTechResearch.

Useful links
smart grids paris [www.sgparis2011.com]
AND's twitter page [@ANDTechResearch]

ConnectZED - the advanced evaluation kit
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 13th May 2011

Integrating ZigBee wireless RF technology into your new or existing product design just got easier with the launch of the Advanced Evaluation Kit for AND's ConnectZED range of ZigBee modules.

Comprising of a minimum* of three ConnectZED modules, two power baseboards, one programming baseboard & the TestZED PC software - the Advanced Evaluation Kit (CZED-RAK-100) provides the perfect platform for evaluating, developing & testing ZigBee.

Operating in the 2.4GHz RF band, the ConnectZED modules are supplied & preloaded with the Renesas ZigBee PRO stack & Smart Energy (SE) ZigBee application profile.

Each kit is supplied with one module pre-configured as a Coordinator, one as a specialist TestZED module & the remaining module(s) as a Router to enable a working ZigBee network to be formed straight out-of-the-box.

The specialist TestZED module is designed to interoperate with the bundled PC TestZED software & can function as either a ZigBee Coordinator or Router depending on how it is initialised via the TestZED application & of course down to your specific development needs.

However, the real hidden 'gem' in this kit is the TestZED PC software itself, which not only gives you greater visibility of network communications, but enables direct testing of the ZigBee Profile & your developed application, through the reading/writing to the individual attributes of the profile's clusters - allowing scenarios to be quickly setup & tested.

Where lengthy commands would normally need to be manually entered, or test scripts prepared to read/write to attributes in the ZigBee profile or user application, TestZED does away with this, by offering the same fine level of control, but through a comprehensive, easy to use, Windows interface. Control from as small as entering a price value in the Price Cluster, right through to performing a firmware update using the OTA Cluster can all be achieved with only a few mouse clicks.

Two types of baseboard provide flexibility when using the kit. The basic Power board powers an attached module through its mini USB port & provides a communication interface between the module & the PC, while the Programming board offers this plus reprogramming of the firmware inside the module.

As is standard with all AND products, the ConnectZED Evaluation Kit comes fully backed up with direct technical email & telephone support, so when you really start to develop your ZigBee based design you can rest assured that there is not just technical support at a simple call/email away, but complete embedded expertise & design services available too.

So now not only is there a versatile ZigBee module option available in a range of configurations (SIL pins, direct solder onto board) & profiles (SE, HA & dual profiles SE+HA) to drop directly into your designs through ConnectZED, the addition of the Advanced Evaluation Kit provides a complete powerful ZigBee evaluation, development & testing platform - all from one box.

Want to learn more? See a demo? Get custom pricing? Please contact the team at sales@andtr.com

* Three ConnectZED modules, two power baseboards, one programming baseboard & the TestZED software are provided as a minimum in the Advanced Evaluation Kit. However, the kit is completely configurable, so if you require more modules then let us know.

Useful links
ANDtr [www.andtr.com]

ConnectZED - the dual profile variant
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK -15th March 2011

Following the launch of the 1st product from its Connect range, the ConnectZED ZigBee module, AND were pleased to announce earlier this month the availability of a dual profile variant of the module, capable of running both Smart Energy (SE) & Home Automation (HA) application profiles.

Designed for low data rate/low power consumption markets, the ConnectZED module is intended as a plug-&-play ZigBee solution for use within embedded applications.

ZigBee Application Profiles, as defined by the ZigBee Alliance, allow products from multiple vendors to interoperate, through the definition of device clusters. Clusters consist of sets of data & commands which support typical product applications, together with the messaging scheme used for communication.

Typically these Profiles have tended to be deployed independently of each other, with SE focused on electric utility applications & HA catering for device communication & control in the home. However, with the interest & uptake of ZigBee RF gaining momentum the demand for being able to overlap the two has increased.

Having already taken a number of orders for ConnectZED kits & modules, offering a dual profile module variant was a natural step as Steven Kear, Programmes Director at AND explains: "The complexities involved in Radio Frequency wireless communications can take this type of technology out of the realms of many design engineers. ConnectZED offers a general purpose, inexpensive, cost effective device which can be slotted in as a component within any design. Further, pre-loaded with standard clusters from both SE & HA, the 'dual profile' ConnectZED module simplifies the process of 'overlapping' these two application areas. Decreasing the complexity of data interchange & increasing the interconnectivity between the profiles offers significant benefits. The dual profile module, is not only a neat, simple solution, but provides a means of intelligently sharing information enabling some really interesting communication & control possibilities".

By pairing the electric utility application abilities of SE & the device communication & control features of HA, the needs of smarter, greener appliances, homes & buildings can be realised in addition to supporting the government & energy service providers with future smart grid solutions.

Useful links
ZigBee Alliance [www.zigbee.org]
ANDtr [www.andtr.com]

How can the ConnectZED be used?
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK -19th January 2011

The ConnectZED ZigBee module is the first product to be launched from the new Connect series range from AND Technology Research. In last month's Control Columns we highlighted some of the features of the module - but where could you usefully use such a device?

Well the answer simply lies in thinking how you would want the ConnectZED module to work in & around your own products.

Working wirelessly, the RF module allows for small amounts of data (< 250 kbit/s) to be transferred at low power across a good range (~100 meters). The ConnectZED module works efficiently by using little power - therefore ensuring a longer battery life.

Self-organising networks of 2 or more devices can be formed to transfer data from a variety of locations or products, with the ability of the network being able to automatically self-heal if for example a device is taken out of the network.

The module has two antenna options, so where say the size of your product or look of it may be important factors in your design, the module's onboard antenna can be used. Equally if ultimate range is critical & the product is hidden away then the external antenna connection can be utilised.

Being small in size & with different connection options (either via direct solder or pins) the module can easily be added to new or old designs, turning product into wireless enabled devices without the cost, development time & formal approvals involved in designing it from scratch. The interoperability of the ConnectZED module also means it can work seamlessly and comply with other ZigBee products, designs or similar modules.

Listed below are a few examples of where our ConnectZED could be used:

• Smart Energy products, i.e. monitoring and controlling your use of energy, water & heating.
• Home Automation, i.e. control appliances, monitoring power consumption, alarm & safety devices.
  
• Building Automation, i.e. monitor & control commercial building systems.
  
• Healthcare, i.e. measure health, fitness & well-being.
  
• Remote Control, i.e. home theatre experience, media centre control & in-system control remote programming.

Our innovative designs can be custom-made to fit around specific market requirements, helping customers take control of everyday activities whether it is at home or the workplace.

Useful links
ZigBee Alliance [www.zigbee.org]
ANDtr [www.andtr.com]

Gemma joins AND!
LONDON/THEYDON BOIS, UK - 19th January 2011

With new & exciting projects on the horizon for AND in 2011, the company is enjoying further expansion with the arrival of new intern Gemma Rippengale.

A recent graduate from the London College of Communication, Gemma brings a new dimension to the AND team through her strong communication skills, creativity & fresh outlook onto the electronics engineering industry.

Joining the Sales & Marketing side of AND, the internship will see her develop new marketing/promotional literature, coordinate information on the company website in addition to expanding AND's presence in Social media.

On her appointment Gemma said, "I'm really looking forward to the new challenges this role will bring me, and I'm eager to be part of the exciting ventures that lay ahead for AND".

In addition to her marketing responsibilities, Gemma will also be heavily involved with promotion & sales of AND's new product ranges, organising events, dedicated one-to-one demos & supporting the sales team.

Steven Kear, Programmes Director at AND said "Not only is 2011 shaping up to be a busy & exciting year for us with the new development projects clients are already discussing with us, but with our new Connect series of ZigBee modules reaching maturity, having Gemma's drive, enthusiasm & creativity on board will enable us to get these products out to engineers, developers & companies who are really going to find they offer them a real edge".

During her spare time Gemma likes to keep fit and enjoys regular shopping trips.