From the types of power switches you use to the layout of your printed circuit board (PCB), numerous design decisions will affect the robustness of your high-power inverter designs. In this Power Hour webinar, Staff Product Manager, John Wilson, and Sr. Staff Applications Engineer, Long Nguyen, describe the key issues and solutions to consider when designing high-power inverter systems. They introduce the Si828x isolated gate drivers and explain how they can benefit your high-power designs. The following highlights are some key takeaways from the presentation. 

One of the first decisions to make when designing your high-power inverters is the type of power switch you will use. Power switches have unique capabilities and requirements, such as voltage limits, temperature ranges, and operating frequencies, that will drive numerous design decisions for your high-power inverters, including which type of gate driver to use. The four main types of power switches are:

• Silicon MOSFET
• Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)
• Silicon Carbide (SiC)
• Gallium Nitride (GaN)

Working voltages are another essential factor to consider. Designers must evaluate the maximum voltages the system will be exposed to under normal conditions and ensure that the gate drivers and power switches can meet these power requirements. For the gate driver, the working voltage rating will exceed maximum expected peak voltages. For switches, a rule of thumb is that the maximum expected voltages should be less than 80% of the device family’s voltage rating.

Gate drivers and power switches have critical protection needs that must be addressed in the design. For example, undervoltage issues generate heat and efficiency loss. Overvoltage can cause switch damage. Fortunately, these issues can be mitigated with solutions such as desaturation detection, using a Miller clamp to prevent switch parasitic turn-on, and careful PCB layout techniques.

There are also application dependencies to consider. For example, a stable, high-power application, such as a steady-running industrial motor inverter, may not need much protection. In contrast, a dynamic application, such as an EV traction inverter, may require extensive system protection.

PCB board layout is also an important consideration when designing a power electronic circuit because it determines the power circuit's performance, efficiency, and reliability. A well-planned PCB layout minimizes parasitic inductance and capacitance and improves reliability and efficiency. 

A final consideration is determining how to supply power to the secondary side of a half-bridge device. This task can be accomplished discreetly or in an integrated fashion.

As you design your high-power inverters, look for power switch technologies and gate drivers appropriate to the working voltages required by your system application. Consider the critical protection needs and choose gate drivers that can provide solutions accordingly. 

Silicon Labs offers a full spectrum of solutions with our Si828x isolated gate drivers. An integrated dc-dc converter within these devices simplifies layout and provides each driver with its own power supply, which translates to reduced noise and inductances and a more compact and smaller PCB.

The Si8285 has all the apps and features of the Si828x family (desaturation detection, Miller clamp, etc.), as well as an industry-leading noise immunity of 125 kV/us. We also have a robust reference circuit that enables adjusting various parameters based on the type of power switch you are using. 

In addition to the Si828x series, we offer an extensive isolated gate driver product family that is suitable for inverters. Altogether, these devices offer a broad range of benefits, from power robustness to extensive flexibility.

Register here to watch the full webinar, which includes detailed examples. For more information about our isolated gate drivers, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.

From the types of power switches you use to the layout of your printed circuit board (PCB), numerous design decisions will affect the robustness of your high-power inverter designs. In this Power Hour webinar, Staff Product Manager, John Wilson, and Sr. Staff Applications Engineer, Long Nguyen, describe the key issues and solutions to consider when designing high-power inverter systems. They introduce the Si828x isolated gate drivers and explain how they can benefit your high-power designs. The following highlights are some key takeaways from the presentation. 

One of the first decisions to make when designing your high-power inverters is the type of power switch you will use. Power switches have unique capabilities and requirements, such as voltage limits, temperature ranges, and operating frequencies, that will drive numerous design decisions for your high-power inverters, including which type of gate driver to use. The four main types of power switches are:

• Silicon MOSFET
• Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)
• Silicon Carbide (SiC)
• Gallium Nitride (GaN)

Working voltages are another essential factor to consider. Designers must evaluate the maximum voltages the system will be exposed to under normal conditions and ensure that the gate drivers and power switches can meet these power requirements. For the gate driver, the working voltage rating will exceed maximum expected peak voltages. For switches, a rule of thumb is that the maximum expected voltages should be less than 80% of the device family’s voltage rating.

Gate drivers and power switches have critical protection needs that must be addressed in the design. For example, undervoltage issues generate heat and efficiency loss. Overvoltage can cause switch damage. Fortunately, these issues can be mitigated with solutions such as desaturation detection, using a Miller clamp to prevent switch parasitic turn-on, and careful PCB layout techniques.

There are also application dependencies to consider. For example, a stable, high-power application, such as a steady-running industrial motor inverter, may not need much protection. In contrast, a dynamic application, such as an EV traction inverter, may require extensive system protection.

PCB board layout is also an important consideration when designing a power electronic circuit because it determines the power circuit's performance, efficiency, and reliability. A well-planned PCB layout minimizes parasitic inductance and capacitance and improves reliability and efficiency. 

A final consideration is determining how to supply power to the secondary side of a half-bridge device. This task can be accomplished discreetly or in an integrated fashion.

As you design your high-power inverters, look for power switch technologies and gate drivers appropriate to the working voltages required by your system application. Consider the critical protection needs and choose gate drivers that can provide solutions accordingly. 

Silicon Labs offers a full spectrum of solutions with our Si828x isolated gate drivers. An integrated dc-dc converter within these devices simplifies layout and provides each driver with its own power supply, which translates to reduced noise and inductances and a more compact and smaller PCB.

The Si8285 has all the apps and features of the Si828x family (desaturation detection, Miller clamp, etc.), as well as an industry-leading noise immunity of 125 kV/us. We also have a robust reference circuit that enables adjusting various parameters based on the type of power switch you are using. 

In addition to the Si828x series, we offer an extensive isolated gate driver product family that is suitable for inverters. Altogether, these devices offer a broad range of benefits, from power robustness to extensive flexibility.

Register here to watch the full webinar, which includes detailed examples. For more information about our isolated gate drivers, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.

From the types of power switches you use to the layout of your printed circuit board (PCB), numerous design decisions will affect the robustness of your high-power inverter designs. In this Power Hour webinar, Staff Product Manager, John Wilson, and Sr. Staff Applications Engineer, Long Nguyen, describe the key issues and solutions to consider when designing high-power inverter systems. They introduce the Si828x isolated gate drivers and explain how they can benefit your high-power designs. The following highlights are some key takeaways from the presentation. 

One of the first decisions to make when designing your high-power inverters is the type of power switch you will use. Power switches have unique capabilities and requirements, such as voltage limits, temperature ranges, and operating frequencies, that will drive numerous design decisions for your high-power inverters, including which type of gate driver to use. The four main types of power switches are:

• Silicon MOSFET
• Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)
• Silicon Carbide (SiC)
• Gallium Nitride (GaN)

Working voltages are another essential factor to consider. Designers must evaluate the maximum voltages the system will be exposed to under normal conditions and ensure that the gate drivers and power switches can meet these power requirements. For the gate driver, the working voltage rating will exceed maximum expected peak voltages. For switches, a rule of thumb is that the maximum expected voltages should be less than 80% of the device family’s voltage rating.

Gate drivers and power switches have critical protection needs that must be addressed in the design. For example, undervoltage issues generate heat and efficiency loss. Overvoltage can cause switch damage. Fortunately, these issues can be mitigated with solutions such as desaturation detection, using a Miller clamp to prevent switch parasitic turn-on, and careful PCB layout techniques.

There are also application dependencies to consider. For example, a stable, high-power application, such as a steady-running industrial motor inverter, may not need much protection. In contrast, a dynamic application, such as an EV traction inverter, may require extensive system protection.

PCB board layout is also an important consideration when designing a power electronic circuit because it determines the power circuit's performance, efficiency, and reliability. A well-planned PCB layout minimizes parasitic inductance and capacitance and improves reliability and efficiency. 

A final consideration is determining how to supply power to the secondary side of a half-bridge device. This task can be accomplished discreetly or in an integrated fashion.

As you design your high-power inverters, look for power switch technologies and gate drivers appropriate to the working voltages required by your system application. Consider the critical protection needs and choose gate drivers that can provide solutions accordingly. 

Silicon Labs offers a full spectrum of solutions with our Si828x isolated gate drivers. An integrated dc-dc converter within these devices simplifies layout and provides each driver with its own power supply, which translates to reduced noise and inductances and a more compact and smaller PCB.

The Si8285 has all the apps and features of the Si828x family (desaturation detection, Miller clamp, etc.), as well as an industry-leading noise immunity of 125 kV/us. We also have a robust reference circuit that enables adjusting various parameters based on the type of power switch you are using. 

In addition to the Si828x series, we offer an extensive isolated gate driver product family that is suitable for inverters. Altogether, these devices offer a broad range of benefits, from power robustness to extensive flexibility.

Register here to watch the full webinar, which includes detailed examples. For more information about our isolated gate drivers, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.

From the types of power switches you use to the layout of your printed circuit board (PCB), numerous design decisions will affect the robustness of your high-power inverter designs. In this Power Hour webinar, Staff Product Manager, John Wilson, and Sr. Staff Applications Engineer, Long Nguyen, describe the key issues and solutions to consider when designing high-power inverter systems. They introduce the Si828x isolated gate drivers and explain how they can benefit your high-power designs. The following highlights are some key takeaways from the presentation. 

One of the first decisions to make when designing your high-power inverters is the type of power switch you will use. Power switches have unique capabilities and requirements, such as voltage limits, temperature ranges, and operating frequencies, that will drive numerous design decisions for your high-power inverters, including which type of gate driver to use. The four main types of power switches are:

• Silicon MOSFET
• Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)
• Silicon Carbide (SiC)
• Gallium Nitride (GaN)

Working voltages are another essential factor to consider. Designers must evaluate the maximum voltages the system will be exposed to under normal conditions and ensure that the gate drivers and power switches can meet these power requirements. For the gate driver, the working voltage rating will exceed maximum expected peak voltages. For switches, a rule of thumb is that the maximum expected voltages should be less than 80% of the device family’s voltage rating.

Gate drivers and power switches have critical protection needs that must be addressed in the design. For example, undervoltage issues generate heat and efficiency loss. Overvoltage can cause switch damage. Fortunately, these issues can be mitigated with solutions such as desaturation detection, using a Miller clamp to prevent switch parasitic turn-on, and careful PCB layout techniques.

There are also application dependencies to consider. For example, a stable, high-power application, such as a steady-running industrial motor inverter, may not need much protection. In contrast, a dynamic application, such as an EV traction inverter, may require extensive system protection.

PCB board layout is also an important consideration when designing a power electronic circuit because it determines the power circuit's performance, efficiency, and reliability. A well-planned PCB layout minimizes parasitic inductance and capacitance and improves reliability and efficiency. 

A final consideration is determining how to supply power to the secondary side of a half-bridge device. This task can be accomplished discreetly or in an integrated fashion.

As you design your high-power inverters, look for power switch technologies and gate drivers appropriate to the working voltages required by your system application. Consider the critical protection needs and choose gate drivers that can provide solutions accordingly. 

Silicon Labs offers a full spectrum of solutions with our Si828x isolated gate drivers. An integrated dc-dc converter within these devices simplifies layout and provides each driver with its own power supply, which translates to reduced noise and inductances and a more compact and smaller PCB.

The Si8285 has all the apps and features of the Si828x family (desaturation detection, Miller clamp, etc.), as well as an industry-leading noise immunity of 125 kV/us. We also have a robust reference circuit that enables adjusting various parameters based on the type of power switch you are using. 

In addition to the Si828x series, we offer an extensive isolated gate driver product family that is suitable for inverters. Altogether, these devices offer a broad range of benefits, from power robustness to extensive flexibility.

Register here to watch the full webinar, which includes detailed examples. For more information about our isolated gate drivers, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.

From the types of power switches you use to the layout of your printed circuit board (PCB), numerous design decisions will affect the robustness of your high-power inverter designs. In this Power Hour webinar, Staff Product Manager, John Wilson, and Sr. Staff Applications Engineer, Long Nguyen, describe the key issues and solutions to consider when designing high-power inverter systems. They introduce the Si828x isolated gate drivers and explain how they can benefit your high-power designs. The following highlights are some key takeaways from the presentation. 

One of the first decisions to make when designing your high-power inverters is the type of power switch you will use. Power switches have unique capabilities and requirements, such as voltage limits, temperature ranges, and operating frequencies, that will drive numerous design decisions for your high-power inverters, including which type of gate driver to use. The four main types of power switches are:

• Silicon MOSFET
• Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)
• Silicon Carbide (SiC)
• Gallium Nitride (GaN)

Working voltages are another essential factor to consider. Designers must evaluate the maximum voltages the system will be exposed to under normal conditions and ensure that the gate drivers and power switches can meet these power requirements. For the gate driver, the working voltage rating will exceed maximum expected peak voltages. For switches, a rule of thumb is that the maximum expected voltages should be less than 80% of the device family’s voltage rating.

Gate drivers and power switches have critical protection needs that must be addressed in the design. For example, undervoltage issues generate heat and efficiency loss. Overvoltage can cause switch damage. Fortunately, these issues can be mitigated with solutions such as desaturation detection, using a Miller clamp to prevent switch parasitic turn-on, and careful PCB layout techniques.

There are also application dependencies to consider. For example, a stable, high-power application, such as a steady-running industrial motor inverter, may not need much protection. In contrast, a dynamic application, such as an EV traction inverter, may require extensive system protection.

PCB board layout is also an important consideration when designing a power electronic circuit because it determines the power circuit's performance, efficiency, and reliability. A well-planned PCB layout minimizes parasitic inductance and capacitance and improves reliability and efficiency. 

A final consideration is determining how to supply power to the secondary side of a half-bridge device. This task can be accomplished discreetly or in an integrated fashion.

As you design your high-power inverters, look for power switch technologies and gate drivers appropriate to the working voltages required by your system application. Consider the critical protection needs and choose gate drivers that can provide solutions accordingly. 

Silicon Labs offers a full spectrum of solutions with our Si828x isolated gate drivers. An integrated dc-dc converter within these devices simplifies layout and provides each driver with its own power supply, which translates to reduced noise and inductances and a more compact and smaller PCB.

The Si8285 has all the apps and features of the Si828x family (desaturation detection, Miller clamp, etc.), as well as an industry-leading noise immunity of 125 kV/us. We also have a robust reference circuit that enables adjusting various parameters based on the type of power switch you are using. 

In addition to the Si828x series, we offer an extensive isolated gate driver product family that is suitable for inverters. Altogether, these devices offer a broad range of benefits, from power robustness to extensive flexibility.

Register here to watch the full webinar, which includes detailed examples. For more information about our isolated gate drivers, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.

From the types of power switches you use to the layout of your printed circuit board (PCB), numerous design decisions will affect the robustness of your high-power inverter designs. In this Power Hour webinar, Staff Product Manager, John Wilson, and Sr. Staff Applications Engineer, Long Nguyen, describe the key issues and solutions to consider when designing high-power inverter systems. They introduce the Si828x isolated gate drivers and explain how they can benefit your high-power designs. The following highlights are some key takeaways from the presentation. 

One of the first decisions to make when designing your high-power inverters is the type of power switch you will use. Power switches have unique capabilities and requirements, such as voltage limits, temperature ranges, and operating frequencies, that will drive numerous design decisions for your high-power inverters, including which type of gate driver to use. The four main types of power switches are:

• Silicon MOSFET
• Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)
• Silicon Carbide (SiC)
• Gallium Nitride (GaN)

Working voltages are another essential factor to consider. Designers must evaluate the maximum voltages the system will be exposed to under normal conditions and ensure that the gate drivers and power switches can meet these power requirements. For the gate driver, the working voltage rating will exceed maximum expected peak voltages. For switches, a rule of thumb is that the maximum expected voltages should be less than 80% of the device family’s voltage rating.

Gate drivers and power switches have critical protection needs that must be addressed in the design. For example, undervoltage issues generate heat and efficiency loss. Overvoltage can cause switch damage. Fortunately, these issues can be mitigated with solutions such as desaturation detection, using a Miller clamp to prevent switch parasitic turn-on, and careful PCB layout techniques.

There are also application dependencies to consider. For example, a stable, high-power application, such as a steady-running industrial motor inverter, may not need much protection. In contrast, a dynamic application, such as an EV traction inverter, may require extensive system protection.

PCB board layout is also an important consideration when designing a power electronic circuit because it determines the power circuit's performance, efficiency, and reliability. A well-planned PCB layout minimizes parasitic inductance and capacitance and improves reliability and efficiency. 

A final consideration is determining how to supply power to the secondary side of a half-bridge device. This task can be accomplished discreetly or in an integrated fashion.

As you design your high-power inverters, look for power switch technologies and gate drivers appropriate to the working voltages required by your system application. Consider the critical protection needs and choose gate drivers that can provide solutions accordingly. 

Silicon Labs offers a full spectrum of solutions with our Si828x isolated gate drivers. An integrated dc-dc converter within these devices simplifies layout and provides each driver with its own power supply, which translates to reduced noise and inductances and a more compact and smaller PCB.

The Si8285 has all the apps and features of the Si828x family (desaturation detection, Miller clamp, etc.), as well as an industry-leading noise immunity of 125 kV/us. We also have a robust reference circuit that enables adjusting various parameters based on the type of power switch you are using. 

In addition to the Si828x series, we offer an extensive isolated gate driver product family that is suitable for inverters. Altogether, these devices offer a broad range of benefits, from power robustness to extensive flexibility.

Register here to watch the full webinar, which includes detailed examples. For more information about our isolated gate drivers, contact your Silicon Labs sales representative.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we shop. Retailers have had to scale quickly to move shopping experiences online and keep customers safe, while still providing fast, convenient customer service. Leading retail technology and omnichannel expert and  regular contributor to Forbes, Chris Walton, joined Loïc Oumier, Head of Operational & Digital Marketing and Communications at SES-imagotag, and Ross Sabolcik, VP and GM of Industrial and Commercial IoT Products at Silicon Labs for a webinar about how retailers are leveraging wireless technologies already well-established in the industrial space to deliver innovative and engaging customer experiences. Three key takeaways from the webinar are below.

#1: Physical stores must digitize.

Even though retailers are moving online, Chris explains that customers still want to be offered in-store experiences. To meet today's customer demands, retailers must transform their physical stores into true digital assets. Digitization provides multiple benefits to both customers and retailers, including the following:

• Improved visibility around stock inventory
• Asset tracking and location services
• Faster checkout times
• Online ordering combined with curbside or same-day delivery options

Additionally, digitization brings all the advantages of e-commerce to the in-store experience, such as access to customer product ratings and reviews and accurate pricing and specification information. None of these options are available with paper label systems. By re-imagining the physical store as a blended solution of online and in-store services, retailers can provide customers with faster, safer and more convenient shopping experiences.

#2: Wireless IoT systems must be multi-value.

When deploying wireless IoT systems in retail, multi-value propositions are crucial. The cost of installing and maintaining a wireless infrastructure can be significant, so the infrastructure must be flexible and able to deploy multiple devices from one platform. Additionally, wireless systems should have more than one use case, benefitting the consumers coming into the store and enabling retail operators to be more efficient.

Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are an example of a multi-value, multi-use wireless IoT system. ESLs offer all-around-the-store efficiency by providing customers with accurate pricing information and retailers with data capturing and asset tracking services. One of the greatest benefits of an ESL software system is its scalability. All the features of an ESL software system's services, beyond simple price display, can be enabled at a future time without adding infrastructure costs. Retailers should consider what type of capabilities they might want to unlock from a wireless system in the future and whether these features can be deployed from the same platform.

#3: A great customer experience is the omnichannel strategy bottom line.

"Omnichannel" is no longer just a technical term -- it's about customer service. The purpose of an omnichannel strategy is to make the shopping experience safer, more efficient and convenient for the customer, and smart technology makes all of this possible. With interconnected, smart retail systems in place, customers can choose how they want to interact with retailers, whenever and wherever they want.

Cloud commerce, data capture, and location analytics are the foundational components of an effective omnichannel strategy. By seamlessly combining these smart retail systems in holistic ways, retailers can deploy blended solutions that capture and analyze relevant data to anticipate customer needs and meet those demands.

We're Here to Help

As a leading provider of IoT technology, we are uniquely qualified to offer smart retail solutions. Watch the on-demand webinar here and learn more about our smart retail offerings by visiting our website.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we shop. Retailers have had to scale quickly to move shopping experiences online and keep customers safe, while still providing fast, convenient customer service. Leading retail technology and omnichannel expert and  regular contributor to Forbes, Chris Walton, joined Loïc Oumier, Head of Operational & Digital Marketing and Communications at SES-imagotag, and Ross Sabolcik, VP and GM of Industrial and Commercial IoT Products at Silicon Labs for a webinar about how retailers are leveraging wireless technologies already well-established in the industrial space to deliver innovative and engaging customer experiences. Three key takeaways from the webinar are below.

#1: Physical stores must digitize.

Even though retailers are moving online, Chris explains that customers still want to be offered in-store experiences. To meet today's customer demands, retailers must transform their physical stores into true digital assets. Digitization provides multiple benefits to both customers and retailers, including the following:

• Improved visibility around stock inventory
• Asset tracking and location services
• Faster checkout times
• Online ordering combined with curbside or same-day delivery options

Additionally, digitization brings all the advantages of e-commerce to the in-store experience, such as access to customer product ratings and reviews and accurate pricing and specification information. None of these options are available with paper label systems. By re-imagining the physical store as a blended solution of online and in-store services, retailers can provide customers with faster, safer and more convenient shopping experiences.

#2: Wireless IoT systems must be multi-value.

When deploying wireless IoT systems in retail, multi-value propositions are crucial. The cost of installing and maintaining a wireless infrastructure can be significant, so the infrastructure must be flexible and able to deploy multiple devices from one platform. Additionally, wireless systems should have more than one use case, benefitting the consumers coming into the store and enabling retail operators to be more efficient.

Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are an example of a multi-value, multi-use wireless IoT system. ESLs offer all-around-the-store efficiency by providing customers with accurate pricing information and retailers with data capturing and asset tracking services. One of the greatest benefits of an ESL software system is its scalability. All the features of an ESL software system's services, beyond simple price display, can be enabled at a future time without adding infrastructure costs. Retailers should consider what type of capabilities they might want to unlock from a wireless system in the future and whether these features can be deployed from the same platform.

#3: A great customer experience is the omnichannel strategy bottom line.

"Omnichannel" is no longer just a technical term -- it's about customer service. The purpose of an omnichannel strategy is to make the shopping experience safer, more efficient and convenient for the customer, and smart technology makes all of this possible. With interconnected, smart retail systems in place, customers can choose how they want to interact with retailers, whenever and wherever they want.

Cloud commerce, data capture, and location analytics are the foundational components of an effective omnichannel strategy. By seamlessly combining these smart retail systems in holistic ways, retailers can deploy blended solutions that capture and analyze relevant data to anticipate customer needs and meet those demands.

We're Here to Help

As a leading provider of IoT technology, we are uniquely qualified to offer smart retail solutions. Watch the on-demand webinar here and learn more about our smart retail offerings by visiting our website.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we shop. Retailers have had to scale quickly to move shopping experiences online and keep customers safe, while still providing fast, convenient customer service. Leading retail technology and omnichannel expert and  regular contributor to Forbes, Chris Walton, joined Loïc Oumier, Head of Operational & Digital Marketing and Communications at SES-imagotag, and Ross Sabolcik, VP and GM of Industrial and Commercial IoT Products at Silicon Labs for a webinar about how retailers are leveraging wireless technologies already well-established in the industrial space to deliver innovative and engaging customer experiences. Three key takeaways from the webinar are below.

#1: Physical stores must digitize.

Even though retailers are moving online, Chris explains that customers still want to be offered in-store experiences. To meet today's customer demands, retailers must transform their physical stores into true digital assets. Digitization provides multiple benefits to both customers and retailers, including the following:

• Improved visibility around stock inventory
• Asset tracking and location services
• Faster checkout times
• Online ordering combined with curbside or same-day delivery options

Additionally, digitization brings all the advantages of e-commerce to the in-store experience, such as access to customer product ratings and reviews and accurate pricing and specification information. None of these options are available with paper label systems. By re-imagining the physical store as a blended solution of online and in-store services, retailers can provide customers with faster, safer and more convenient shopping experiences.

#2: Wireless IoT systems must be multi-value.

When deploying wireless IoT systems in retail, multi-value propositions are crucial. The cost of installing and maintaining a wireless infrastructure can be significant, so the infrastructure must be flexible and able to deploy multiple devices from one platform. Additionally, wireless systems should have more than one use case, benefitting the consumers coming into the store and enabling retail operators to be more efficient.

Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) are an example of a multi-value, multi-use wireless IoT system. ESLs offer all-around-the-store efficiency by providing customers with accurate pricing information and retailers with data capturing and asset tracking services. One of the greatest benefits of an ESL software system is its scalability. All the features of an ESL software system's services, beyond simple price display, can be enabled at a future time without adding infrastructure costs. Retailers should consider what type of capabilities they might want to unlock from a wireless system in the future and whether these features can be deployed from the same platform.

#3: A great customer experience is the omnichannel strategy bottom line.

"Omnichannel" is no longer just a technical term -- it's about customer service. The purpose of an omnichannel strategy is to make the shopping experience safer, more efficient and convenient for the customer, and smart technology makes all of this possible. With interconnected, smart retail systems in place, customers can choose how they want to interact with retailers, whenever and wherever they want.

Cloud commerce, data capture, and location analytics are the foundational components of an effective omnichannel strategy. By seamlessly combining these smart retail systems in holistic ways, retailers can deploy blended solutions that capture and analyze relevant data to anticipate customer needs and meet those demands.

We're Here to Help

As a leading provider of IoT technology, we are uniquely qualified to offer smart retail solutions. Watch the on-demand webinar here and learn more about our smart retail offerings by visiting our website.

Silicon Labs' groundbreaking Works With event, held virtually September 9 -10, 2020, included more than 6,000 registrants and featured presentations, live demos, and technical tracks from leaders in the smart home industry.

In the Amazon Technical Track: Introduction and Certification session, lead engineers from Amazon's smart home team, Chris DeCenzo, Erwan Le Roy, and Ramez Abulazm, described five of the most common smart home challenges faced by consumers and developers. In creating innovative solutions to these challenges, Amazon's Works With Alexa (WWA) program discovered the following best practices for developing smart home devices.

1. Establish customer trust: Customers want their devices to work reliably and securely. To address these concerns, Amazon's Alexa program became an early adopter of the Zigbee Alliance All Hubs Initiative requirements. The All Hubs Initiative, a group within the Zigbee Alliance and comprised of leading IoT companies, sought to consolidate requirements among the different smart home system companies with the goal of reducing the number of certification programs and firmware images for device makers. The group performed a thorough survey of gaps across security, reliability, and resiliency, and came up with a set of over 150 requirements or features that are now standardized. The results of these standardizations are better security, reliability, and interoperability, providing customers with peace of mind for their most significant concerns.
2. Create "Frustration-Free Setup" experiences: Traditionally, the smart home setup has been confusing and frustrating, with multiple connection attempts and high failure rates. To alleviate these challenges, Amazon developed the "Frustration-Free Setup" (FFS) program, making setup easy and automatic. By leveraging Amazon's FFS technology, smart device manufacturers can create products that connect automatically at the first plugin, resulting in a setup process that just works.
3. Reduce development cost: Today's smart home devices contain numerous standard features such as logs, metrics, over-the-air updates, remote control from the cloud, and integration with systems like Alexa. Typically, developers have to integrate multiple Software Development Kits (SDKs) to implement these features, which involves many engineering resources and adds time to market. To simplify adding the Amazon SDK to smart home devices, Amazon has packaged the software built for Alexa products and made it available to device makers. This software, called "Amazon Common Software (ACS)", is a pre-validated, pre-certified component that makes it easier for developers to integrate SDK building blocks. ACS allows engineers to focus on innovation, rather than integration and debugging, thus reducing development costs and speeding time to market.
4. Expand interaction models: Smart home device makers today have the ability to make products that are more immersive and interactive than ever before. With Alexa Gadgets, smart home manufacturers can create new kinds of smart home devices and unique creative experiences for customers. Alexa Gadgets are interactive, Bluetooth-connected companion devices that work with Echo devices. Amazon's WWA program offers a range of tools and resources to make it easy to get started with Alexa Gadgets, including technical documentation and sample code.
5. Increase compatibility among smart home connected devices: Compatibility with existing devices and ecosystems is one of the most significant contributors to point-of-sale confusion for customers. With Amazon's Works With Alexa program, smart home device makers can use standard interfaces for everyday devices such as lightbulbs and door locks, or custom interfaces for less common devices such as coffee machines. Additionally, Amazon's certification programs, Alexa Built-in Badge, Works With Alexa Badge, and Certified for Humans designation, ensure customers that new devices will have better responsiveness, reliability, and functionality with their existing Alexa products.