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Norwood, MA--- May 13, 2005--- Apogee Technology, Inc. (AMEX:
ATA), a global provider of integrated circuits and an emerging Micro-Electromechanical
Systems (“MEMS”) sensor supplier, today announced the
introduction of its Sensilica™ family of “all silicon” pressure
sensors. The Company believes its first MEMS products
have considerable size, cost, performance and reliability
advantages compared to existing solutions. In addition
to its first Sensilica product now being sampled to
customers, Apogee plans to introduce six new Sensilica
designs in 2005 to meet a wide range of pressure sensor
applications including industrial, consumer, automotive,
medical and HVAC.
The key advantages of Apogee's Sensilica sensors are
derived from the novel manufacturing approach and design
methodology that reduces sensor size by a factor of
four compared to most existing solutions. Apogee believes
that this simplified “all silicon” approach will significantly
reduce cost and improve the reliability by eliminating
the need to use multiple components to create a pressure
sensor. In addition to the size and cost benefits,
the Company expects Sensilica sensors to be very robust,
significantly reducing the potential of failure when
the sensor is subjected to excessive pressure levels.
“Sensilica's size, cost, performance and reliability advantages will place Apogee
in a leadership position in product innovation and value,” said Glenn Fricano,
Director of Apogee's MEMS Division. “The Company has under development, and intends
to offer, a broad range of Sensilica products providing our customers a single
source for all their pressure sensor needs.”
The total MEMS pressure market is expected to grow to $930M in 2007, according
to a leading market research company. Apogee believes that one key driver of
this growth may be a ruling issued in April 2005 by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration that will require automakers to incorporate tire pressure
monitoring systems by 2008. In the U.S. alone, 18 million light vehicles were
sold in 2004, which could represent a potential pressure sensor market opportunity
of over 70 million units per year.
The first Sensilica product is a 0-75 pounds per square inch pressure sensor
die. The design is ideal for original equipment manufacturers seeking low-cost,
high-performance absolute pressure sensing measurement in an extremely small
form factor. The Company has engineering samples available for immediate delivery
and expects to ship production devices in the second half of 2005. The Company
is also planning to introduce six new Sensilica pressure sensor products this
year to meet a wide range of pressure applications.
Sensilica pressure sensors are the first MEMS products to be released since
the formation of the Company's MEMS division in New York. Over the past year,
the Company has:
- Retained a MEMS development team,
- Established MEMS manufacturing and research partnerships,
- Signed a cooperative research agreement to develop
the next generation of Nanoscale sensors,
- Designed and released the first MEMS pressure sensor
product and
- Developed a MEMS medical device, which is currently
being evaluated for drug delivery applications.
About Apogee Technology, Inc.:
Apogee Technology is a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops
and markets silicon based products that incorporate proprietary technologies.
The Company's patented all-digital, high efficiency Direct Digital Amplification
(DDX®) ICs have been used by over 20 major consumer electronic brands
in a wide range of audio products. The company is developing new System-on-Chip
products using its analog and digital circuit designs and Micro-Electromechanical
Systems (MEMS) technology for the consumer, automotive, communications and
medical markets. The Company operates a worldwide marketing and sales organization
and has offices in the US, Hong Kong and Japan. For more information please
visit our web site at: www.apogeeddx.com/
DDX is a registered trademark of Apogee Technology, Inc. All other product
names noted herein may be trademarks of their respective holders. Certain statements
made herein that use the words “anticipate”, “hope”, "estimate", "project", "intend", “plan”, "expect", "believe" and
similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties,
which could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company
to be materially different from those that may be expressed or implied. Please
refer to the company's risk factors as set forth in the company's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its reports on Forms 10 KSB
and 10 QSB.
Contact:
John Gitelman
Apogee Technology
781-948-0149
jgitelman@apogeeddx.com
Copyright © Apogee Technology
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