DeNova Detect natural gas alarm works with Amazon Sidewalk network

New Cosmos’ DeNova Detect is a wireless natural gas alarm that works with the Amazon Sidewalk network designed for low-power, low-bandwidth IoT devices in and around the house, benefiting from free connectivity thanks to the installation base of Amazon devices such as the Echo Show acting as gateways.

DeNova Detect does not require wiring to mains, and the device is expected to achieve an extended battery life of seven years, so customers can choose the optimal location for a gas alarm in their homes without needing to be close to an electrical outlet. There’s no need to have an additional gateway such as with LoRaWAN solutions as well as the customer owns one or more Sidewalk-compatible device.

Note that Amazon Sidewalk is currently deployed in the US only with global expansion planned for later. Amazon Sidewalk relies on Bluetooth LE inside the home, Sub-GHz GFSK on the sidewalk/around the house, and Sub-GHz CSS (Chirp Spread Spectrum) for a longer range beyond the fence of a typical house.

DeNova Detect (807NAS) natural gas alarm specifications:

Wireless chip
- Silicon Labs wireless BLE microcontroller (it should be EFR32BG21B or EFR32BG24B)
- Semtech SX126x for FSK/CSS
Detection principle – MEMS hot wire semiconductor sensor
Target gas – Methane (Natural Gas)
Alarm level – 10% LEL (“Lower Explosive Limit” defined as the lowest concentration (by percentage) of a gas or vapor in the air that is capable of producing a flash of fire in the presence of an ignition source (arc, flame, heat))
Speaker output – 85 dB @ 10 feet (3 meters)
Power supply – 3V Lithium battery good for about 7 years
Dimensions – 115 x 85 x 28mm
Conforming standards – UL standard (UL1484)
Temperature range – 0ºC to 50ºC
Humidity range – 5% to 95%, no condensation

The alarm can be installed to a pipe using a cable tie or to the wall mount with hardware and must be close to the ceiling and at least 1.5 meters away from cooking appliances or cooktop hoods, at least 3 meters away from other gas appliances. You’ll also need a Sidewalk hub that can be the Echo Show/Echo 2020, Ring Smart Light bridge, Ring Alarm base station, Ring cameras, or an Amazon Sidewalk Bridge Pro gateway.

DeNova Detect natural gas alarm should be the first device built using the Silicon Labs Gecko SDK with support for Sidewalk, but more are coming with the Silicon Labs Pro Kit for Amazon Sidewalk announcement. The kit is comprised of low-power, high-performance wireless hardware for all Amazon Sidewalk protocols (Bluetooth Low Energy, sub-GHz FSK and CSS), various software SDKs, AWS pre-registration, and Secure Vault security to meet the “Arm PSA Certified Level 3” requirements for Sidewalk.

The Silicon Labs Pro Kit for Amazon Sidewalk is sampling now, but general availability is only planned for the second half of 2023. As noted earlier, while any company can develop an Amazon Sidewalk device, Amazon Sidewalk connectivity is currently only available to end consumers and endpoint devices in the US. More details about the devkit, Amazon/Silicon Labs partnership, and how to get started can be found in a blog post on Silicon Labs website, while additional information about the upcoming DeNova Detect natural gas alarm is available on the product page.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.