Fergie's Tech Blog

Heile resigns as head of contentious UWB task group

Patrick Mannion writes in EE Times:

After three years at the center of one of the most bitter standards debates in recent memory, Bob Heile has stepped down as chairman of the IEEE 802.15.3a task group working toward an ultrawideband (UWB) standard. Heile's resignation is effective immediately.

Heile spent much of his time negotiating between hopelessly deadlocked rivals, the WiMedia Alliance and a Freeccale-led group, ultimately failing to achieve a short-range, high-rate wireless connectivity scheme based on UWB technology.

"Under the circumstances, it was impossible for me to be both chair of the IEEE 802 working group and chair of the task group," he told EE Times, referring to the difficulty of having "to report to myself." During his tenure, Heile often became a lightning rod with one or other of the sides angrily questioning his decisions.

posted by Fergie @ 6/21/2005 07:02:00 AM