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Crossbow Technology and Cyrano Sciences to Develop Bluetooth Wireless Instrumentation To Find Chemical Leaks
SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 20, 2001 -- Crossbow Technology, Inc., the developer of the leading Bluetooth wireless sensor network architecture, and Cyrano Sciences, Inc., the leader in array based chemical sensor technology, have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop a wireless leak detection system prototype. The system will initially be tailored to detect hydrocarbon leaks for the gas and oil industries, but can easily be adapted for measuring chemical vapors or odors in other industrial applications, such as food quality, medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring. This collaboration will combine Crossbow's CrossNet" wireless sensor network architecture and Cyrano Sciences' expertise in sensor array technology to communicate digital sensor information wirelessly over the Internet. The initial prototype will integrate Cyrano's current commercial chemical sensing chip with the CrossNet Wireless system. "By utilizing Bluetooth to collect data and transmit it over the Internet, we will be able to offer our customers a standard, cost-effective way to collect data from multiple locations," stated Steven Sunshine, president and CEO of Cyrano Sciences, Inc. "Crossbow's impressive CrossNet architecture seems custom made for our applications because chemical vapors must be collected and processed from a variety of locations." The CrossNet architecture lets Bluetooth-enabled notebook computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs) to quickly gather data from sensors in refineries, chemical and pharmaceutical plants, industrial and medical equipment, on vehicles, in buildings and in factories or on large structures, such as bridges or towers. This enables the use of sensor technology in applications that are difficult or impossible to wire or that are subjected to harsh physical conditions. Data can be moved instantly through the CrossNet system to the Internet for review by multiple, authorized users in remote locations. "Cyrano Sciences is poised to lead the digital 'smell' revolution with its unique method to sense and recognize odors, using advanced algorithms to interpret and analyze digitized chemical information," stated Mike Horton, president and CEO of Crossbow Technology. "We look forward to working with Cyrano to provide an industry standard platform for gathering data from their sensors." Cyrano Sciences essentially transforms the human sense of smell into a digital signal that can be analyzed using the company's extensive pattern matching algorithms and data mining capabilities. Cyrano's patented Cyranonose 320 system uses an array of polymer composite sensors composed of different polymers filled with conductive particles. When these sensors come in contact with a vapor, the polymer expands like a sponge, changing the resistance of the composite. This change in resistance is transmitted to a processor and the pattern of change in the sensor array is used to determine the vapor sensed. Cyrano's Sensigent" division is developing Internet-based software for complex sensor data management. This software mimics the way the brain interprets complex sensor information and focuses only on those inputs necessary to perform a particular interpretive or analytical task. With this software real-time monitoring, analysis, fault detection, alarms, and data mining are accessible with any web browser. The CrossNet architecture provides an ideal system to collect the data from multiple field locations for processing by Cyrano's advanced software. About Crossbow Technology Crossbow Technology, Inc. is the leading supplier of low-cost, intelligent digital sensor solutions. Crossbow is located at 41 E. Daggett Drive, San Jose, CA 95134. Telephone: . Fax: . Email: . Visit Crossbow at www.xbow.com About Cyrano Sciences Cyrano Sciences Inc. produces networked sensors and software solutions for process monitoring. The hand-held Cyranose? 320 is a low cost chemical sensor being used in the food and chemical industries for quality control purposes and is being tested for medical, environmental and military applications. The company is also developing a NoseChip" for consumer applications, such as incorporation into refrigerators to detect food spoilage. Cyrano Sciences' products are based on technology exclusively licensed from the California Institute of Technology and are protected by 12 issued U.S patents and one European patent. Cyrano Sciences is positioned to be the leader in low cost Internet deployed sensor technology, providing and converting sensor data into useful information for businesses. See https://cyranosciences.com. Crossbow is a registered trademark and CrossNet is a trademark of Crossbow Technology, Inc. Bluetooth is a trademark of Telefonaktiebolaget LM Sweden. All other product, service and company names are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. For more information, please contact: Cyrano Sciences Inc., Marla Alders Or Crossbow Technology, Shirley Alley |