CES 2024 just concluded last week, and the widely discussed Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Matter IoT protocol can be considered the two major highlights of this year’s exhibition. In response to the development trend of Matter, Silicon Labs (also known as “Silicon Labs”) and the open-source platform Arduino jointly announced their collaboration to promote the Matter protocol integration plan (Matter protocol integration). By combining both parties’ software and hardware technology resources and support capabilities, they aim to comprehensively advance the application and development of Matter, making the IoT world more exciting. Click the Read Original button at the end of the article or visit the link below for more information: https://blog.arduino.cc/2024/01/09/arduino-and-silicon-labs-team-up-to-make-the-matter-protocol-accessible-to-all/

The collaboration between Silicon Labs and Arduino is expected to fundamentally change the way the Matter protocol is accessed. The plan will unfold in two phases, helping to usher in a new era of connectivity and innovation.

Phase One: Initiating a New Era of IoT Development

At CES 2024, Silicon Labs and Arduino unveiled the first phase of their new collaboration project, marking the official release of a user-friendly Arduino library (Arduino library) tailored for the Matter protocol, as well as the Arduino core for Silicon Labs microcontrollers. Integrating these solutions into the Arduino IDE is a significant leap, making it easier for developers to access advanced IoT development resources.

Rob Shane, Vice President of Global Mass Market at Silicon Labs, stated: “Our collaboration with Arduino will bring simplicity and ease of use in wireless development for all developers adopting Silicon Labs products, as well as Arduino‘s 40 million users, allowing their projects to smoothly transition from concept to production. By integrating Matter with the Arduino ecosystem, we are opening up a universe of possibilities for developers.”

This announcement is not just about new tools; it is a declaration of intent aimed at making IoT technology more accessible to a broader audience, from hobbyists to professionals.

Start Designing Now: Use Existing Matter Development Boards

In the anticipated second phase, the Arduino community can start experimenting with the Matter protocol using existing development boards. Our partner SparkFun has provided an excellent platform for this purpose, allowing users to explore the potential of Matter with Arduino.

You can now download the new core technical documentation and start experimenting with the Silicon Labs xG24 Explorer Kit and SparkFun Thing Plus Matter development boards: https://github.com/SiliconLabs/arduino

SparkFun CEO Glenn Samala stated: “We are excited to continue adopting Matter to support IoT applications. Implementing Matter in Arduino is a challenging task that will make it easier for engineers, creators, and innovators worldwide to use Matter. This is an important step forward in interoperability and improving our daily interactions with devices.

Phase Two: Launching Revolutionary Development Boards

The second phase is expected to kick off on March 2024 during Arduino Day, when the company will release an innovative Nano series product based on the Silicon Labs MGM240SD22VNA module. The new development board is expected to be a game-changer in the IoT field, offering unparalleled ease of use and functionality. Explore related products: https://www.silabs.com/wireless/zigbee/efr32mg24-series-2-modules/device.mgm240sd22vna?tab=specs

What This Means for the Arduino Community

The collaboration between Silicon Labs and Arduino signifies that advanced IoT technology will be more accessible for significant advancements. The user-friendly interface of Arduino combined with the powerful capabilities of Silicon Labs technology and the universality of the Matter protocol is the secret to innovation.

For educators, students, hobbyists, and professionals, this means an unprecedented opportunity to delve deeper into IoT projects with a more straightforward process and more robust tools. The impact on smart home applications, Industrial IoT (IIoT), and educational projects is enormous.

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