Aether Systems Inc. is involved in yet another joint venture launch, this time with Sylvan Learning Systems Inc., to introduce MindSurf, a company aiming to provide mobile computing infrastructure targeted at the education community.
The wireless education venture was created to link students, teachers and parents, as well as improve overall school communications in the K-12 area.
Aether partner Internet messaging firm Critical Path has joined the launch as well.
The MindSurf Network is touted as a way for students to gain access to information such as schedules, assignments, activities and education content like reference materials from wireless handheld devices. The content will reside at a central location with appropriate permissions needed to tap different resources.
At the same time, teachers will be able to communicate with students, parents and other teachers, as well as set access and privacy guidelines for the system. Parents may use the system to access their children’s records, such as attendance, grades, assignments and teacher comments.
Sylvan Learning Systems’ Sylvan Ventures e-learning division, which develops and invests in education technology companies, is providing the branded consumer education services and school district contacts. Aether is providing the wireless connectivity and Critical Path is offering the messaging capabilities.
Wireless technologies considered for the MindSurf Network include Bluetooth, localized cellular and digital broadcast.
Sylvan and Aether share majority ownership of MindSurf by contributing $29.4 million each for a combined 84-percent stake. Critical Path and other minority investors will own the remaining 16 percent.
Aether and Sylvan expect pilot programs to roll out in both private and public schools in the upcoming school session.
In other Aether news, the company’s European venture with Reuters, Sila Communications, has added another major smart-card-solution partnership by signing a worldwide licensing agreement with Schlumberger. The agreement calls for Schlumberger to host Sila’s compression software on its Simera Java subscriber identity module cards.
The focus primarily is on the financial sector, allowing stock trading and notification services.
