ARM, the semiconductor company whose chip technology powers most modern smartphones, has come up a chip for the Internet of things. Cortex-M0+ (terrible name if you ask me) is an energy-efficient chip, offering optimized for use in everything from connected lighting and power controls and other home appliances including devices like the Nest thermostat.
The Cambridge, UK-based ARM has been betting big on the Internet of things. In 2010 it launched its Cortex-M technology targeting appliances, motors and audio devices. It has since been aggressively rolling out a strategy to cash in on the emergent opportunity. The company, in a press release, explains:
The 32-bit Cortex-M0+ processor, the latest addition to the ARM Cortex processor family, consumes just 9µA/MHz on a low-cost 90nm LP process, around one third of the energy of any 8- or 16-bit processor available today, while delivering significantly higher performance. The Cortex-M0+ processor features enable the creation of smart, low-power microcontrollers to provide efficient communication, management and maintenance across a multitude of wirelessly connected devices, a concept known as the ‘Internet of Things.’
At least two companies – Freescale and NXP — both major suppliers to automotive and home automation industries — have signed up for the new ARM chip technology.
At our Mobilize 2011 event ThingM CEO Mike Kuniavsky said that “ubiquitous network connectivity, cloud-based services, cheap assembly of electronics, social design, open collaboration tools and low-volume sales channels create an innovation ecosystem that is the foundation for an internet of things.”
From a Joe or Jane Doe’s perspective, the promise of this technology at the very least is to help make our homes become more efficient and lower our energy bills.
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