Ember’s wireless mesh networking semiconductor system has passed qualification testing to become National Technical Systems’ (NTS) standard for evaluating IEEE 802.15.4 “ZigBeeTM” ready products, Ember announced today. The NTS designation identifies Ember as an essential ingredient for developing applications that conform to 802.15.4/ZigBee MAC and PHY, the IEEE’s (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) new standards for high reliability, low power and cost wireless networking.
In addition to naming Ember a mature platform for IEEE 802.15.4/ZigBee application development, NTS will use the Ember as part of its overall test bed and testing strategy to evaluate products for performance, interoperability and compliance. NTS is one of the world’s largest testing and quality assurance laboratories, counting companies such as Raytheon, Hughes, Boeing, General Motors, Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy among its customers. Companies hire NTS to provide objective third-party certification that their products conform to standards and meet performance requirements.
NTS chose Ember because it met or exceeded all of IEEE 802.15.4’s requirements. The Ember platform also includes features such as accelerated addressing that saves programming time.
“Ember’s wireless mesh networking platform is an excellent foundation for IEEE 802.15.4 applications,” said Osman Sakr, NTS’ division president, computer products testing labs. “Our testing confirms that we can offer our clients reasoned assurances that the Ember platform is a stable, reliable physical layer for them to build applications on when the 802.15.4/ZigBee specs crystallize.”
Ember-enabled wireless mesh networks manage lighting, temperature and security in business and industrial facilities; monitor and operate industrial devices; detect wear and tear on physical infrastructure such as roads and bridges; and support mobile applications such as temperature and humidity monitoring for preventing fresh food spoilage. They replace expensive, inflexible wired networks with self-healing and configuring wireless networks based on low-cost sensor modules.
“NTS’ decision to use the Ember platform as its 802.15.4 /ZigBee compliance standard affirms our position as the leading wireless semiconductor company with real mesh networking solutions solving real problems right now,” said Ember CEO Jeff Grammer. “Our 802.15.4/ZigBee ready platform is here today with customers already building products on them.”
About National Technical Systems, Inc.
National Technical Systems, Inc. is a business-to-business services company providing organizations in the aerospace, defense, information technology (IT) and high technology markets integrated testing, certification, quality registration, systems evaluation and IT staffing services. For additional information about National Technical Systems, visit its Web site at www.ntscorp.com.
About Ember Corporation
Ember removes the barriers to embedded networking. Ember’s self-organizing, self-healing, wireless mesh technology is uncompromisingly robust, easy to use, and flexible. The EmberNet networking platform gives forward-thinking companies the means to create products that do more by communicating better. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Boston, Ember Corporation is a privately held company with investments from Polaris Venture Partners, GrandBanks Capital, Dr. Robert Metcalfe, DFJ New England, Stata Venture Partners, RRE Ventures and DFJ ePlanet and is focused on enhancing sensing and control products through wireless connectivity. More information is available at www.ember.com.
