Internet of Things (IoT) Testing Services

Overview of interoperability for IoT

As systems and devices become more complex in the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid product connectivity problems post-launch. Due to budget and manpower constraints, it’s unrealistic for you to identify every potential issue in house – the number of possible connections and applications between devices is simply too vast. UL Solutions can serve as your expert testing laboratory, freeing you up to focus on product design and sales. UL Solutions testing helps validate that your product not only works as expected with all other relevant devices but also conforms to all appropriate standards and smart home and technology platforms.

We are an approved testing laboratory for many IoT, wireless and wired connectivity standards bodies, such as Bluetooth SIG, Thread Group, Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA), Zigbee Alliance, USB-IF, VESA, HDMI Forum, Intel, HDBaseT Alliance and Ethernet Alliance, and are actively engaged with key players in 5G. For these standard protocols, UL Solutions can test the control systems as well as the connected devices and their accessories. We adapt our testing services to encompass the range of ever-changing wireless and wired devices and accessories including speakers, voice assistants, chargers, picture frames, headsets, memory cards, carrying cases, wireless access points, switches, repeaters and interconnecting cable assemblies. We test interoperability in a suite of industries including:

• Consumer electronics
• Appliances
• Vehicles
• Building systems

UL Solutions is a key partner for the major technology companies providing voice assistant/recognition testing to verify those auxiliary devices connected to the voice assistant/recognition hub perform to specifications. UL Solutions also actively works with companies to develop new and innovative technologies with optimal interoperability.

MFi certification services

Available testing services for certification and pre-certification to Apple’s MFi Program include:

• CarPlay over wired, wireless, in-app purchases (IAP) and USB
• AirPlay
• HomeKit
• Over-the-Air (OTA), power/sync
• Headset remote and microphone testing
• Test services support IP- and BLE-based accessories

Products that can be tested for connectivity with HomeKit are air conditioners, bridges, doors, faucets, heaters, IP cameras, locks, programmable switches, security systems, shower systems, switches, video doorbells, window coverings, air purifiers, dehumidifiers, fans, garage door openers, humidifiers, lighting, outlets, sensors, sprinklers, thermostats and windows.

Benefits of interoperability testing for IoT

Our interoperability testing services are designed to save you time and money. We test for interoperability and to see that the customer use experience is good at the same time as we test for compliance, making the entire process as efficient as possible. More importantly, we’ll help protect your brand’s reputation by offering you testing services that confirm your products perform in accordance with your claims, a critical component in driving consumer trust and confidence in your brand. We reduce your market launch risks by prelaunch testing that products perform as expected, eliminating costly returns and recalls. This leaves you more time and money to focus on staying ahead of the competition with the next innovation instead of wasting time fixing product bugs.

We have years of experience in creating customized test plans to provide you with the peace of mind to know that your product stands the highest chance of working with the widest range of devices. We do this by testing products to real-world scenarios rather than restricting the process to a limited number of test specifications in a laboratory. This enables us to provide a better, more well-rounded assessment of your products.

We will work side by side with your engineering team to develop custom test plans that meet your specific needs. We have been testing the connectivity of mobile phones and auxiliary products since 1988. We leverage that experience to create a comprehensive test plan specific to your product with the goal of identifying problems before product launch.

• Experienced staff applies lessons learned to improve your product.
• Our powerful analysis management system (AMS) gives us the flexibility to create and adjust test plans according to your changing business needs.
• We can quickly and easily configure testing services to accommodate new devices or accessories while they are still in the development stage.
• Custom test plans are designed to find customer-affecting issues with real-world test scenarios.
• We can update you on testing results as we move through the process and can provide draft test reports for critical client meetings.

We provide top-line security measures to protect your intellectual property and product prototypes.

IoT smart home testing, safety and security services 

We strive to help provide trust in the technologies of our connected lives and contribute to the safety of the future. The complexity of the IoT market challenges us to break new ground in security solutions, testing environments, standards development and compliance strategies.  

To address tomorrow’s way of life, we built the UL Solutions Living Lab. This is a two-story, fully furnished home where we test smart products under the pressure of real-world scenarios. We want to help confirm that your devices function properly when using state-of-the-art tech to wash clothes, control the temperature of your environment or program your home security. 

At UL Solutions, we stay one step ahead of emerging IoT requirements. To give you a sense of our dedication to the quality of both your home and workplace lives, here is a quick overview of some of the standards and industries we’re continuously interested in helping implement: 

• New cyber security standards for emergency systems such as fire alarms, intrusion systems and cameras.  
• Expanding regulatory performance offerings to meet increasing demand in automotive, audio and smart home industries.  

Why UL Solutions for interoperability

We’ll guide you through every step of the conformance and certification process.

UL Solutions’ history and reputation as a safety science leader means that you get access to UL Solutions reports and certifications that are accepted worldwide and a reputation trusted by your customers. UL Solutions has issued more CB test certificates than any other body, and UL Marks appear on more than 22 billion products globally.

Our full-service laboratories are accredited by numerous regulatory agencies, governments and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)-recognized accreditation bodies in all major markets including North and South America, Europe and Asia. UL Solutions’ laboratories around the world are recognized by the regulatory agencies in the USA (FCC), Canada (ISED), Japan, Singapore, Korea and many others.

We offer unique real-world testing of products, including driving tests for vehicle accessory performance and a test home to monitor signal performance through various building materials, room configurations and customer use scenarios.

UL Solutions can simplify your testing needs by offering comprehensive service to meet all your testing, certification and validation needs beyond interoperability including:

• Safety and performance testing for electrical, mechanical, material, battery and audio systems
• Wireless protocol requirements including electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), radio and wireless frequency testing
• Over-the-air (OTA)
• Cellular module integration
• Radio frequency (RF) human exposure and evaluation
• Wireless charging
• Blue light verification
• Display performance testing based on industry specifications, such as DisplayHDR, Adaptive Sync, 8K Association (8KA)
• Laser, LED and Lidar certification
• HD Audio Quality certification
• IEC 62368-1
• EN IEC 62680 series of standards for universal serial bus interfaces for data and power
• USB-IF certification testing
• VESA DisplayPort certification testing
• Intel Thunderbolt certification testing
• HDMI certification testing
• Ethernet Alliance Power over Ethernet (PoE) certification testing
• HDBaseT recommended cable and Power over HDBaseT (PoH) cable testing
• LAN cable performance verification
• Fiber optic component (FOC) performance verification
• Environmental sustainability verification
• Cybersecurity
• Energy efficiency testing and certification
• Functional safety
• Supply chain quality assurance testing
• UL Marketing Claim Verification
• Global Market Access assistance services to help ensure your product meets the changing testing and certification requirements for the countries where you want to sell your product