Motorola Rolls Out 'Star Trek' Communicator Device

Although Motorola is positioning the EWB100 Team Badge as a device that can be used primarily for retail applications, a badge that allows users to communicate with each other while keeping their hands free has a broad range of applications, such as warehouses and emergency response systems.

The EWB 100 is a voice-over-wireless local area networking (VoWLAN) technology that eliminates the need for companies to rely on cellular services for communication within a defined region, said Frank Riso, Motorola senior director for retail solutions.

Motorola is also rolling out a credit-card size CLP two-way radio that comes in a configuration that supports Push-to-Talk technology over a Bluetooth connection. Like the EWB100, the CLP two-way radio is designed to be a wearable device. Both a single- and four-channel version of the CLP are expected to be available in the first quarter, while a Bluetooth-compatible model will be available in the second quarter.

The EWB100, which can be integrated with other devices using Motorola technologies, is available now.