Synaptics Inc. was named the winner of the most innovative product in the Connectivity category of the Best of Sensors Awards 2022 for its SYN4381 Triple Combo SoC (system-on-chip). Entries for the awards were judged based on value to the marketplace, the uniqueness of design, and the impact the design had on addressing issues in the sensor ecosystem.
The Triple Combo was launched earlier this year. It is the industry's first Matter-compliant SoC with integrated Wi-Fi 6/6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and 802.15.4/Thread for seamless IoT connectivity. Synaptics's new design simplifies product development, reduces time-to-market, and accelerates the transition to seamless, secure, and scalable connectivity across heterogeneous IoT networks, regardless of platform, OEM, or brand.
A standard smart home contains many devices from multiple vendors, each with different wireless interfaces and communication protocols. There are valid reasons for all these differences. Developers choose a communications protocol based on how suitable that protocol is for a specific application. High-speed video and data work well with Wi-Fi. 802.15.4 with Zigbee or Thread is a good choice for low-power sensors and control networks. For point-to-point communication, Bluetooth is often the best choice. The diversity in wireless interfaces means these devices can't inter-operate easily, which is a source of constant frustration for developers. It also means the goal of a seamlessly interactive smart home is hard to achieve.
The SYN4381 addresses the interoperability problem. This SoC doesn't force developers to choose between the various RF frequencies. Instead, it combines all three of the common interfaces and adds Matter support. Matter is a unified, standards-based protocol. Once you deploy Matter across devices, it enables secure interoperability no matter which network a device uses. For example, a user can control windows connected to a Zigbee network with commands spoken to a smart speaker that is connected to the Wi-Fi network.
The SYN4381 benefits both developers and end users. Developers can focus on building a device and its supporting software instead of dealing with the intricacies of communicating across platforms and end users get to set up a seamlessly interoperable smart home simply.
When asked how he felt about winning the award, Alex Chou, senior vice president and general manager of Synaptics’s Wireless Connectivity Division, said, "We are honored and excited to win a Best of Sensors Award and have the work and innovation that went into developing the Triple Combo recognized in such a meaningful way. By enabling the rapid development of scalable and interoperable wireless connectivity solutions for the IoT we are fulfilling our mission to make devices easier to design, connect, deploy, secure, and use—even as they proliferate across a diverse array of exciting applications with different connectivity requirements."
Based in San Jose, Calif., Synaptics Inc. is a developer of human interface (HMI) hardware and software. This includes touchpads for computer laptops; touch, display driver, and fingerprint biometrics technology for smartphones; and touch, video, and far-field voice technology for smart home and automotive devices. Synaptics Inc holds over 2,000 patents for human interface technologies.
For the complete list of finalists in the Best of Sensors 2021 Awards, check out this page.