Aug. 9, 2004 — Sensicast Systems, GE Global Research and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have teamed up on a three-year, $6 million project for the U.S. Department of Energy to develop wireless sensor networks and systems to improve the efficiency of electric motors.
GE will lead the project, which will first focus on analyzing the efficiency of industrial motors, according to a news release. Sensicast is providing mesh networking software that integrates the wireless network into the existing plant network. RPI is developing physics-based models for analysis and lifetime production of the motors.
Sensicast was launched in December 2002 with $3 million in initial funding from Ardesta LLC, the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based parent company of Small Times Media.