University of Michigan (U-M) researchers have developed an ultra low power microchip which ‘uses 30,000 times less power in sleep mode and 10 times less in active mode than comparable chips now on the market.’ It only consumes 30 picowatts in sleep mode, which means that a simple watch battery could power the chip for more than 200 years. Of course, this is not a processor for your next computer. It is designed for sensor-based devices such as medical implants, environment monitors or surveillance equipment. However, the design is very clever.

Read more here.

The Wireless Sensor Networks Research Group is looking for researchers and developers who want to investigate using the Libelium mote and mesh router platforms. This group is a link between people with heterogeneous research interestsfor getting the most of wireless sensor networks improvements.

All the members of this group are concerned about the importance of open source projects when sharing and spreading knowledge. The open source concept applies to use open routing protocols for ensuring interoperability among networks and open monitoring and test platforms. On one hand, this kind of projects make it possible to join people from
all over the world working together and making faster developments due to the use of a common platform. On the other hand, open source philosophy makes technology affordable for developing countries.

Thus, people who has ideas but no resources can also research and contribute to the Community.

The main group activities are:

• Development of real WSN projects (in conjunction with other members)
• Articles and papers publications about the research work done (weekly update in the website)
• Conferences, meetings, workshops to coordinate the research

The group members can access to the current and upcoming (!) Libelium mote technology at special conditions.
All the info: http://www.sensor-networks.org
There is also a similar group which is being created now and which is focused in the Mesh Networks field: http://www.mesh-networks.org

ARCH ROCK has released a module allowing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and system integrators to embed its wireless sensor network (WSN) technology into their products.
According to the company, its WSN technology is based on ubiquitous Internet standards and can be folded into existing IT infrastructure. PhyNet OEM Edition is a hardware/software module which will allow solution providers to wirelessly connect a range of devices previously offline or connected via wires.

For more information click here

The RF4CE Consortium is hoping to make next generation remote controls for TVs, DVDs, and set top boxes painfully simple. The group has been formed in order to “drive the adoption of an open radio frequency (RF) entertainment control specification based on IEEE 802.15.4″. More information here.

An interesting video about Participatory Sensing: