June 29, 2006 -- Solidica, Inc. was awarded Sensors Magazine's prestigious "Best of Sensors Expo" Gold award for their Chorus ultra-rugged wireless sensor and condition monitoring technology. Uniquely integrated into a compact rugged package, the sensor measures system health such as temperature, vibration, and three-dimensional acceleration, all while providing integrated GPS and RFID functionality.
The new Chorus device instantly captures sensor input in the harshest of environments, provides localized embedded signal processing, and transmits user programmable alerts to Solidica's turnkey Pantheon sensor network, diagnostic, and telematics hardware. This flexible system operates within the framework of multiple commercially common wireless protocols, including the ZigBee and IEEE 802.15.4 standards using 2.4 GHz digital radio and microcontroller technology. In addition to this, the award-winning Chorus device allows new and/or existing analog inputs to be directly connected, instantly transforming legacy vehicles, equipment, or shop floors into intelligent wireless sensing networks. Solidica reports that field trials of the Chorus and Pantheon technology are currently underway for a variety of military and commercial customers.
Dawn White, Solidica CEO notes that, "The Chorus device is a dramatic example of a merger between Solidica's solid state ultrasonic consolidation fabrication technology and our industry-leading expertise in wireless electronics. It's simply another example of the unique best of breed technology combinations that our customers have come to expect from us."
This most recent synergy appears to not only have award winning potential, but also promises the ability to unlock longstanding electronics design barriers. Illustrating the striking potential of such an approach, Solidica recently unveiled a version of the Chorus sensor which embeds a sub- millimeter integrated MEMS device directly between the 0.006" fabrication layers of metal during the manufacturing process, enabling truly in-situ health monitoring. The end result is a fully enclosed sensor, impervious to environmental conditions, that cannot be removed, tampered with or easily destroyed; all while providing the latest technology in signal conditioning and wireless transmission capability.
Rick Fortson, Solidica's Vice President of Wireless Technology, notes, "These sensors are so rugged that you could run one over with a truck, heat it to over 180 degrees Fahrenheit, immerse it in battery acid, and it will continue to report accurate data without breaking a sweat."
