Ember Gains Financing, New Chairman

Allen.

ZigBee is the name given to wireless mesh networking technology defined in IEEE standard 802.15.4. The name is derived from the zig-zag dance a honey bee does to inform members of the hive about new-found food sources—referred to as the ZigBee Principle.

Ember also announced that Bob Metcalfe, father of Ethernet and founder of 3Com, will become the new chairman. Outgoing board chairman and Ember co-founder, Robert Poor, will focus on researching new technologies and evangelizing Ember’s message in business and industry forums.

According to Poor, Metcalfe’s appointment to company chairman is perfectly timed as the company transitions from startup mode to a well-established market leader with real customers and proven technology. “As Ember continues to experience strong, sustained growth, Bob’s reputation and experience is a tremendous asset at this stage of Ember’s evolution.”

“I see parallels between ZigBee and Ethernet,” said Metcalfe. “As Ethernet has connected millions of computers, Ember’s technology has the potential to network-enable billions of devices that previously couldn’t communicate. The company’s early commitment to ZigBee will further accelerate the adoption of Ember’s wireless mesh network solutions in the marketplace.”