New fabless subsidiary targets low power wireless technology

The company has secured investment and support from Imagination Technologies as a strategic partner for the business. The board of Toumaz will reorganise into two distinct businesses, with Toumaz UK covering health technology and solutions and Toumaz Microsystems covering integrated circuits for low power wireless communication. The latter company will focus on the design, development and sale of semiconductor chips for the embedded wireless connectivity market addressing applications in internet connected devices such as home and enterprise automation, healthcare and smart power. Toumaz will own 75% of Toumaz Microsystems, which it says will become the vehicle for all its wireless chip development and supply and has moved its silicon IC design team and related assets to the subsidiary. Imagination, which owns the remaining 25%, plans to invest £5million in the new organisation. Toumaz and Imagination believe that the combined resources will enable Toumaz Microsystems to offer a 'world leading' comprehensive connectivity solution for low power internet connected applications. The subsidiary will focus on developing a new multi standard connectivity chip, an ultra low power radio receiver and transmitter chip incorporating the new IEEE standard 802.15.6 and other relevant standards. It will be one of the first chips based on the new standard and will specifically target body area networks and a range of low power domestic consumer wireless sensor applications. Toumaz Health Technologies will focus solely on the healthcare and sport applications. Professor Chris Toumazou, Toumaz' chief executive, pictured, said: "Establishing Toumaz Microsystems is the next logical step for us, building a subsidiary for our radio IC chip development with investment and support from a strategic partner, Imagination. The rest of the Group, operating now as Toumaz Health Technologies, can then be focused on the applications for our technology in the healthcare and leisure arena. This brings clarity to the business and ensures our all-important silicon devices have a strong roadmap, are delivered in a more structured manner, and have the outlet and backing needed, both for our own healthcare business and also to exploit the huge global opportunities of connected devices." Hossein Yassaie, Imagination Technologies' chief executive, added: "The extended collaboration with Toumaz , and our support of its newly established subsidiary Toumaz Microsystems, is part of an overall strategy of developing strategic partnerships and supporting the growth of ecosystems which will drive and exploit the opportunities of an increasingly internet-connected world." The board of Toumaz Microsystems will consist of two members from Toumaz and one from Imagination. Prof Toumazou will become the Chairman of Toumaz Microsystems.