PALO ALTO, CA--(Marketwire - October 6, 2010) - People Power Company, an energy efficiency solutions company, today announced the SuRF Block, a one inch square module that companies can embed into electronics to wirelessly connect them to the Internet. Offering the first open source implementation that brings the Internet to a microcontroller this small, the SuRF Block makes it easy for manufacturers to build low-cost, low-power, internet-ready appliances and devices.
The SuRF Block and OSIAN targets manufacturers of any kind, from consumer electronics and appliances to business equipment and medical devices -- the potential is only limited by the imagination. The company is currently engaging with OEM manufacturers that are interested in embedding the SuRF Block and software into their products and leveraging this technology to create next-generation energy management solutions. OSIAN, previously referred to as OSHAN, stands for Open Source IPv6 Automation Network and offers enhanced IPv6 support.
"We see great potential creating transformational products with this solution, which integrates TI's ultra-low power MSP430™ microcontroller with TI's leading low-power RF technology," said Davorin Kuchan, senior director of business development at Texas Instruments. "We are delivering longer range and lower power with this solution and are pleased that People Power has chosen the TI's CC430 system-on-a-chip for its SuRF technology. We are excited about the opportunity to work together."
"The SuRF Block promises to further enable the 'Internet of Things.' Imagine that manufacturers can now use this tiny, powerful module and open source software to instantly Internet-enable their products," said Gene Wang, founder and CEO of People Power Company. "In under a minute, programmers can get their computer to talk to an OSIAN enabled device in the same way that it talks to any device on the network."
IPv6 and 'The Internet of Things'
More and more items of daily life are being equipped with radio tags so they can be identified and managed by computers, which adds to 'The Internet of Things,' the networked interconnection of everyday objects. With reports estimating there will be 100 billion devices connected to the Internet by 2020, the current IP (Internet protocol IPv4) will become overloaded, with experts saying that IPv4 addresses will all be allocated by the end of 2011. Solutions created today must be IPv6 enabled, the next generation of IP, in order to keep pace.
People Power Co.'s IPv6 enabled technology is breakthrough because it will be sold with built-in support for cloud services, making it easy for manufactures to enable 'The Internet of Things.' Simply embed the SuRF block into any device and it automatically enables wireless connectivity, making it Internet-ready. The new POSIX-style interfaces will make programming sensors familiar to any network programmer. Manufacturing companies that embed the technology in their products can 'Internet enable' all of its products so that their customers can, for instance, view, manage and control their energy use from the convenience of their PC or smart phone. The SuRF Block will be commercially available in Q1 2011.
People Power Co. is building energy management solutions for homes and businesses that will enable them to drive down energy bill costs while reducing carbon emissions. The company announced its Technology Advisory Board and unveiled its SuRF Developers Kit earlier this year. For more information, please visit www.peoplepowerco.com.
About People Power Company
People Power Company is building the next generation of energy efficiency monitoring and control solutions for homes, buildings, appliances and devices. People Power is disrupting the market with its new OSIAN (pronounced "ocean"), while also supporting WiFi and ZigBee network protocols. Leading with its open source "SmartGrid for All" philosophy, People Power is inspiring innovation and enabling Smart Grid interoperability by empowering developers everywhere to address exciting new market opportunities for Smart Grid applications and beyond.
Based in Palo Alto California, People Power Company has received funding from New Cycle Capital, Greener Capital, and other investors. For more information visit www.peoplepowerco.com
Contact Information:
Contact:
Julie Tangen
Kulesa Faul for People Power Company
831-425-1083