Wireless Airport Communication Platform Receives EUREKA Label and Secures Funding
Stockholm, Sweden (ots/PRNewswire)
- Appear Networks and Neotilus Receive Prestigious EUREKA Award and National Funding for the Deployment of Context-Aware Wi-Fi Services to Airport Employees
The Wireless Context Aware Services (WICAS) project, a wireless communication platform developed jointly by Appear Networks (Sweden) and Neotilus (France) for European airport operators, was recently awarded the EUREKA label under EUREKA reference number E! 3342. WICAS is a mobile communication platform, based on wireless standards such as Wi-Fi, GPRS and UMTS, that integrates several high-end technologies including pinpoint Wi-Fi positioning, new video streaming techniques, advanced VoIP functions and context-aware push of mobile applications. The resulting intelligent communication platform enhances the ability of employees working throughout the airport to perform maintenance and security functions.
EUREKA is a pan-European network for industrial research and development, designed to strengthen European competitiveness by promoting market-driven collaborative projects. EUREKA projects must include independent partners from at least two EUREKA member countries and each project must result in a marketable product, process or service.
WICAS leverages its partners' combined expertise in mobile technologies and airport operational processes and is funded with a global budget of EUR 1,023,000. EUREKA experts analyzing the WICAS platform predict a tremendous benefit for airport maintenance and security.
"A security officer can now send a silent alert by simply pressing a button on his mobile device," explained Yvan Gravier, CEO of Neotilus. "Instantly, the alert is geo-localized, using the Wi-Fi pinpoint positioning system, and real-time video streams from the local surveillance cameras are automatically pushed onto the mobile terminals of the nearby security agents. A maintenance worker who needs immediate support while operating in the field can launch a push-to-talk VoIP application and instantly, the WICAS platform will route his call to the most appropriate colleague, depending on time, location and skill set."
"The EUREKA network awarded the label to WICAS in recognition of the high degree of innovation and market potential evidenced by the WICAS communication platform. Appear Networks is an important Swedish player and the company's history of success was also taken into consideration when VINNOVA approved national funding for the project" said Tomas Aronsson, EUREKA Program Coordination, VINNOVA.
Several European airports and airlines interested in deploying the WICAS platform have already approached the consortium. The selection of test-sites will be conducted over the next few weeks.
"An increasing number of European airports are adopting Wi-Fi for their enterprise needs, focusing upon operational excellence and customer intimacy. For this project, we will select airports committed to deploy mobile solutions in areas where enterprise Wi-Fi applications result in significant bottom-line results, in order to demonstrate the impact of our solution" commented Ann-Louise Palm, CEO of Appear Networks.
About Appear Networks: www.appearnetworks.com
Appear Networks intelligent wireless communication platform connects mobile workers with instant access to voice, data and video communications transmitted over standard wireless networks. The Appear platform filters information through an array of pre-determined parameters enabling the delivery of personalized, location-based, time-specific wireless applications to mobile devices. Appear Networks partners with IT industry leaders Cisco and Capgemini in a joint Wi-Fi offering called @Anyplace Access, featuring a fully secure, end-to-end, integrated Wi-Fi platform solution based upon open standards technology from Cisco and Intel. Appear Networks is privately held and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.
Appear, Click & Run, Workspot are registered trademarks of Appear Networks. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Contact:
Press Contacts: Appear Networks, Mia Falgard, Tel: +46-8-545-91-370,
mia.falgard@appearnetworks.com, Neotilus, Géraldine Gravier-Richter,
Tel: +33-6-89-11-05-95, grichter@neotilus.com