Tech giants ABB and Cisco are teaming with Bosch to form a joint venture that will develop a software platform through which consumers can control the “Internet of Things” that’s coming to home appliances and more.

The “smart home” market is already exploding.

Juniper Research recently forecast that the smart home market will reach $71 billion by 2018,  more than double the size of 2013 and nearly triple the market in 2012.

In fact, research firm Parks Associates found recently that 13 percent of U.S. broadband household owners have “at least one smart home device, and 60% of those who have purchased three devices feel it is very important for the devices to work together as part of a system.”

The formal launch of the new ABB-Cisco-Bosch platform, called Mozaiq, was made early Monday. The companies had announced their intentions to form the joint venture last November.

The companies say the platform will be based on open source in an attempt to “unify smart home technology.”

Dirk Schlesinger of Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group will lead the joint venture until a permanent head is hired. He will be based in Germany.

ABB, which has a major presence on NC State’s Centennial Campus and a regional headquarters operation in Cary, focuses on a wide variety of power technology and solutions.

Cisco, which has a large campus in Research Triangle Park, is a leading advocate of “IoT” technology, forceasting the linking of multiple devices as a multi-trillion-dollar market opportunity.

ABB, Bosch and Cisco establish open-software venture to unify smart home technology

“This joint effort to develop an open-software platform for smart homes fits perfectly with ABB’s strategy to leverage the expanding opportunities of the Internet of Things, Services and People for consumers and companies alike,” said Tarak Mehta, head of ABB’s Low Voltage Products Division.

“ABB has a comprehensive range of solutions for residential and commercial buildings and is committed to driving innovation in this exciting space. Collaborations such as mozaiq will ensure that consumers have faster access to the best-possible technology.”

The joint venture also launched a website to explain the new platform and development opportunities at: http://mozaiq-operations.com

“Our vision”

“One platform connecting all opportunities,” the JV says at its website.

“A fully connected smart home requires a viable open platform. mozaiq makes this vision a reality – by working together with our B2B partners to lay the groundwork for a more innovative future and to gain new customers.”

“Our goal”

“An open ecosystem in the smart home market,” Mozaiq says.

“In a connected smart home many household devices and home appliances share information simply and securely with one another – and with smartphones, tablets, and the Internet in general. This has not worked in the past, mostly because of a highly fragmented market with a wide variety of communication standards and interfaces.

“Our goal is to promote and enable interoperability between all providers in this market.”