CalAmp Embeds Ember ZigBee Technology in WiMetry(TM) Wireless Meter Reading and Smart Grid Communication Platform
29 October 2008 - 12:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
BOSTON, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Ember Corporation, a leader in
ZigBee(R) technology, announced today that it has teamed with
CalAmp Corp. (NASDAQ: CAMP), a leading provider of wireless
products, services and solutions, to enable ZigBee and IP-based
wireless networks to work together for automated meter reading,
peak energy demand response and other Smart Grid applications.
CalAmp has integrated Ember's EM250 ZigBee System-on-Chip (Soc) and
EmberZNet PRO ZigBee networking software into its new WiMetry(TM)
IP-based wireless communications platform. WiMetry enables Smart
Grid functions such as Demand Response, Peak Demand Reduction and
other Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) applications. CalAmp's
Ember-enabled WiMetry communication devices provide a two-way
communication pathway to ZigBee enabled smart meters or In Home
Devices (IHD) for energy load control, demand response, energy
consumption or tariff display. CalAmp's WiMetry enables utilities
to send and receive digital information concerning electricity use,
costs, prices, time of use, nature of use or other information
relevant to device, grid or utility operations and helps provide
homeowners with the means to make more informed decisions about
their energy usage, promoting energy conservation and allowing
electric utilities to reduce peak load demand. Studies suggest that
demand response programs may help reduce peak electricity demand by
five percent, resulting in savings of more than $3 billion in
annual cost for energy generation, transportation and distribution.
Also, legislative efforts now promote investments in Smart Grid
infrastructure with government grants, matching funds and tax
incentives. "Our goal was to provide real-time, two-way wireless
communications to manage the sensing, collecting and monitoring of
data from all portions of a utility's electric distribution grid,"
said Mark Christensen, Vice President and General Manager of
CalAmp's Industrial Monitoring and Controls unit. "ZigBee wireless
connectivity to both electric meters and ZigBee enabled IHDs is a
critical element for Smart Grid applications and part of our
WiMetry platform. We teamed with Ember because their ZigBee
platform is reliable, highly integrated, easy to work with and is
already used inside many of those devices that our WiMetry
interfaces with, highlighting interoperability." Ember's EM250, the
industry's first ZigBee SoC integrates an IEEE 802.15.4 radio, a
16-bit microprocessor, flash, RAM and peripherals delivering
excellent performance. The EM250 SoC along with the EmberZNet PRO
networking stack is a ZigBee "Golden Unit" platform and is the
industry's only true SoC platform supporting the ZigBee PRO Feature
Set. It also supports the new "ZigBee Smart Energy" profile which
is targeted specifically at the smart energy market. "The need for
smart energy solutions is becoming more and more urgent," said Bob
Gohn, Ember's vice president of marketing. "CalAmp's WiMetry
platform allows utility customers to implement efficient Smart Grid
applications quickly, helping them respond to changes in their
industry and our economy." About Ember Corporation Ember
Corporation develops ZigBee wireless networking technology that
enables companies involved in energy technologies - enertech - to
help make buildings and homes smarter, consume less energy, operate
more efficiently, and keep people comfortable and safe. Ember's
low-power wireless technology can be embedded into a wide variety
of devices to be part of a self-organizing mesh network. Ember is
headquartered in Boston and has its radio development center in
Cambridge, England, and distributors worldwide. The company is a
promoter and Board member of the ZigBee Alliance and its platform
is the "Golden Suite" for 802.15.4/ZigBee interoperability testing.
For more information, please visit http://www.ember.com/. About
CalAmp Corp. CalAmp provides wireless communications solutions that
enable anytime/anywhere access to critical data and content. The
Company serves customers in the public safety, industrial
monitoring and controls, mobile resource management, public
utilities and direct broadcast satellite markets. The Company's
products are marketed under the CalAmp, Dataradio, SmartLink,
Aercept, LandCell and Omega trade names. For additional
information, please visit http://www.calamp.com/. About the ZigBee
Alliance: ZigBee is the global wireless language connecting
dramatically different devices to work together and enhance
everyday life. The ZigBee Alliance is a non-profit association of
more than 280 member companies driving development of ZigBee
wireless technology. The Alliance promotes world-wide adoption of
ZigBee as the leading wirelessly networked, sensing and control
standard for use in energy, home, commercial and industrial areas.
For more information, visit: http://www.zigbee.org/ Forward-Looking
Statements Statements in this press release that are not historical
in nature are forward-looking statements that involve known and
unknown risks and uncertainties. Words such as "may", "will",
"expect", "intend", "plan", "believe", "seek", "could", "estimate",
"judgment", "targeting", "should", "anticipate", "goal" and
variations of these words and similar expressions, are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ
materially from those implied by such forward-looking statements.
Although Ember and CalAmp believe the expectations reflected in
such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable
assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be
attained. Ember and CalAmp undertake no obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise. DATASOURCE: Ember
Corporation CONTACT: Ravi Sharma of Ember Corporation,
+1-617-951-1236, , or Carole Hutchinson of Beaupre & Co. Public
Relations, +1-603-559-5837, , both for Ember Corporation; Garo
Sarkissian, Vice President, Corporate Development of CalAmp,
+1-805-987-9000; Lasse Glassen of Financial Relations Board,
+1-213-486-6546, Web Site: http://www.calamp.com/
http://www.ember.com/
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