Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/1176970
Aftermarket Daily News Tuesday, November 5, 2019 3 4 The Zigbee Alliance and Thread Group Address IoT Industry Fragmentation The Zigbee Alliance and Thread Group announced the availability of the Dotdot specification over Thread's IP network. This is the first time developers can con- fidently use an established, open and interoperable IoT language over a low- power wireless IP network, which will help unify the fragmented connected device industry and unlock new markets. "We're at an exciting point in the Smart Home where the broader con- sumer market is embracing mainstream connected products; 26 percent of con- sumers own a smart home device accord- ing to our new research," said Tom Kerber, Director of IoT Strategy at Parks Associates. "To be competitive in a mar- ket where consumers will rely on these devices for years to come, companies must take a long-term view, aligning with technologies that will enable innovation and interoperability, and continue to deliver on the promise of the IoT for every stakeholder." Dotdot is the Zigbee Alliance's uni- versal language for the IoT, making it pos- sible for smart objects to work together on any network. Thread is the Thread Group's open, IPv6-based, low-power, secure and future-proof mesh networking technology for IoT products. These two leading organizations have come together to deliver a mature, scalable solution for IoT interoperability that isn't confined to single-vendor ecosystems or technologies. Delivering on the Promise of the IoT The early internet faced the same chal- lenges as today's IoT. Currently, connect- ed devices can struggle to deliver a seam- less experience because they speak dif- ferent languages (or in technical terms, use different "application layers"). For the internet, the industry solved this problem with open, universal protocols over IP – a combination that unlocked and accelerated innovation. Dotdot's common device language over Thread's IP network extends this same proven approach to the Internet of Things. With Dotdot over Thread, product and plat- form vendors can ensure the high-quality, interoperable user experiences needed to drive growth, while IP allows vendors to maintain a direct connection to their device – and their customers. Simplified Product Development with Mature Technologies and Diverse Supply Chains It's important to note that Dotdot over Thread is not another new standard. Dotdot enables the open, mature and already widely adopted application layer at the heart of Zigbee to work across Thread's IP network – the same network technology fundamental to the internet. For product managers, new standards represent risk. Dotdot and Thread are backed by global, industry-leading com- panies and represent two of the most robust, widely deployed and well-sup- ported connectivity and interoperability technologies, driving billions of products and networks already in homes and offices. "Zigbee and Dotdot are the product of 15 years of innovation by our mem- bers, and the experience that comes from over a decade of building successful products," said Tobin Richardson, Zigbee Alliance President and Chief Executive Officer. "This maturity is why major tech- nology leaders have chosen Zigbee, and Dotdot over Thread now brings that value to new markets. This marks the first of many partnerships to come as we extend our application layer across additional networks to accelerate time to market and unify the IoT for all stakeholders." "The Thread Group's vision is to extend IP – the powerful foundation of the internet – to low-power IoT devices," said Grant Erickson, President of the Thread Group. "Just like the internet, this vision also requires the industry to put forth open, common protocols so devices from any vendor can work together. Dotdot gives Thread adopters an impor- tant option for that open, end-to-end con- nectivity and interoperability." How to Start Working with Dotdot over Thread The Dotdot specification is available today to Zigbee Alliance members. Additional resources, including the Dotdot Commissioning Application, will be available in Summer 2018, along with the opening of the Dotdot Certification program from the Zigbee Alliance. Thread launched its 1.1 specification and opened its certification program in February 2017. The Zigbee Alliance and Thread Group now share a number of common authorized test service providers, and are working with them to ensure an efficient, seamless certification process for Dotdot over Thread adopters. About the Zigbee Alliance The Zigbee Alliance is the foundation and future of the IoT. Established in 2002, its wide-ranging global member- ship collaborates to create and evolve universal open standards for the products transforming the way we live, work and play. With members' deep and diverse expertise, robust certification programs and a full suite of open IoT solutions, it is leading the movement toward a more intuitive, imaginative and useful world. The Zigbee Alliance is supported by board members from Comcast, Huawei, Itron, The Kroger Co., Landis+Gyr, LEEDARSON, Legrand Group, Midea, NXP ® Semiconductors, Philips Lighting, Schneider Electric, Silicon Labs, SmartThings, Somfy Group, Texas Instruments and Wulian. About the Thread Group The non-profit Thread Group is focused on making Thread the founda- tion for the internet of things in the home and beyond by educating product developers, builders and consumers on the unique features and benefits of Thread and ensuring a positive experi- ence through rigorous, meaningful product certification. Thread is backed by industry-leading companies includ- ing Arm, Johnson Controls, Nest Labs, NXP ® Semiconductors, OSRAM, Qualcomm, Schneider Electric, Silicon Labs, Somfy, and Yale Security. Since opening its membership in October 2014, companies from around the world and across all aspects of the expansive and connected technology sector have joined the Thread Group to create the very best way to connect and control devices. TECH R&D Broadens Injury Application Angle for Uni-Seal Repair Product TECH's R&D team has been actively pursuing parent company TRC's 4r vison, to create and extract value from materials formerly considered to be at the end of their usable life. TECH's R&D team took this vision to heart by altering the materials and process utilized in the manufacture of its one-piece Uni-Seal truck and pas- senger car repair products. By increas- ing the injury and repair angle from 25 degrees to 35 degrees, it greatly increases the number of tires that are able to be repaired verses scrapped, thus keeping them on the road and out of landfills. According to TECH's Vice President of Technology Bill Johnson, "We were confident that with slight modifications to the chemical composition of materials and our manufacturing process we could increase the application of our Uni-Seal prod- uct." The TECH R&D team conducted rigor- ous road wheel testing with overloaded tires for over 240 hours using the TECH's in-house endurance test protocol. In addition, it conducted FMVSS-139 tests with each tire. Each test tire had multiple injuries, all of which were at a minimum of 35 degrees or greater. All tires tested com- pleted the tests with a 100 percent suc- cess rate. TECH contin- ues to leverage its over 79 years of tire repair experience and expertise to innovate and set the industry standard for quality tire repairs. To learn more about TECH, visit www.techtirerepairs.com. To learn more about TRC, visit www.trc4r.com. At the show, stop by SEMA booth #42125. Vampire Tools Inc. All Set to Get Bigger Bite Out of SEMA 2019 Vampire Tools, creator of the powerful patented line of VAMPLIERS ® screw extracting pliers, is expecting to get its biggest-ever bite out of the SEMA Show this year. In the 2018 show, the company was able to create a buying frenzy by users pouring in at the booth to place their orders for the amazing jaw-drop- ping tools. This year at SEMA 2019, the company is expecting the crowd to be bigger and is presenting in a larger 400 square-foot booth #16711, in the Westgate Hall. This expected onslaught of users is powered by the fact that Vampire Tools is adding nine new products to its list of high-quality innovative line which are displayed in its booth. Two of these new products – the new improved World's Best Linesman's pliers and the innova- tive, environmentally friendly Rust Remover Liquid – are also being dis- played at SEMA's New Products Showcase. Vampire Tools believes in partner- ship with those distributors and jobbers who put in the effort to promote its prod- ucts. The company's sales slogan is "Show and Sell." With shipment in 24 hours to multiple locations, it can get these great products out to you fast. Strong belief and practice in price integrity and the mission of being "the easiest company to do business with" is in its daily focus. "Our mission is making unique timesaving pro- fessional tools for tough problems at home and for MROs across auto- motive, electrical, aircraft, marine and building maintenance industries," explained Safi Qureshey, Founder of Vampire Tools. The new Linesman's pliers are an added value to the already wide array of VAMPLIERS. The features include a length of 9 inches, two-way non-slip gripping jaws, side jaws, cutters and crimpers for bare terminals (AWG16- 12). Ideal for busy electricians! Complementing this array of VAMPLIERS, the new Rust Remover Liquid works by simply pouring it over the problem area and watch the rust start to disappear. The Rust Remover penetrates the small- est of gaps to reach the threads of rusted fasteners within sec- onds. About Vampire Tools Vampire Tools International, Inc. started in 2012 with the vision to revolutionize seemingly straight-forward hand tools through simple, function-driven innova- tion. The innovative design of the flag- ship tool, the VAMPLIERS put the com- pany on the map as the most effective tool on the market for extracting stripped fasteners. Vampire Tools works to contin- ually introduce new and unique products that are versatile, technologically intu- itive and timesaving. For more information, stop by SEMA booth #16711.