Bluetooth mesh tech from Silicon Labs chosen by Xiaomi

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Xiaomi is using Silicon Labs’ Bluetooth mesh protocol stack to develop wireless smart home technology, such as voice-activated LED light bulbs, spotlights, downlights, and alarm clocks, with their primary focus on China's growing smart home market.

Xiaomi is launching their new smart home products using Bluetooth mesh networking technology from Silicon Labs. The new products from Mi Ecosystem partners include smart LED light bulbs, candle bulbs, downlights, and spotlights. The voice-assistant XiaoAi smart alarm clock serves as a gateway to control smart Bluetooth mesh lights through voice commands.

“Silicon Labs is a valued technology partner providing best-in-class wireless hardware and software, development tools and local engineering support for Mi Ecosystem partners in the China market,” said Yanlu Zhang, RD Director of Xiaomi IoT platform. “Silicon Labs’ Wireless Gecko platform provides the connectivity options, design flexibility, ease of use and security features our ecosystem partners need to simplify smart product design and accelerate time.”

Silicon Labs’ Bluetooth mesh

The new Xiaomi smart home products use EFR32BG Wireless Gecko system-on-chip (SoC) devices running Silicon Labs’ Bluetooth mesh protocol stack. Wireless Gecko SoCs offer an optimal combination of features and capabilities including high transmit power and a +125 oC temperature rating for Xiaomi’s application requirements.

“We are seeing an increasing deployment of Bluetooth mesh in China’s fast-growing smart home market, and Xiaomi is poised to ship mesh-enabled smart home products at scale, driving further adoption of this versatile, ubiquitous wireless technology,” said Matt Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IoT products at Silicon Labs. “We look forward to collaborating with Xiaomi and Mi Ecosystem developers on future products leveraging our Wireless Gecko hardware and software platform.”

Silicon Labs is a leader in Bluetooth innovation, delivering ultra-small Bluetooth SiP modules, multiprotocol SoCs supporting Bluetooth commissioning, and software tools and stacks to simplify Bluetooth development. Silicon Labs is also the leading supplier of silicon and software for mesh networking applications. The company has shipped more than 150 million mesh networking SoCs and modules and has more than 15 years of experience in developing standards-based mesh networking solutions for customers worldwide.