Z-Wave systems protocol is designed for home automation and a company called Zensys owns the chip technology. It is supported by the Z-Wave Alliance
http:www.z-wavealliance.org, a group of more than 100 independent manufacturers. The technology has an open-air range of 100 feet and should be designed to take advantage of a wireless mesh network.
Z-Wave technology was recently named the winner in the wireless category of the 2006 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards. You can have up to 232 nodes in the Z-Wave network. When applying this technology, remember that AC-powered units should be selected as repeaters since the battery-operated units will go into a power-saving sleep mode. Alarm controls, such as Elk’s M1, will work with Z-Wave modules.
