HomeGrid Forum certifies first G.hn embedded module for industrial IoT

HomeGrid Forum has certified its first G.hn solution for industrial internet of things (IIoT) applications, as the globally recognised gigabit home networking technology standard continues to bridge the gap between telecom-optimised systems and the demand for fast connectivity in industrial settings.

HomeGrid Forum is an industry alliance that brings together technology developers, silicon suppliers, system manufacturers and service providers to promote G.hn, which its proponents claim as the most reliable and versatile wireless home network backbone currently available. Members promote the global adoption of G.hn – a single, unified, multi-sourced networking technology – over coax, copper pairs, powerline and plastic optical fibre, providing silicon and system certification through a compliance and interoperability testing programme.

G.hn works through existing wiring to provide low-latency connectivity that is suitable for handling two-way, high-bandwidth and real-time traffic, including environmental sensors and video surveillance. The certification of the GHN.SOM.PLC, with a small form factor and retrofit solution from member company Teleconnect, is designed to enable the high performance of IIoT and connected devices through MIMO-enabled powerline communications.

HomeGrid Forum sees the certification as an exciting new milestone for G.hn IIoT use cases, including autonomous mobile robots, smart sensors, augmented/virtual reality, smart lifting, smart parking systems control, smart buildings entry-door access control, safety control and factory automation. HomeGrid Forum G.hn testing is designed to ensure that commercially available products comply with ITU-T G.hn standards and the interoperability and performance requirements set out in the HomeGrid Forum certification test plans.

“Machine-to-machine communication and process automation require, more than ever, stable, robust and fast connectivity to operate and work efficiently, with no downtime,” said HomeGrid Forum president Livia Rosu. “The uptake in productivity, efficiency and safety need to strongly rely on agile control, self-healing capabilities and real-time synchronisation of industrial devices, placing G.hn as core to manufacturers’ digital transformation. G.hn technology modules are now embedded into smart manufacturing infrastructure networks to provide the resilience needed by highly performant industrial plants.”

HomeGrid Forum recently formed a new task force, co-chaired by Alexandre Schäfer, head of sales, and Philipp Rietzsch, head of R&D, at Teleconnect, to drive G.hn innovation and deployments for IIoT applications. Schäfer said: “G.hn has significantly boosted industrial networks with adaptive data rates of up to 1.8Gbps over different media, from powerline to telephone wiring and coax cables. It has also proven to be the most reliable backbone for visible light communications, such as LiFi.

“Now, the certification of GHN.SOM.PLC means that the industry can be confident in the module’s interoperability to other G.hn chipsets and devices.”

Rietzsch added: “The certification is a significant milestone as there is now a verified G.hn solution for industrial environments that offers best-in-class connectivity and robustness. With the newly formed Industrial IoT Task Force, this certification is just the start of new G.hn solutions portfolios that open exciting opportunities for industrial settings.

“Our mission is to help create a sustainable competitive advantage, with most machines connected to improve efficiency and reduce cost.”