What is Zigbee technology in IoT?

Zigbee is a communication technology used in wireless networks, designed for low data, low power, and short-range applications in IoT (Internet of Things). It provides an easy-to-use architecture for secure and reliable networks, designed by Zigbee Alliance, which provides energy-efficient solutions.

Zigbee architecture

Zigbee follows a stack architecture with the following six layers:

• Physical layer: This layer defines the physical features of the radio transmission and is closest to the hardware.

• MAC (medium access control): This layer controls access to the shared radio medium. It also acts as an interface between the physical and network layers.

• Network layer: This layer handles the routers and addresses.

• Security layer: This layer ensures secure communication using encryption and authentication.

• Application support sublayer (APS): This layer oversees security and binding while providing services to the application layer.

• Zigbee device object (ZDO): This layer offers services for managing and discovering devices.

Key features

The key features and main characteristics of the Zigbee technology include:

• Low power consumption: Zigbee devices are designed to require minimal power, hence, they are suitable for battery-operated devices. Devices can operate for several years on a single battery.

• Low data rates: Zigbee devices are optimized for efficiently transmitting small amounts of data. They are not designed for high-bandwidth applications. This makes them well-suited for personal area networks like home automation.

• Mesh topology: Zigbee devices can form a mesh network. It means in a network, every device can communicate with every other device. This mesh networking enhances network reliability and coverage area. If one device fails or is out of range, the message can be transmitted through another device.

• Frequency bands: There are three frequency bands assigned to Zigbee:

  • $868MHz$ operates in Europe.

  • $915MHz$ operates in the US and Australia.

  • $2.4GHz$ operates across the world. (It can be crowded due to the presence of Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies because they operate in the same bandwidth.)

• Security: Zigbee networks are secure because their devices are designed in such a way to protect data transmitted between devices. It can be done by using encryption, authentication, and setting up a secure network.

• Scalability: Zigbee networks can be scaled from small, simple setups to large and complex networks. This scalability is essential for accommodating different IoT applications.

Applications

Zigbee technology finds applications in a wide range of industries few are mentioned below:

• Home automation: Zigbee is widely used in smart homes to connect and control various devices, including smart lights, sensors, security cameras, doors, etc.

• Healthcare: Zigbee technology uses sensors to monitor and track patient’s health in healthcare. It helps in collecting data with the help of sensors and transmit this information to healthcare providers.

• Smart agriculture: Zigbee is used in precision agriculture for monitoring soil conditions like moisture and temperature. This data helps farmers decide about irrigation, fertilizers, and pest conditions.

• Environmental monitoring: Zigbee sensors are also used for environmental monitoring applications, which include humidity and temperature sensing, monitoring air quality, and water quality assessment. Data collected from these sensors can be used for research or in early warning systems.

Conclusion

For the expanding fields of the Internet of Things (IoT) and wireless communication, Zigbee technology has shown to be a flexible and dependable option. Zigbee is used in many different areas, including home automation, industrial automation, healthcare, and agriculture. This is due to its low power consumption, mesh networking capabilities, and scalability standards.