FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp isn't likely to easily put to bed concerns the FCC plans to clamp down on third-party firmware installation on devices, including Wi-Fi routers, said Richard Bennett, network architect, in a High Tech Forum blog post Friday. Knapp put out a blog post of his own Thursday saying the FCC is still only asking questions (see 1511120056). Knapp’s latest comment, “while reasonable on its face, isn’t going to satisfy the complainers, who insist that no part of the router code, not even the part that relates to regulatory compliance, should be locked down,” Bennett wrote. “The issue that most people don’t appreciate here is that Wi-Fi chips don’t have any features built-in … to ensure compliance, so compliance is effectively an honor system,” he wrote. “The other issue that isn’t widely appreciated is that there’s no money in developing home router code at this point, so the only way to make home routers better is through open source projects sponsored by the firms with a legitimate interest in good home routers, which would be major ISPs and network equipment vendors.” The only protections in Wi-Fi chips are designed to sense military radars and avoid them as much as possible, Bennett said.

Pump Alarm, a sump pump monitoring device that works on the Verizon Wireless network, is available in 96 Home Depot stores in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio, the companies said Monday. The device is targeted to the 43 percent of U.S. homes with basements that have sump pumps installed, allowing property owners to remotely monitor pumps, dropping temperatures and power outages, said the companies. The product's built-in wireless capability bypasses power outages giving homeowners an immediate notification when the power goes out and when it returns, the companies said. Pumpalarm.com is a partner in Verizon’s Innovation Program that is designed to help innovators bring machine-to-machine and wireless technology innovations to market, they said.

Nortek announced a health solution to connect seniors with their loved ones through real-time monitoring and notifications. The EverThere solution, which works with a 3G Numera Libris device, is designed to give caretakers visibility into an individual’s daily activities, movements and location via a cloud connection, Nortek said Tuesday. The solution integrates personal safety and emergency response with a monitoring service that is said to allow for proactive engagement and intervention. The Numera Libris GPS-enabled two-way communicator can issue instant, customized notifications to a programmed contact list. Members of a person’s care team can be notified by text or email if a fall occurs, no motion has been detected for a predetermined amount of time or an emergency is reported, Nortek said. EverThere links personal security with Nortek’s home security and control systems using active and passive monitoring, the company said.

Tyco is working with Nest Labs to develop “useful integrations” between Nest products and Tyco’s “expanding smart home product portfolio,” it said Thursday. Tyco has “multiple projects” under development and Nest’s Weave communication protocol will connect “disparate devices in the home,” said Tyco. Tyco’s participation in the Works with Nest program reflects the company’s commitment to the home automation market, it said. Tyco provides security products and interactive services in more than 5 million homes worldwide, it said.

Insteon announced an exclusive distribution agreement with Smartnex for Brazil. Connected home products have been too costly for the Brazil market, but Insteon opens home automation to the mass market, said Cesar Franceschi, Smartnex president. The partnership is part of Insteon’s planned expansion into international territories, said Joe Dada, Insteon CEO.

Canadian control company Wing Energy will launch at CEDIA Expo next week a home energy management system based on a connected circuit breaker panel. The Wing Smart Panel provides details of energy usage at the device or circuit level via a mobile app, said the company. Users can read real-time data usage or historical information organized by hour, day, week or other time periods they define, said Wing. The system can analyze information and compare it with other Wing smart panel owners’ usage, historical information, standards established for certain devices or homes and to the readings on their energy bill, it said. The system can be programmed to alert users if they are going to exceed established budgets or, in tiered billing areas, provide suggestions on time of use of appliances or other devices, it said.

Access Networks and SurgeX aligned to provide a network installation program for integrators, the companies said Monday. Under the program, SurgeX Axess Elite products are available through Access Networks as a recommended add-on to Access Networks’ custom systems, the companies said. SurgeX has been a longtime affiliate of Access Networks, but now it's officially incorporated into the Access Networks product line, said the companies. SurgeX Axess Elite IP-enabled power protection products are preconfigured into Access Networks’ systems before shipping so integrators get the benefits of a connected power management system without having to configure on-site, they said. The partnership allows Access Networks to reduce power interruptions and extend the lives of networks in the field, said Access Networks CEO Hagai Feiner. It also “reduces setup and commissioning time” of a system, he said.

One-fifth of broadband households in Canada own a functioning home security system, Parks Associates said Friday, and 34 percent of Canadian households with security can monitor and control the system through a mobile device. But the Canadian market faces the same challenges as its neighbor to the south with "low awareness, the lack of a concise value proposition, and privacy and security concerns” all “barriers to smart home adoption," Jason Paris, director-business development, said. Paris is presenting at the Connections+ conference Monday in Toronto.

Lowe’s, developer of the Iris smart home system, joined the ZigBee Alliance as a participant member. It's also a member of the Z-Wave Alliance.

JSW launched a Kickstarter campaign for S+, described as a Roomba-like cleaning robot that adds a Wi-Fi camera for security. Features include a motion-detecting sensor, alert system, control app and cloud data storage with “enterprise-level” security, the company said. The robot has self-wake up and charging, JSW said. Applications include home security, elderly/child monitoring and cleaning, it said. Suggested retail price is $399 and the company is targeting a November shipping date.