The trade groups representing Bluetooth technology and the DALI smart-lighting interface are working together to promote their technologies as complementary IoT standards for commercial indoor lighting systems.
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the trade association that oversees Bluetooth technology, and the Digital Illumination Interface Alliance (DiiA), a consortium pushing lighting-control solutions based on the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) system, have said they will streamline their technologies for the smart lighting industry.
Smart lighting systems combine connected luminaires with lighting-control systems. Bluetooth mesh is an option to connect the hardware and software in a smart lighting system, and DALI works as an interconnect protocol to enable two-way control of it.
DiiA is driving the adoption of DALI-2 as the latest version of the DALI protocol, including with a programme of certified devices, under the D4i brand.
The Bluetooth SIG will specify a standardised Bluetooth mesh interface for DALI lighting devices. The pair will also “make it easier for vendors to complete” Bluetooth and DALI-2 certification to ensure interoperability.
“This will ensure Bluetooth mesh lighting control, combined with certified DALI-2 and D4i devices remains the natural choice for the professional lighting industry,” they said.
Paul Drosihn, general manager at DiiA, said: “Combining Bluetooth mesh with DALI is a natural choice for the commercial lighting industry. The combination enables sensor-rich lighting systems and will deliver powerful new IoT capabilities to building managers. This will include automated light-level and colour control, advanced luminaire performance monitoring including energy usage and predictive maintenance, as well as enhanced services such as asset tracking and indoor navigation.”
Mark Powell, chief executive at the Bluetooth SIG, said: “Commercial building owners around the world are being asked to improve energy efficiency while also enhancing the occupant experience. The IoT-enabled intelligent lighting systems this collaboration enables promise to deliver the exact solution these building owners need.”
Arnulf Rupp, head of standardisation at OSRAM, member of DiiA, said: “We are excited to support this collaboration between the Bluetooth SIG and DiiA. Establishing a standard Bluetooth mesh interface for D4i intelligent luminaries will open up industry opportunity and enable the deployment of even more advanced, interoperable IoT-enabled commercial lighting systems, while ensuring an equivalent light control behaviour between both standards.”
Check out the new editorial report from Enterprise IoT Insights on smart lighting as-a-platform, which is free to download from here.
