Location, Location, Location
(03 June 2003)

DEGW and Ubisense are pleased to announce a strategic relationship between the two companies. The partnership will put together the skills of the two companies with the aim of applying the world leading Local Positioning System (LPS) technology developed by Ubisense in a range of workplace applications and taking the systems to the global market.

This system can be applied to accurately track people and objects in a number of work environments including healthcare, security, intelligent building infrastructure and workplace productivity.

DEGW and Ubisense are currently leading a €6 million research bid to the European Commission's IST research programme which, if successful, will explore the potential of location awareness based applications in the workplace in a number of European countries. The other research partners for this project include: BP, the Center for People and Buildings, Fraunhofer IA0/IAT, Imperial College, Nokia, Telecom Italia Learning Services and Twynstra Work Innovation.

Ubisense Ltd was formed in 2002 by Professor Andy Hopper and four former members of the AT&T Research lab in Cambridge. As a team they bring together unrivalled expertise and experience in developing local positioning systems, having run their 'Bat' prototype in continuous 24x7 operation for two years.

The next generation of location awareness systems, based on ultra low power radio, is currently under development by the team and early prototypes will be completed later this year. The focus will quickly shift from laboratory research and development of commercial workplace productivity and security application with installable systems being available in 2004.

The new company also benefits from a partnership with business development company Ten Sails LLP. Ten Sails focuses on early and growth stage high technology companies active in the global marketplace.

Their targeted portfolio includes companies involved in emerging technologies in space, time and communications.

Based in Cambridge, England and Denver, USA, the principals of Ten Sails provide on-going systematic guidance and support for both strategic and day to day operational decisions. Ten Sails founders' last venture, Smallworld, went from start-up, through NASDAQ IPO and numerous acquisitions before a trade sale to General Electric in excess of $200m was achieved, resulting in a market leading global company employing approximately 850 people.

For further information about Ubisense, location awareness technologies or the UBISTRUCT EC research proposal please contact Andrew Harrison.