Wi-Fi SDK with Apple HomeKit support now available

22nd May 2017

Enaie Azambuja

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Datasheet

Microchip has announced the availability of a fully-certified Wi-Fi SDK with Apple HomeKit support. This SDK enables MFi licensees to create fast, low-power designs on the industry’s first hardware cryptography-enabled Wi-Fi-based development kit for HomeKit. Microchip’s Wi-Fi SDK combines hardware cryptography suites within the CEC1702, a full-featured ARM Cortex-M4-based MCU, with the industry-proven WINC1510, a low-power 802.11 b/g/n certified Wi-Fi module.

The hardware-based security engines within the Wi-Fi HomeKit solution greatly reduce system calculation times, resulting in a fast and friendly end-user experience. With the dramatic reduction in execution time for HomeKit commands such as pairing – with pair setup in 0.95 seconds and pair verify in less than one tenth of a second – system reaction is accelerated for seamless consumer experiences such as instantly unlocking a front door.

This reduced time of system activity enabled by the Wi-Fi SDK results in lower system power consumption. Power consumption of the Wi-Fi SDK, while performing critical commands such as pairing, is so low that it’s on par with Bluetooth low energy-based systems while retaining the enhanced functionality of a Wi-Fi solution.

The Wi-Fi SDK also offers unrivaled hardware security features due to its hardware cryptography-enabled microcontroller. The CEC1702, a low-power but powerful, programmable 32-bit MCU offers security measures such as secure boot which allows equipment manufacturers to establish a hardware-based root of trust to protect against a security breach.

Developers can also leverage integrated security features such as easy-to-use encryption, authentication, private and public key capabilities and customer programming flexibility to minimise application risk. Additionally, the CEC1702 features 480 KB SRAM code plus data, which gives developers ample code space for the HomeKit protocol as well as their application-specific code.

Developers can begin designing their application with the new SecureIoT1702 development board which includes the CEC1702 MCU, a compact, high-contrast, serial graphic LCD display module, push buttons and two expansion headers compatible with the MikroElektronika mikroBUS Expansion interface.

When paired with a WINC1510 Wi-Fi click board and a separately available MFi chip, the SecureIoT1702 board and Wi-Fi SDK provide MFi licensees the basic building blocks to create HomeKit applications.