Smart home
Low power wireless connectivity solutions for smart home
Matter-over-Thread smart lock provides interoperability with a range of smart home ecosystems using Nordic wireless connectivity
MIWA’s PiACK HOME PG smart lock employs the nRF5340 SoC to enable Matter-over-Thread and Bluetooth LE connectivity to hub devices and smartphones
Security lock manufacturer MIWA has released one of the first commercially available Matter-over-Thread compatible smart locks in Japan, providing homeowners with greater levels of security and convenience than was previously available. Powered by the Nordic nRF5340 SoC, the ‘PiACK HOME PG’ can be integrated with a variety of Matter-compatible smart home ecosystems such as Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Apple Home, allowing users to lock and unlock their door remotely via an ecosystem hub device integrating a Thread border router.
In addition to the Matter-over-Thread connectivity, the PiACK HOME PG provides alternative access options including PIN entry via a numeric keypad and Near-Field Communication (NFC) card authentication. It also features magnetic sensors to detect the door position to monitor whether the door is open or closed. If a door is accidentally left open, or is opened unexpectedly, the owner can receive notifications to their smartphone app, providing enhanced security.
“This lock is specifically designed for Japanese residential environments and has passed rigorous reliability tests ensuring high reliability and durability,” says Takuo Kinoshita, Director of MIWA LOCK. “By using the Matter protocol, users can enjoy a seamless smart home experience, integrating the PiACK HOME PG with other IoT devices, such as home assistants.
nRF5340 SoC memory supports Matter-over-Thread
“When evaluating the requirements for Matter-over-Thread operation, we found sufficient memory capacity was essential in supporting its operation. This made Nordic’s nRF5340 SoC the ideal choice.”
Featuring dual processors and ample memory capacity, the nRF5340’s application processor is optimized for performance, and can be clocked at either 128 or 64 MHz, using voltage-frequency scaling. It offers 1 MB Flash, 512 KB RAM and a floating-point unit (FPU). The network processor is clocked at 64 MHz and is optimized for low power and efficiency (101 CoreMark/mA), with 256 KB Flash and 64 KB RAM.
Our decision to select the nRF5340 was largely driven by this ultra-low power consumption and ample memory for running Matter, alongside Nordic’s excellent technical support
Takuo Kinoshita, Director of MIWA LOCK
“By combining our advanced smart lock technology with Nordic’s powerful and well-supported SoC, we were able to create a high-performance, secure and user-friendly smart lock solution – ideal for modern smart homes and apartment buildings,” says Kinoshita.
For further convenience, the PiACK HOME PG also features Bluetooth LE® connectivity, enabled by the nRF5340 SoC’s 2.4 GHz multiprotocol radio. This allows users to easily set up the lock and manage access via their smartphone using the ‘MIWA Support’ app.
Ultra-low power consumption extends battery life
The lock provides a battery life of over a year in standard operation using just four AA batteries, thanks in part to the nRF5340 SoC’s ultra-low power consumption. The nRF5340 SoC’s radio combines both advanced features and minimizes current, with a 0 dBm TX current of 3.4 mA and an RX current of 2.7 mA.
“Our decision to select the nRF5340 was largely driven by this ultra-low power consumption and ample memory for running Matter, alongside Nordic’s excellent technical support,” says Kinoshita.
“We also found the sample code provided in the nRF Connect SDK to be a feature-rich and valuable resource when developing our own application code.”
