Ozmo Devices, a start-up based in Palo Alto, California, unveiled its low-power silicon + software solution for Wi-Fi Personal Area Networks (Wi-Fi PANs). The technology extends the existing Wi-Fi ecosystem while providing an alternative to Bluetooth or other short range wireless technologies.
The company aims to bring native low-power peripheral connectivity to Wi-Fi platforms. With an estimated 100 million Wi-Fi-enabled notebooks expected to ship in 2008, Ozmo’s low-power Wi-Fi chip could enable connected mice, headsets and other personal electronics. Ozmo Devices’ approach does not require an additional radio inside the platform or a dongle to communicate with the peripheral. The technology achieves a data rate of up to 9 Mbps and a latency significantly below standard Wi-Fi. Ozmo achieves this using a TDMA-like overlay protocol, however it uses standard 802.11-based packets for native coexistence with Wi-Fi networks. The implementation also supports 802.11-compliant security
Ozmo’s PAN technology includes a software driver that delivers native low-power peripheral connectivity to the platform and an highly integrated, ultra-low-power IC in the wireless peripheral that seamlessly communicates with the platform. The solution is currently sampling and production-ready development efforts are underway at key peripheral product OEMs.
Ozmo Devices was founded as H-Stream Wireless in December 2004. The company is privately held and funded by Granite Ventures, Intel Capital, and Tallwood Venture Capital.
- Ozmo Devices is headed by Dave Timm, who previously spent 15 years at Maxim Integrated Products, where he was Managing Director of the Notebook Power Business Unit. The company was co-founded by Dr. Katelijn Vleugels (CTO), who previously was with Atheros and who served as a Consulting Assistant Professor at Stanford, and Roel Peeters (Vice President of Marketing), who previously was a senior member of the solutions marketing group at Actuate, a business intelligence software company.