Echelon shows off "magic" carpet

Being the last demonstrator on Day 1 is a difficult spot to be in, especially as people get ready for the open bar at the exhibitor pavilion. But the folks at Echelon did a pretty good job of explaining its technology.

At first the demo was shaky, as they were explaining that their product name is the Pyxos Embedded Control Networking Platform. The platform is enabling technology that networks the constituent control elements of a machine -- sensors, actuators and other components involved with making machines work -- and then reducing assembly costs, enabling new features and functions.

To help explain this, the company officials had a "smart carpet" on the floor that contained sensors, and a graphical representation of that carpet on the computer screen. When someone walked on the carpet, an animation on the screen could show where that person was walking. The sensors could also detect when a corporate asset (such as a heavy safe) was placed on the carpet, and could trigger an alarm when the asset (safe) was removed. Furthermore, the system could detect when someone had fallen down, because of a lack of movement on the part of a sensored individual.

The number of applications are pretty limitless, and the demo did a pretty good job of explaining a concept visually to a crowd that was ready to hit the exhibit hall (and the aforementioned open bar).

• DEMO
• DEMOFall05