| 8/27/08 - Ascom Wireless Solutions (WS) and Ekahau Inc. announced their collaboration on a new WiFi positioning solution. Ekahau's location-based services (Ekahau RTLS) combined with the Ascom i75, a high-end VoWiFi handset from Ascom WS, create a reliable means of locating people in emergency situations.
Several industries, such as manufacturing and healthcare, are already using the Ascom i75 handset and will benefit from this new feature. The system enables locatable handsets within the coverage area of an existing enterprise WiFi network, both indoors and outdoors. The solution does not require any additional infrastructure components, such as additional readers, antennas or chokepoints.
The new Ascom WS/Ekahau positioning solution will help organizations locate people in emergencies. For example, in the event of an accident on a plant floor, the person in need can press the alarm button for assistance or a "man-down" alarm is automatically sent. The position of the person carrying the handset will then be accurately revealed and rapid assistance can be sent.
The open application programmer's interface (API) provides access to the real-time location information by any software application, and enables new location-based services, such as "nearest-person-to-task," work-flow improvement and asset tracking applications.
"We are very pleased that Ascom WS has selected the Ekahau WiFi tracking solution, which offers the ability to locate people over any brand or generation of a standard WiFi network," said Jarmo Ikonen, director of sales, EMEA-APAC at Ekahau. "The Ascom i75 handsets are robust and reliable, and are a perfect fit to our tracking system."
"Integrating Ekahau with the Ascom VoWiFi handsets was easy and straightforward as their system is based on the IEEE 802.11 WiFi standard," added Henrik Sandberg, product manager at Ascom. "We are very pleased that we now can offer this secure tracking solution to our customers, enhancing personal safety for their employees."
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Keywords: wifi standard, ekahau, application programmer, rapid assistance, infrastructure components, flow improvement, alarm button, open application, location based services, man down, work flow, time location, wireless solutions, coverage area, apac, WiFi |
