Nest announces Weave-- a communication protocol designed for home automation applications previously used only in Nest devices, now available for vendors wanting to integrate with the Nest offering.
As the company puts it, Weave "lets devices talk directly to each other and to Nest products." It promises to solve "many" issues involved with connected home devices, since it connects with devices with low power, low latency and redundancy issues.
Weave runs over Thread, making it a mesh-based system with each device acting as a wireless extender. It runs on devices with as little as 64KB of RAM, promises latency reaching less than 100ms and includes independent end-to-end application layer security complete with application-specific encryption keys.
It is important to note Nest's Weave differs from Google's Weave, a communications layer allowing Internet of Things (IoT) devices to talk to each other and with the cloud found within the Android-based Brillo device connectivity solution.
Nest already has a first product taking advantage of Weave-- the Linus Lock, a smart lock collaboration with Yale users can control using the same mobile app controlling other Nest hardware. Like many other smart locks it allows users to check whether the door is open or closed, set passwords with different access levels for family members and guests and remotely lock/unlock doors. It also provides safety and security alerts, as well as daily, weekly and monthly home access history reports.
Other vendors plan to support Weave, including Big Ass Solutions, Daikin, GE, Legrand, Lutron and WeMo, among others.
In addition the company announces a Nest Cam API-- a means for the connection of 3rd party devices with the Nest Cam. The likes of August, Mimo, Petnet, Philips Hue and Skybell already plan to announce such integrations in the near future.
“Building a connected product is hard,” Nest says. “That’s why we want to make it easier for developers. We’re offering proven technologies like Nest Weave, along with cloud services and the ability to integrate with the Nest app. Developers have an end-to-end solution when they work with Nest, and can use only the parts of the program that meet their needs.”
