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Nivis, developer and integrator of wireless network technologies, together with Cisco (News - Alert), supplier of networking equipment and network management for the Internet, are debuting an embedded wireless IP mesh technology using a 6LoWPAN solution for integrated device management at the Cisco Live technology showcase in Orlando, Florida.

 

The Nivis and Cisco collaboration has joined breakthrough technologies that can be used in many everyday circumstances, enabling expansion beyond the computer to include network-enabled devices such as parking meters, streetlights, traffic lights, utility transformers and utility meters.

 

The Cisco Live demonstration illustrates how this technology can be specifically applied to municipal uses involving streetlights, electrical and parking meters as well as electronic signage. Also participating in the demonstration is streetlight monitoring provider Acuity Brands ROAM whose products and services improve streetlight performance, reduce operating costs, and improve billing accuracy.

 

Nivis is presenting a new wireless network technology that allows disparate devices and sensors to communicate via a sophisticated neural network system using the 6LoWPAN(IPv6) protocol.

 

“IPv6 is a protocol whose time has come,” said Vint Cerf, Chief Operations Officer of Google (News - Alert), in a statement. “If we are serious about networking virtually everything, and we should be, then IPv6 is the place to be. Instrumenting and linking the devices that surround us can dramatically increase their utility and manageability. In times of crisis such networked devices may be the key to communicating to the general public and to assisting responders.”

 

 In the Cisco Live demonstration, a wireless mesh network of streetlights communicates with a parking meter. The meter communicates with a sensor ring in the parking space and the gleaned information is sent to a Cisco cell phone. As a result, the technology allows consumers using the Internet to see if a parking space is available ahead of their arrival or if their meter has expired. Security officers are alerted by the system to turn on the streetlight to provide better security and municipalities can identify expired meters.

 

"This is a fantastic glimpse into just some of the potential applications for 6LoWPAN and embedded IP. The simplicity of the design by Nivis, Cisco and Acuity belies the feature-rich capabilities and interoperability available from the system," said Geoff Mulligan, IETF 6LoWPAN Working Group Chair and ISA100 NetComm Chair. "I'm seeing more and more applications making use of the 6LoWPAN Open International Standard and to see these companies come together to show this innovative application is great."

 

The Nivis router featured at Cisco Live is fully compliant with not only 6LoWPAN protocol standards, but ISA100.11a and WirelessHART as well.

 

"We intend to keep our technologies fully compatible with these standards as well as future standards," said Marius Chilom, CEO of Nivis, who went on to emphasize that standardization is vital in today's rapidly evolving wireless market.