By Ingrid Clark
WisBusiness.com
MILWAUKEE – The “it” trend in technology is wireless. Everything from phones to internet connections, and much more in between, seems to be wireless. However, wireless technology can be frustrating with dropped calls and weak internet signals.
Brad Rake, president and managing partner of Esker Technologies, says his company has created a new technology known as ZeroWire, which virtually eliminates the common problems of traditional wireless technologies.
He said ZeroWire does away with the need for complex wiring systems and harnesses in cars, boats, airplanes and other vehicles by using an advanced form of wireless technology that uses radiated transmission of information rather than transmitting messages through the air.
By electing not to go with the conventional form of wireless, like that used in cell phones, ZeroWire is able to eliminate the interference caused by engine noise.
“It transmits over power lines, over a wire that is already there,” said Rake. “This conducted transmission is much more reliable.”
In conventional wiring systems there are wires for everything. For example, in a car there are wires for the horn, the radio, the lights and much more. ZeroWire localizes the connection to all those, Rake said, simplifying the wiring and increasing its capabilities.
“The main advantage of this technology is that it is inexpensive, it’s very easy to install and it’s self-diagnostic, so you can easily determine if there’s a problem,” he said.
With this new technology, ZeroWire has the capabilities to observe everything happening within the vehicle from oil levels to engine temperature, and will diagnose itself with any problems.
Last month, Esker Technologies launched ZeroWire at the SEMA convention in Las Vegas, which is the largest automotive show of its kind. There, the company teamed with Lime Works Speed Shop, based in Whittier, Calif., which became the first ZeroWire customer in January.
In addition, ZeroWire is working with the U. S. Air Force in hopes of applying the new technology to surveillance satellites. With a large grant from the Air Force, ZeroWire has partnered with the University of Wisconsin Space Science and Engineering Center in order to test the performance of the technology in space.
According to Rake, the patent-pending technology of ZeroWire is the only one of its kind right now. Currently, Rake’s goal is for ZeroWire to become established.
“After we’re established, we’ve got many, many markets planned. We’ll continue to develop new versions. This has the potential of being very big.”
Clark is a student in the UW-Madison Department of Life Sciences Communication.
