Cambridge Consultants wins development role in major UWB communications project

Cambridge Consultants has been chosen as a technology provider to ITI Techmedia's £6.7million project focused on ultra-wideband communications technology. The project is aimed at reducing the cables within the home.

This is the third R&D programme from ITI Techmedia - the organisation that develops market-driven intellectual property for the benefit of the Scottish economy. Analysis undertaken by ITI Techmedia indicates that ultra-wideband (UWB) communications will be a source of major market opportunity in the next 3-10 years. It is estimated that the global UWB market for consumer and computing applications could exceed $1.2bn by 2010.

UWB offers very high-bandwidth communications that has the potential to free equipment such as DVD players, audio speakers, high definition TVs, PCs and printers - from the need to be connected by wires to record, play or exchange data.

In conjunction with two other major subcontractors - TES Electronic Solutions and Elonics - Cambridge Consultants, acting as the project's lead technical authority, will work on UWB system definition, hardware, software and mesh networking technology, targeted at wireless enabling equipment such as PCs and other consumer electronic devices.

Cambridge Consultants has a long track record of developing integrated circuits (ICs) for wireless applications. Among its achievements are the spin-out of CSR who make the world's leading single-chip Bluetooth solution, and the sale to Ember of single-chip IP technology targeted at the emerging 802.15.4/ZigBee wireless networking market. The company also has over 20 years' experience of work in UWB technology.

"UWB's very high data rate has the potential to increase an already-booming wireless marketplace" says Richard Traherne of Cambridge Consultants. "We're delighted to have won a role in this ambitious project".

David Creed, CEO of ITI Techmedia commented, "Our focus - developing an end-to-end system enabling wireless interconnection and networking of PC and consumer devices - will deliver innovative IP appropriate to the realisation of exciting applications and services. We believe the R&D investment in this programme holds considerable potential to deliver benefit to Scotland."

ITI Techmedia's R&D programme is expected to last around 24 months.

Notes for editors:

Cambridge Consultants develops breakthrough products, creates and licenses intellectual property, and provides business consultancy in technology critical issues for clients worldwide. For over 50 years, the company has been helping its clients turn business opportunities into commercial successes, whether they are launching first-to-market products, entering new markets or expanding existing markets through the introduction of new technologies. With a team of over 300 engineers, designers, scientists and consultants, in offices in Cambridge (UK) and Boston (USA), Cambridge Consultants offers solutions across a diverse range of industries including medical technology, industrial and consumer products, transport, energy, cleantech and wireless communications.

Created by three Cambridge graduates in 1960, the company has grown into a leading technology business, renowned worldwide for its ability to solve technical problems and provide innovative, practical solutions to commercial issues. In 2009, the company was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, and in 2011 was awarded a second Queen's Award, this time for Innovation. For more information visit: www.CambridgeConsultants.com

Cambridge Consultants is part of Altran, global leader in innovation and high-tech engineering consulting. Altran supports companies in the creation and development of their new products and services. For thirty years, the Group has been providing services to key players in the fields of Aerospace, Automotive, Energy, Railways, Finance, Healthcare, and Telecoms. Present at every stage of project development from new-technology strategic planning through to manufacturing, Altran is able to capitalise on its expertise in four key domains: Product Lifecycle Management, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering & Embedded Systems and IT Systems. With a global network of 17,000 collaborators (including 15,000 consultants) and 500 major clients throughout the world, the Group reported sales of €1,420m in 2011. More info: www.altran.com

ITI Techmedia is a member-based organisation that identifies, develops and manages commercially driven Intellectual Property for the benefit of Scotland. It acts as a catalyst to create world-class technology in the digital media and communication sectors. Working with its Members and the technology community, ITI Techmedia commissions and funds R&D to the point of commercial viability.

Further information is available on the website: www.ititechmedia.com

TES Electronic Solutions Ltd is the Scottish subsidiary of worldwide contract design and manufacturing company, TES, headquartered in Paris. Originally launched as a subsidiary of Thales in 2002, TES, based in Newbridge, has a highly experienced research team with a strong track record of developing innovative wireless solutions.

Further information is available on the website: www.thales-ess.com

Elonics is an independent semiconductor design consultancy, founded in 2003 and based in Livingston. It specialises in the physical layers of communications systems, especially high frequency and low power mixed-signal applications, for use in a range of products from portable consumer devices to computer servers and optical networks.

Further information is available on the website: www.elonics.com

For further information:

Cambridge Consultants

Patrick Pordage
Marketing Communications Director
Tel: +44 1223 420024
Patrick.Pordage@CambridgeConsultants.com