NEWTON, Mass., July 6, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- With global security an ever-increasing concern, technology pioneer and entrepreneur Arif Diwan announced formation of Willigent(tm) Corporation, a new global venture to develop and market wireless telemetry and security systems for customers around the world. The company's first product, the Invisible Fence System(tm), is designed to help businesses and governments detect pipeline and border intrusions by terrorists, saboteurs, and more.
Diwan recognized that technologies used to serve wireless carriers could also help secure extended tracts of valuable assets. "These assets -- for instance, oil and gas pipelines and national border areas -- are typically located in remote, volatile areas where access can be difficult. Traditional security is frequently extremely expensive, if not impossible, but the alternative can be far more costly. Recent news stories peg pipeline disruption costs at $11 billion-plus in lost oil revenues."
Prior to becoming president of Willigent, Diwan was chief executive officer of Wireless Infrastructure Technology Services Corporation. He co-founded WITS, in partnership with colleagues from BBN Technologies (later a subsidiary of GTE and then Verizon (NYSE:VZ)), to provide wireless location technology engineering services and products. At WITS, Diwan soon realized that wireless telemetry could be used as the basis for an affordable, effective, efficient intrusion-detection system. With help from a seasoned team that includes wireless, networking, acoustics, security and business development experts -- and professionals from the energy and defense sectors -- Willigent is now bringing this security strategy to market as Invisible Fence. Hardware, software, and other aspects of the technology comprising Invisible Fence are based on research and development efforts led by Diwan at WITS over the past several years. The supporting intellectual property -- involving wireless telemetry, location, and acoustics for intrusion detection -- is patent-pending.
"In addition to potential partnerships with several key overseas players," said Diwan. "We are in discussions with several prospective customers as to how best to deploy Invisible Fence. One of these -- a strategic overseas prospect -- has expressed readiness to launch a $10 million pilot to determine how best to secure a high-profile asset in one of the world's most volatile areas."
About Diwan
An expert in designing and managing large systems -- and developing new business areas in leading edge technologies -- Diwan helped double WITS revenues, expand their customer base, forge partnerships with Qualcomm and Verizon Wireless, and identify opportunities in Pakistan in wireless location. He successfully directed and executed many high-profile projects at BBN, including a $40 million joint internetworking project with NEC, a PanAmSat (NYSE:PA) Content Acceleration and Delivery Network project, and expansion of the New York Stock Exchange Data Network.
The Rhode Island resident holds a U.S. patent for information distribution, has filed three additional patents in wireless and content technologies, and is filing several other patents in wireless data and location technology. He earned degrees in mathematics and physics from the University of London, and in computer science from the University of Houston in Texas.
About Willigent
Willigent(tm) Corporation, d/b/a Willigent Technologies, specializes in wireless telemetry and security systems for the global market. Headquartered west of Boston (Mass.) in the 128 high-tech corridor, the U.S. corporation also has offices in California, Asia and Europe. Based on patent-pending technology, Willigent's Invisible Fence System(tm) can detect intrusion 24/7 anywhere in the world, and transmit this information to remote Network Operations Centers, thus helping businesses and governments secure valuable, vulnerable assets on extended tracts in remote or inaccessible areas.
On the Net: Willigent site: http://www.willigent.com.
Download Willigent logo at http://www.willigent.com/PressCenter.htm.
Arif Diwan headshot at http://www.willigent.com/ArifDiwan_Photo.htm.