Matter protocol is finally released
23 November 2022
Editor's Choice
News
After multiple delays, the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), the international community made up of more than 550 technology companies, has finally announced the release of Matter 1.0 specification and the opening of the Matter certification programme. Device manufacturers are now able to adopt the communication protocol which aims to eliminate the compatibility issues that have plagued existing hardware platforms. The programme will hopefully usher in the next generation of interoperable products that work across both brands and platforms with greater privacy, security and simplicity.
It was reported that the open-source reference design software development kit (SDK) has been completed and is now available, and authorised test laboratories are now open for product certification. Alliance members that already have devices deployed are now able to update the products to support the Matter protocol once the devices receive certification.
“We would not be where we are today without the strength and dedication of the Alliance members who have provided thousands of engineers, intellectual property, software accelerators, security protocols, and the financial resources to accomplish what no single company could ever do on their own,” said Bruno Vulcano, chair of the Alliance Board and R&D; manager for Legrand Digital Infrastructure. “With members equally distributed throughout the world, Matter is the realisation of a truly global effort that will benefit manufacturers, customers and consumers alike, not just in a single region or continent.”
The Matter 1.0 standard includes test cases and a set of comprehensive tools for Alliance members and the global certification programme which currently includes eight authorised test laboratories. These laboratories are not only equipped to test the Matter protocol, but also the underlying network technology used, Wi-Fi and Thread.
Wi-Fi provides the capability to communicate over a high-bandwidth local network and allows devices to communicate with cloud servers. Thread is an energy-efficient protocol that provides a highly reliable mesh network within a local area.
This first release of Matter, which communicates over Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Thread, and uses Bluetooth Low Energy for device commissioning, will support a variety of smart products, including lighting and electrical, HVAC controls, safety and security sensors, door locks, media devices, controllers, and bridges.
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