LEDs Get Smart with the IoT

Connected lighting and the partnerships that will be required to make them more widespread are starting to gel, and big-name players are leading the way. One of the latest deals indicative of this cross-industry interest in bringing together the Internet of Things (IoT) and LED lighting come from Cisco Technology Inc. and Cree Inc. The companies are going to market with a product dubbed SmartCast Power over Ethernet (PoE). The scalable, open platform brings together Cree's smart lighting SmartCast technology and Cisco's ethernet technology, a combination that will enable IoT for buildings through better lighting, the companies announced.