Wireless Embedded Networks/The Ecosystem and Cool Challenges

August 20, 2004
Robert Poor | Ember Corporation

Wireless Embedded Networks span a much broader field than just “Sensor Networks” as popularized by recent press. Today’s presentation will cover:

A brief overview of Ember Corporation
An overview of the technology underlying wireless embedded networks
A description of the market for Wireless Embedded Networks
Standards bodies (notably IEEE 802.15.4 and ZigBee) involved in the space
A teaser for a few technical challenges not covered in research papers

The presentation will be followed by a live demo of a self-organizing, self-healing mesh network.

Speaker Details

Prior to founding Ember in 2001, Robert Poor received his Ph.D. from MIT, where he developed Embedded Networking, a new class of wireless network that enables inexpensive, scalable and easily deployed connections for common manufactured goods. Prior to MIT, Poor worked in a broad spectrum of Silicon Valley establishments, including LucasFilm (precursor to Pixar), the Stanford AI project, Lucid, NeXT and Opcode. His work experience spans a range from hardware and software engineering, product marketing, technical management and organizational structuring.Poor is chair of the IEEE 802.15.4B standards body, president of WINA (Wireless Industrial Network Alliance), a member of IEEE and ACM. He received a patent for self-organizing networks in 2000. He remains passionate about music, and in the past worked for the Greatful Dead as a recording engineer and was a professional musician in a touring Rock and Roll band.