Matsushita Selects emWare's EMIT Technology To Develop 'Smart' Commercial and Consumer Products

TASKING provides device networking tools and global support, helping Matsushita deliver Internet-enabled products to its customers

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - May 30, 2000 — emWare Inc., provider of the EMIT device networking infrastructure, announced today that Matsushita Electric Works (MEW), maker of National and Panasonic products, has signed a multi-million dollar licensing agreement with emWare. Under the terms of the agreement, MEW is using emWare's EMIT device networking software to add Internet connectivity for remote access, management and diagnostic capabilities to more than 500 of its building automation, medical device and home automation products.

MEW has formed a special project team committed to integrating emWare's technology into new and existing products. MEW already introduced its first emWare-enabled device, a health CARE Monitor, for use in nursing homes.

MEW was introduced to EMIT in Japan by TASKING in its role as worldwide master distributor of EMIT. In addition, TASKING, a member of the Extend The Internet (ETI) Alliance, is providing prototype and production development support to MEW for EMIT-enabled device applications.

emWare's EMIT technology is a cost-effective, open software architecture that does not require manufacturers such as MEW to use proprietary microcontrollers in their devices. emWare's technology allows any device made for homes, businesses and factories to communicate over any network, including the Internet, using any interface such as telephones, Web browsers, PDAs, databases or custom applications. As a result, MEW is able to integrate emWare's technology into its existing products replacing more costly, proprietary technologies and making it the common platform across a broad range of previously disparate systems. For example, remote network management of MEW's lighting controls, fire alarms and other building control systems will be unified using the EMIT architecture.

"Adopting the EMIT technology and working with emWare and members of the ETI Alliance represents a significant shift in the evolution of our products ," said Dr. Junji Nomura, Ph.D., operative officer of Electrical Construction Materials for Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. in Osaka, Japan. "We were looking for a cost-effective, open solution to add Internet connectivity to hundreds, potentially thousands of our products. emWare's EMIT technology, and TASKING's tools and support services offer the ideal solution for adding networking capabilities to MEW's products faster and more cost effectively than our previous methods. In some cases, emWare's solution is three to fives times less expensive than alternative technologies."

MEW's emWare-enabled CARE Monitor
MEW, TASKING, and emWare have developed the CARE Monitor in a cooperative development project. This product uses EMIT technology to allow remote monitoring of convalescent care centers. Remote video cameras are mounted in the individual rooms. The video images that are transmitted from the cameras are displayed on a user interface that is monitored by an attendant. The individual cameras can also generate alarms or alerts, which are displayed on the Web browser user interface with the appropriate image to represent the health issue. Using emWare's technology, and TASKING's tools and engineering services has allowed MEW to quickly and cost-effectively network and monitor the remote cameras.

"We are pleased to be working with Matsushita," said Michael D. Nelson, CEO and co-founder of emWare. "EMIT is the premier software for networking everyday devices. Combining EMIT technology and support from leading industry partners, such as TASKING, has allowed us to offer MEW a complete device networking solution that they can use across all of their product lines. Companies are looking for cost-effective ways to add connectivity to their products. The technology we bring helps MEW maintain its competitive advantage by providing their customers with more appealing products and new service opportunities."

"TASKING is delighted that the results of its collaborative efforts with emWare and MEW will result in a new generation of Internet-enabled products. TASKING has launched a major initiative through its sales offices worldwide to introduce the EMIT technology to companies such as MEW and to provide the quality development tools and applications development assistance needed to bring these products to market quickly," stated Scott Taitel, Chief Operating Officer of TASKING.

How EMIT Works
The firmware embedded in the individual camera controllers includes the emMicro portion of EMIT software-a small object server that in this case uses 3K of memory in the camera. A server that hosts the emGateway software communicates with the individual cameras via emNet running over Ethernet. emNet is emWare's networking protocol that allows device communication over any lightweight network, including RS232, RS485, IR, RF and Ethernet. emGateway is the software bridge and management system that connects lightweight networks and wide-area networks. EMIT also includes a development library called EMIT Application Interface Services (EMITAIS) that allows integration of any interface. The interface can be a standard Web browser using JavaBean objects, a spreadsheet using ActiveX or a PDA, phone, database or enterprise application.

About Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. (MEW) operates in the six product areas of lighting products, information equipment and wiring products, home appliances, building products, electronic and plastic materials, and automation controls. MEW takes an integrated approach to its operations which start with research and development, manufacturing, and sales and extend to proposals for product usage, installation and servicing. MEW's products range from home appliances to products and fixtures for homes, buildings, commercial establishments, public facilities, and factories. The MEW group of 39,121 employees includes 90 consolidated subsidiaries worldwide, ranging from production sites to research laboratories. The MEW global sales network is comprised of 213 sales offices and 2,482 agents. Visit MEW's English home-page at www.mew.co.jp/e-index.html.

About TASKING
TASKING, the Embedded Communications Company, brings together the software technology needed to compete in the embedded communications era. TASKING's award-winning integrated development environment, compiler, debugger, embedded Internet and RTOS offerings support a wide range of DSPs and 8-,16- and 32-bit microprocessors and microcontrollers for all areas of embedded communications. TASKING, founded in 1974, is a privately held company with headquarters in Dedham, Massachusetts, and engineering, sales and support offices in San Jose, California, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK. TASKING's 100,000 licensed users includes the world's leading telecom, datacom, wireless and peripheral manufacturers. More information about TASKING can be found at www.tasking.com and www.embeddedcommunications.com.

About emWare Inc.
emWare provides a device-networking infrastructure capable of making a wide range of devices found in homes, businesses and factories communicate with each other and with people. emWare's infrastructure enables OEMs to produce networked intelligent devices that allow their customers to make smarter business decisions and experience greater personal convenience and safety. emWare is the founder of the Extend The Internet (ETI) Alliance. This progressive group of technology companies is cooperating to provide complete, cost-effective e-smart solutions based on standard Internet technologies that enable any electronic device to be managed and controlled remotely over the Internet. Established in May 1996, emWare Inc. is a privately held company based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

TASKING, the TASKING logo and The Embedded Communications Company are trademarks of TASKING. All other trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.