Wednesday, April 21, 2010

UW Startup Acquired By Belkin

A startup, Zensi, whose founders include a professor at the University of Washington, has been acquired by computer accessories manufacturer Belkin, Belkin announced today, as part of a push to increase its energy management products portfolio. According to Belkin, it acquired Zensi, a developer of technology that senses and monitors energy use, to move into the energy conservation market. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced. Zensi's founders include Shwetak N. Patel, who is an Assistant Professor in the departments of Computer Science and Engineering and Electrical Engineering at the University of Washington, along with Matthew S. Reynolds (Duke University), Gregory Abowd (Georgia Tech), and PhD candidate Erich Stuntebeck (Georgia Tech). Patel's research is focused on "Infrastructure Mediated Sensing" which uses existing utility infrastructure in a home to support whole-house sensing for demand-side energy monitoring.