Wireless Design Contest Opens Third Edition

For the third year in a row, Latronix's Wireless Design Contest is ready to roll. This year’s contest asks engineers, students, and hobbyists to develop a unique and practical wireless product using the company's latest MatchPort b/g, an 802.11 b/g embedded wireless device server module. Users of the module can add WiFi to virtually any device with a serial interface, providing remote access over the Internet. Last year's winner—Damien Hubaux and his engineering team at CETIC—designed the SAND (Smart Adaptable Network Device) System, a small autonomous communicating embedded system based on a "soft processor" in FPGA logic. Key Driving Competences, a Belgian truck company, uses the SAND system to acquire objective data about driver behavior to train workers and decrease fuel consumption. To enter, contestants should submit their application and concept through the company's website and later submit a working prototype. All entries must be received on or before March 3, 2008 and winners will be announced at the 2008 Embedded Systems Conference in San Jose. Prizes range from $2,000 for most likely to succeed to $6,000 for first place.