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SynapSense is backed by local venture capital investments and bases its approach on wireless sensor network research conducted at University of California Davis. The company was formed this spring and unveiled a "revolutionary software architecture" that it says makes it easier for companies to build, deploy and manage such networks. One such system has been deployed in a semiconductor laboratory where wireless sensors are monitoring room temperature and humidity, said CEO Peter Van Deventer. "We're working on joint programs with a number of Fortune 500 companies," he said. SynapSense would not disclose the names of companies it's working with nor who their future customers may be. Founded by Van Deventer, a 10-year veteran of Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC), and Raju Pandey, a computer scientist at UCD, SynapSense employs 15 people. The fledgling wireless sensor network industry is based on complex systems that require software, low-power radio devices and sensors. The systems enable people to wirelessly monitor for environmental conditions, such as temperature and pressure. In industrial applications, for instance, sensors could be used to monitor pipelines for cracks or leaks. Widespread acceptance of such technologies has been slow in coming. Companies have been focused on the transmission of data from one node to another. "What's been needed are more complete solutions that combine the latest advances in wireless networking with sensor applications," said Mareca Hatler, director of research for ON World Inc. in San Diego. More companies are targeting approaches to bridge the gap between the sensors and wireless networks, she said. SynapSense asserts that its system can automatically figure out what type of hardware platform to use and how much memory is needed, for instance, so that information technology managers can more efficiently build useful wireless sensor networks. According to ON World, the industrial segment of the WSN market is expected to grow from $86 million in 2005 to $5.2 billion in 2010, Hatler said. About ON World: Media Contact:
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