Irish wireless network sensor developer EpiSensor announced on May 29 that it is collaborating with IBM to develop real-time monitoring solutions for energy, water, and carbon emissions.  The pair will develop networking devices that easily integrate with infrastructure already in place but allow for efficient environmental monitoring.

EpiSensor will contribute its experience developing environmental sensor equipment built upon the popular ZigBee wireless protocol to the project while IBM will provide its extensive resources in research, software, modelling, and management of complex networks.

EpiSensor recently collaborated with the Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) on a climate change study in the Antarctic.  The company provided its TES-10 Temperature Sensors for the expedition because of the product’s unique ability to function in the extreme cold with precision and accuracy.  Using a low-power battery, the sensor wirelessly transmitted data using the ZigBee protocol back to the expedition base – eliminating the need for expensive cabling.

"EpiSensor’s TES-10 Temperature Sensors with ZigBee wireless technology is a reliable tool that provides accurate data in an extremely harsh environment, making our jobs as scientists just a little easier", said LIT environmental scientist Carol Meagher.

“Because the causes and effects of climate change are amazingly complex, assembling all the pieces of the climate change jigsaw is a huge challenge,” said Gary Carroll, Chairman of EpiSensor.  “By providing accurate tools to measure and record the data the Limerick Institute of Technology required, EpiSensor provided a significant contribution to meeting this challenge,”

“We are delighted to have been a part of this expedition,” continued Carroll.  “It is a tribute to our research team that our ZigBee devices were chosen to perform under the harshest environmental conditions.”
The new agreement with IBM calls for EpiSensor to work with Big Blue at the company’s Environmental Solutions Centre of Excellence located in Dublin.

“IBM’s expertise in research, developing software and networking applications in complex enterprise environments will boost our ability to bring turnkey solutions to the market more quickly,” commented Carroll. “Clients for these solutions include large national and international public organisations that need to monitor and deliver quality water services.”

As a member of the ZigBee Alliance, the industry group responsible for developing the mesh networking protocol, EpiSensor has based its products upon ZigBee from the beginning.  ZigBee is an open-platform standard, allowing for low-cost solutions to be built upon on it.  ZigBee has been used to wirelessly connect smart meters, smart appliances, transportation devices, industrial machinery, and environmental sensors.

“Our clients in industry, government and academia have been asking us for advanced measuring, monitoring, and modelling of energy and environmental systems so that they can lower costs, fill knowledge gaps and make smarter decisions,” said Robert McCarthy of IBM’s Environmental Solutions Centre of Excellence.  “The collaboration with EpiSensor expands these options.”

EpiSensor was founded 2 years ago by entrepreneur Gary Carroll and is headquartered in Limerick, Ireland.  It is a pioneer European developer of ZigBee products which are currently deployed for clients in Europe, India, and North America.
EpiSensor Ltd.
Moylish Park
Limerick, Ireland
http://www.episensor.com

IBM
One New Orchard Road
Armonk, NY 10504
http://www.ibm.com
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