ZeroG Wireless introduces Wi-Fi for embedded systems Silicon module makes it easy to add Wi-Fi capabilities to virtually any device.
Silicon Valley-based start-up ZeroG Wireless launcheda Wi-Fi I/O module that adds Wi-Fi connectivity to virtually any electronic device.
The Wi-Fi module requires very few resources from the host device. It was designed for integration into systems with limited processing power and memory, and minimal or no operating system. It has low power requirements and uses a “fast wake-up” architecture.
The module, called ZG2100M, is based on ZeroG’s ZG2100 single-chip 802.11 transceiver, which includes hardware acceleration for WEP, WPA and WPA2 security protocols and supports data rates up to 2 Mbps.
ZeroG wants to enable Wi-Fi integration in a wide variety of objects and devices, in an "Internet of Things" model. The concept of the Internet of Things is based on smart, interconnected objects with self-management capabilities, and has a very wide range of applications – most of which still need to be defined.
"ZeroG believes there are thousands of applications that will benefit from wireless Internet connectivity. Enabling objects to communicate seamlessly with each other and with people is as dramatic a move as the transition from broadcasting to cellular. This transformative shift is what we are calling the fourth age of wireless -- the Internet of Things," said Thomas Lee, Founder and CTO of ZeroG Wireless, in the company’s news release.
The ZeroG Wi-Fi I/O module is currently available in samples. The company has scheduled to start mass production at the end of the first quarter of 2009.
The ZG2100M Wi-Fi I/O module is priced at $16.00 when sold by 10,000 units. The ZG2100 single-chip transceiver will be available as a stand-alone product mid-2009, for less than $5.00 per unit when sold by the million.
ZeroG will show the products as well as demos at the Embedded Systems Conference, which will take place in San Jose from March 31st to April 3rd, 2009.
By Annabelle Bouard