Wireless Airport Communication Platform Receives EUREKA Label and Secures Funding
Appear Networks and Neotilus Receive Prestigious EUREKA Award and National Funding for the Deployment of Context-Aware Wi-Fi Services to Airport Employees.
Stockholm, Sweden, March 15, 2005: 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 € 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: http://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.
About Neotilus and Degetel Group: http://www.degetel.com
Founded in 1999, Degetel is one of the best performing software development and consulting services companies in France. Neotilus, a subsidiary of Degetel, was launched in 2002 to address mobile telecommunication opportunities. Neotilus provides fully integrated end-to-end services to seamlessly design and deploy customized mobility projects that respond to both the client’s internal requirements (fleet, logistics, VIP, sales force management, maintenance, security) and external requirements, such as designing new services. Neotilus specializes in 2G, WLAN or 3G mobile networks as well as in application software development for Web or embedded systems.
Press Contacts:
Appear Networks
Mia Falgard, +46 8 545 91 370, mia.falgard@appearnetworks.com
Neotilus
Géraldine Gravier-Richter; +33 6 89 11 05 95, grichter@neotilus.com
Appear, Click & Run, Workspot are registered trademarks of Appear Networks. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
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