Fully-certified Software Development Kit leverages hardware-based calculations to create fast, low-power solutions providing an optimised customer experience

A fully-certified Wi-Fi^® Software Development Kit (SDK) with Apple HomeKit support is now available from Microchip Technology Inc. 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 microcontroller (MCU), with the industry-proven WINC1510, a low-power 802.11 b/g/n certified Wi-Fi module. The hardware-based security engines within this 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.

“The increasing popularity of home automation with consumers necessitates connected designs to react instantly when a command is issued,” said Ian Harris, vice president of Microchip’s computing products group. “Consumers don’t have the patience to wait several seconds for their device to pair every time they want to unlock their front door. Our Wi-Fi SDK provides pairing speeds of less than one tenth of a second along with industry-leading security features such as secure boot that are crucial for development in the smart home market.”

For more information about Microchip’s Wi-Fi SDK, visit: www.microchip.com/promo/homekit.