Apple HomeKit enabling for smart home accessories

Homekit is a framework from Apple that allows Smart Home Accessories to interact with Apple iOS based devices. This, along with the Apple Home app, enables users to monitor and control the home devices securely with Apple Authentication.

HomeKit was first announced as a framework for home automation at Apple Worldwide Developers’ Conference (WWDC) in 2014. The rationale was that all HomeKit devices work on the same set of rules, ensuring that they can all work together in a secure ecosystem.

This paper discusses, in detail,

• The process and implementation technique involved in the development of home accessories to work with Apple home app.
• Apple Home Accessory Protocol (HAP), which enables home accessories and other Apple products to communicate with each other, supports two transport mechanisms: Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and IP)
• Key aspects such as identifying wireless platform, authentication methodology, HAP SDK selection etc.
• Challenges one might need to address while developing a HomeKit enabled home accessory