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New generation of personal wireless - UWB - comes closer

Artimi is still not saying when it will have ultra-wide band technology ready - but it is preparing the way for such an announcement: it has said what software tools it will be using to design its UWB chips.

Artimi is a "fabless" semiconductor company, and it has announced an order for "a comprehensive range of Cadence's mixed-signal tools and services to accelerate time to market."

Ultra-Wide band got an instant credibility boost last year, when Intel decided to go for the technology. Up to that point, most people who were working on UWB were secretive about it, mostly because they were working on small, specialist contracts for secretive Government agencies, who still plan to use UWB to "look through walls" in espionage or surveillance assignments.

However, UWB also has the ability to produce a "personal area network" with the same sort of range as Bluetooth, and similar power consumption - but running very much faster.

Startup Artimi is developing low-cost UWB devices to enable a new class of consumer electronic products with enhanced wireless functions. As well as personal area networking, Artimi's complete UWB silicon solution aims to rival WiFi in the Wireless LAN market.

"Artimi Ltd is developing the next generation UWB wireless LAN chip. This is a demanding task involving both analogue and digital design. We have assembled a world-class team of engineers, and they need world-class tools," said Jack Lang, CEO. He then gave a nice plug to Cadence: "We selected Cadence tools after extensive consideration. Not only are they great tools technically, but we feel that working with Cadence will give us the most cost-effective solution for our present needs. Cadence has been most helpful and responsive for our technical requirements and tight timescales. We are delighted to be able to work with them as partners in the project."

Cadence then returned the compliment, as people tend to do in their own press releases: "Artimi already has a strong pedigree in the emerging UWB market backed by its highly regarded and skilled team of engineers," said Guillaume d'Eyssautier, vice president and general manager for Cadence Europe. "Our industry-leading technology and flexible business model enables us to support Artimi as it grows and brings product to market. This agreement demonstrates Cadence's commitment to the startup community, both in technology hotspots such as Cambridge and across Europe."

More about Artimi on the corporate web site.