“The opportunity for low power embedded Wi-Fi is substantial and eclipses that of ZigBee, given the existing infrastructure that Wi-Fi-based networks can leverage and the lack of generalized demand for complex mesh networking among the majority of wireless sensor network (WSN) applications,” says Kirsten West, principal analyst with WTRS, the Mountain View, Calif., research firm. “If proponents of this WSN technology can stimulate the Wi-Fi Alliance to place attention on the WSN sector, with sufficient marketing focus, it is quite likely that low power embedded Wi-Fi will gain a strong and significant portion of the overall WSN market.”

  Applications include smart metering, home area network, and building automation, among others. More information at www.wtrs.net/lpewifi.htm