Xicato announces it is now shipping XIM Gen4, its 4th generation intelligent module that integrates Bluetooth Low Energy wireless communication, beacon capability and fully featured light control with the industry's tightest specification light source.

Xicato's XIM Gen4 comes in 9mm and 19mm light emitting surfaces. (Xicato/LEDinside)

Xicato, an established manufacturer and thought leader in intelligent, connected light sources, announces it is now shipping XIM Gen4, its 4th generation intelligent module that integrates Bluetooth Low Energy (also known as BLE or Bluetooth Smart) wireless communication, beacon capability and fully featured light control with the industry's tightest specification light source. It is the first time in the lighting industry that this much technology has been integrated into such a small module, measuring only Ø 50mm x 20mm.

Xicato also announces the immediate availability of license-free Windows and iOS software for commissioning and control of the XIM lighting network. XIMtroller control software is now available free from the Apple iTunes App Store. The Windows Control Panel software is available for download by contacting Xicato.

"By removing the wires from lighting control, it is now feasible to design, install and commission a fully featured system at much lower initial cost,” says Menko de Roos, CEO at Xicato. "Places that previously could not consider upgrading to controlled lighting because of physical infrastructure limitations can now do so by simply replacing the light fixtures. The modules can operate without a centralized controller or dedicated hubs.”

Xicato has included Bluetooth beacon functionality in its light module. Apple iBeacon, Google Eddystone, and/or Alt beacons enable location-aware guest services like indoor navigation and rich content delivered directly to mobile smartphones and tablets. This was demonstrated at the E-Luminate festival in February 2016, where visitors were guided through Cambridge's historical downtown. iBeacon's in Xicato's modules delivered location information to the LightQuest app provided by Arup's Francesco Anselmo.

"The pioneering Bluetooth Smart features of the Xicato XIM LED modules are enabling new possibilities to interact with light. It has been fascinating and revealing to have an opportunity to test this at urban scale during the E-Luminate Cambridge festival,” according to Francesco.

Hundreds of XIM Gen4 modules are already successfully deployed in live beta installations in Europe, the US, and Australia, in museums, corporate offices and lobbies. Early testing has enabled Xicato to create deep, meaningful functionality while avoiding the complexity of traditional lighting control systems.

With a phone or Windows PC, it is possible to directly retrieve real-time and historical data such as operating hours and temperature from Xicato's intelligent modules. This enables Xicato’s true, verifiable 7-year, 50,000-hour warranty with no guessing at actual uptime.

Xicato envisions its modules to be a hub in smart and connected spaces. This is why it has designed its modules to be field upgradable to the emerging Bluetooth Mesh standard, which aims to achieve true interoperability between IoT nodes. Xicato encourages developers to build applications and has made its APIs available.