When your product helps light up the crowd at a Coldplay concert, you know you’re cool.
And Silicon Laboratories in Austin has created embedded technology that powers Xylobands LED wristbands that thousands of Coldplay audience members wear to the band’s concerts.
The actual Xylobands use wireless ICs and ultra low power microcontrollers from Silicon Labs to receive and process wireless signals that trigger each wristband’s LEDs to light up in sync with the music and stage lightshow, according to Silicon Labs.
A Coldplay Fan, Jason Regler, created the Xylobands to bring audience interaction to the concerts. He is co-owner of RB Concepts, based in the U.K., the maker of the Xylobands.
The wireless LED wristbands can be controlled remotely through special software and a laptop computer connected to a radio transmitter. The technology lets fans be a part of the show.
Tag: Silicon Laboratories
Ember acquired by Silicon Laboratories – on.mktw.net/Jrlvop – Ember: MIT-spun, Polaris-backed, Boston-based leader in ZigBee networking.
— Bob Metcalfe (@BobMetcalfe) May 21, 2012
Austin-based Silicon Laboratories has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Boston-based Ember Corp. for $72 million.
Ember makes chips, hardware and software used in wireless smart meters for and the home.
“This acquisition of a high-caliber team with proven wireless mesh networking know-how accelerates our ability to offer complete system solutions to our customers,” Tyson Tuttle, president and CEO of Silicon Laboratories, said in a statement.
“We believe our track record and technology leadership in ZigBee-based systems combined with Silicon Labs’ broad portfolio and focus on establishing a market-leading business in embedded wireless will enable our customers and the Internet of Things market to grow faster,” said Bob LeFort, chief executive officer of Ember.
Ember is expected to contribute approximately $10 million to $12 million in revenue in the second half of 2012. Ember has approximately 60 employees worldwide.
