WiFi-based RFID chipset developer AeroScout Ltd. is set to be sold for $200 million. The Rehovot-based company, founded by CEO Yuval Bar-Gil in 1999, has 200 employees.
AeroScout is in advanced talks with a large multinational infrastructures company.
AeroScout originally developed Bluetooth technology under the name Bluesoft, before switching to radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and changing its name in 2004. The change in technology also involved a change in target market to consumer products and private users.
RFID tags have undergone substantial changes in recent years, as their size and price have fallen sharply. AeroScout focuses on state-of-the-art active tags that both transmit and receive radio signals, rather than passive tags that are commonly used for retail products. AeroScout's advantage is that its RFID tags can access local WiFi networks, so that instead of being limited to a transmission range of a few meters, the signal is picked up by the WiFi network and transmitted to a remote control center.
Aeroscout was unavailable for comment.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 6, 2012
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