Connectivity Standards Alliance Announces Mobile Device and Wearables Effort
Aliro is a common credential and protocol that enhances interoperability between mobile devices and readers and unlocks greater adoption.
The Connectivity Standards Alliance, an international community of more than 675 technology companies committed to open standards for the Internet of Things, is proud to unveil Aliro, a new effort aimed at transforming how users unlock doors or other entry points using their mobile device or wearable. (Image courtesy of Connectivity Standards Alliance)
DAVIS, Calif. — The Connectivity Standards Alliance, an international community of more than 675 technology companies committed to open standards for the Internet of Things, has unveiled Aliro, an effort “aimed at transforming how users unlock doors or other entry points using their mobile device or wearable,” according to the alliance announcement.
The Alliance and its members, in pursuit of their mission to promote universal open standards, are creating a new communication protocol with a common credential “that champions interoperability between mobile devices, wearables, and access control readers,” the announcement says.
The goal is “to foster widespread adoption of consumer electronic devices to unlock doors and openings, by enabling a consistent experience across certified hardware,” according to the announcement.
“As we’ve seen with the introduction of Matter, it’s been proven that global collaboration around a shared mission along open standards is the best way to achieve broader adoption of new technology,” says Connectivity Standards Alliance president and CEO Tobin Richardson in the announcement.
“The Alliance and its members are now using that same model to unlock the potential of digital access experience, with the creation of a new standard and credential that makes adoption easier for mobile device and access control reader companies,” he says
With the support of companies including Allegion, Apple, ASSA ABLOY, Google, Infineon, Kastle Systems, Last Lock, NXP Semiconductors, Qualcomm, Samsung, and STMicroelectronics, Aliro was formed as a new effort within the Alliance to solve this unique challenge.
The aim is “to create a path forward where the use of standardized technology – in this case, a common communication protocol and credential – can power a future where mobile devices and wearables are central to the digital access experience,” the alliance announcement says.
Since the Aliro effort kicked off in 2022, nearly 200 Alliance member companies have signed on, donating dedicated time and resources to help pave the way for a better, interoperable, and more secure digital access experience.
“This collaboration aims to raise the bar for an interoperable, consistent, secured, and streamlined mobile access experience at the door or place of entry,” says Lisa Corte, Aliro working group marketing chairwoman and vice president of strategic alliances at ASSA ABLOY Group, in the announcement.
“With a team of industry leaders, thousands of engineering hours, and broad support from diverse member companies, our goal is to make a big impact when it comes to transforming the way people unlock openings using their smartphones and wearables,” she says. “I applaud this group for the ongoing effort and collaboration as we develop the Aliro specification.”
Inside Aliro’s Four Key Principles
Aliro represents four key principles for mobile device and access reader manufacturers, and with benefits that extend to a wide range of stakeholders, from system owners and installers to property owners and managers, homeowners, and renters, and more. These include:
- Simplicity – Lower barrier to implementation by reducing complexity for integration and streamlining troubleshooting.
- Flexibility – Supports different types of installations or architectures, offering convenient access to both common and individual entry points.
- Security – Foundation to implement state-of-the-art secured and trusted mobile access solutions.
- Interoperability – Standardized communication protocol enables manufacturer-independent devices and readers to work together at the door.
Aliro “aims to reduce the complexity of partner integrations and acts as an arbiter for certification of interoperability for mobile devices and access card readers,” according to the company announcement. It is “designed to reduce the high cost of R&D and simplify the integration process,” the announcement says.
The certified hardware “makes it easier for system owners and installers to select the best hardware and software for their needs, streamline installation, and support a wide variety of consumer smartphones and wearables,” according to the alliance. Aliro will also “make management and maintenance of access control systems easier, eliminating the need to troubleshoot across multiple providers of hardware.”
The Aliro communication protocol “will act as the heart of the standard, supporting a wide range of transmission technologies, and facilitating adoption by user devices and access readers, across varied access control use cases,” the announcement says. It promises to deliver a comprehensive point-to-point application layer.
The standard will include definitions for Near Field Communication (NFC), Bluetooth Low-Energy (LE), and Ultra-Wideband (UWB) experiences, as well as asymmetric cryptography and credential data.
Aliro “looks to create an environment where access control and mobile device manufacturers work together, eliminating barriers to innovation and adoption,” according to the alliance announcement.
“By establishing interoperable, simple, and secured solutions that can be adopted by mobile device and access control hardware makers, Aliro will speed adoption of the use of a mobile device as a key, and the installation, operation, and use of supported digital access card readers,” the announcement says.
“It will have a lasting impact on the way people access their homes, corporate offices and facilities, warehouses, hotel rooms, healthcare and university facilities and more,” according to the announcement.
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