Motorola to conduct joint research with Electronics and
Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) to develop sensor network system
for u-City
Seoul, Korea – 16 November 2006 – In a ceremony today attended by Motorola
Chief Technology Officer, Padmasree Warrior, and Minister Junhyong Rho, Korea’s
Ministry of Information & Communication, Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT)
officially opened its Things-to-Things Research Centre (T2TRC) in Seoul.
Motorola and ETRI also announced a multi-year joint research agreement for the
development of the ubiquitous sensor network (USN) technologies that enable
things-to-things connectivity. The agreement is part of an effort by the
Institute of Information Technology Assessment (IITA) to help Korea realize its
IT839 vision of Ubiquitous-City (U-City), meaning future cities seamlessly
connected through USNs.
By researching ways to add connectivity and to extend today’s Internet by
creating a whole new range of products and services, the centre will enable the
development and ultimate commercialisation of “things to things” communications
solutions.
“Motorola is researching things-to-things solutions that will connect the
physical world to the internet and enable billions of things like appliances,
electronic goods, highways and more. to collaborate and simplify our lives,”
says Dr. Iwona Turlik, corporate vice president, physical realization research,
Motorola. “Partnering with ETRI to further develop existing technologies in
this area will bring us one step closer to realizing the U-City infrastructure
vision.”
“Ubiquitous sensor networks are one of the key infrastructures the Korean
government has identified to make the U-City vision a reality,” said Yoon Deock
Lee, Project Manager of RFID/USN, IITA. “Motorola is a research leader in this
space whom we are pleased to partner with in an effort to help keep Korea at
the forefront of technology.”
“Motorola’s expertise in wireless sensor network technologies complements ETRI’s
knowledge in developing U-City applications,” said Jong-suk Chae, Vice
President of Telematics and USN Research Division, ETRI. “This partnership
promises revolutionary advances in extending the connectivity of the Internet
into the physical world.”
Initial focus of the Motorola/ETRI joint research agreement will be to develop
USN systems that leverage the low-cost, low-power, easily deployable wireless
technologies promoted by the Zigbee Alliance. Research will further develop
Motorola’s own USN Middleware, NeuRFon hardware and software and MuSE dynamic
programming system, which in the future may enable structural health
monitoring, general environmental monitoring and periodic asset monitoring.
About Institute of Information Technology Assessment
The Institute for Information Technology Advancement (IITA) is a leading
R&D promotion institute specialized in information and communication
technology sector.
Established in 1992, IITA's areas of focus include R&D demand research and
technology forecasting, technology assessment, project management, funds
management, human resources development, technology policy research,
information analysis and service and promotion of technology transfer. IITA has
been putting its best efforts to forge ahead to provide efficient and useful
R&D management and assessment system for the advancement of IT sector. For
more information, visit www.iita.re.kr/.
About Electronics and Telecommunications Research
Institute
Established in 1976, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
(ETRI) is a non-profit government-funded research organization that has been at
the forefront of technological excellence for more than 25 years. The research
institute has successfully developed information technologies such as
TDX-Exchange, High Density Semiconductor Microchips, Mini-Super Computer
(TiCOM), and Digital Mobile Telecommunication System (CDMA). For more
information, visit http://www.etri.re.kr/www_05/e_etri/.
Source: Motorola press release
