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VEMCO Delivers Receivers for First OTN Deployment

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, April 9, 2008 - VEMCO, a division of AMIRIX Systems Inc., announced today that they have delivered their first order of VR3-Underwater Modem receivers for the Halifax line deployment of the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN), a global collaboration of some of the world's leading ocean scientists headquartered at Dalhousie University.

"These units will complement an already existing VEMCO receiver install base of over 10,000 receivers worldwide, which includes the Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking (POST) project," said Sandra Greer, President & CEO. "POST served as the initial OTN prototype which reinforced that VEMCO technology could enable worldwide tracking solutions."

VEMCO's acoustic telemetry technology and products are unique in the industry and allow users to study in detail large-scale movements of fish populations in the world's oceans and freshwater environments. All VEMCO receivers are designed to detect any VEMCO transmitter allowing researchers across different projects to work together and leverage each other's arrays. VEMCO tags also come in a variety of sizes with unique digital ID codes, environmental sensors, and multi-year life options making them ideal for studying various species ranging from giant tuna to tiny salmon smolts.

Hailed as "the ocean's internet", the OTN will provide vast details about changing marine conditions and their impact on fish and other sea animals. With the help of VEMCO's innovative technology and products, OTN will improve scientist's ability to study, understand and manage the world's oceans as they face increasing threats of climate change and overfishing.

VEMCO, in collaboration with Dalhousie University, will continue to advance the technology of acoustic telemetry through ongoing development of even smaller tags, more sophisticated receivers and technology that integrates other forms of data collection.

"Through close collaboration between our engineering staff and some of the world's leading marine researchers, we aim to develop the most sophisticated, reliable data collection equipment needed to answer the important biological questions of the day," added Greer.

About VEMCO
VEMCO, a division of AMIRIX Systems Inc., is the world leader in the design and manufacture of underwater acoustic telemetry transmitters and receivers for biologists and marine researchers who are monitoring various fish species and marine mammals in the world's ocean and freshwater environments.

About OTN
OTN is a Canadian-led, global initiative to monitor ocean conditions and marine life response to those conditions and will be using VEMCO's unique receiving and transmitting technology. For more information, visit www.oceantrackingnetwork.org.

About POST
The Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking Project (POST) monitors the behaviour of marine animals through an array of listening stations along North America's west coast. VEMCO tags implanted in animals send out unique signals, which are detected by VEMCO receivers placed along the ocean floor. For more information, visit www.postcoml.org.

Contact:
Nancy Edwards
Marketing Communications Manager
AMIRIX Systems Inc.
(902) 450-1700 ext. 234


 

VEMCO and AMIRIX Announce Merger

Halifax, Nova Scotia, June 3, 2003 - AMIRIX Systems Inc., a provider of customized embedded systems design services, and VEMCO Limited, a market leader in the design and manufacture of underwater acoustic telemetry equipment, announced their merger today. In the deal, VEMCO becomes a division of AMIRIX.

According to Doug Pincock, Founder and Chairman of AMIRIX, the company has been evaluating various product concepts that would complement AMIRIX’s traditional design services offering.

"To merge with a world renowned company such as VEMCO that already has an established, profitable product line was just the opportunity we were seeking," said Dr. Pincock. "AMIRIX also has a long history of providing enhancements to the VEMCO product line and is well acquainted with the technology."

That history dates back some 30 years when Dr. Pincock, then a professor at the University of New Brunswick, developed innovative technology in the field of underwater acoustic telemetry. One of his student assistants who played a key role in the research was Fred Voegeli. This research generated such interest within the industry that Dr. Pincock encouraged Voegeli to commercialize the product and VEMCO was born. Their innovative design of underwater telemetry became the basis for a wide range of products sold around the world today.

Mr. Voegeli will remain as President of VEMCO and the company will continue to operate out of Shad Bay. He noted that the merger strengthens the companies from both financial and technology perspectives.

"The VEMCO product line has dramatically changed the way marine biologists conduct studies of fish migration and habitat utilization." said Mr. Voegeli. "AMIRIX is in a position to develop next generation products which will maintain the VEMCO leadership role in the marketplace, and provide for future growth at both VEMCO and AMIRIX."

AMIRIX and VEMCO are planning to acquire additional product divisions as well as finding and incubating complementary technologies. Sandra Greer, President & CEO of AMIRIX, says the companies share a vision about significantly growing the electronics sector in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada.

"We have many successful electronics and technology companies in our region and that is due in large part to the incredible pool of technology and business professionals available here," said Ms. Greer. "We are dedicated to growing our companies and making a positive impact on the local economy."

About AMIRIX Systems Inc.
Founded in 1981, AMIRIX provides custom embedded systems design services for electronic product realization. Core capabilities include high performance digital board design and integration, programmable logic design, and embedded software design. AMIRIX solutions are flexible, time-to-market efficient, cost effective, and are found in defence, aerospace and medical applications, as well as telecommunications platforms.

About VEMCO Limited
For over 20 years, VEMCO Limited of Shad Bay, Nova Scotia, has designed and manufactured underwater acoustic telemetry equipment for fisheries biologists and aquatic research specialists. Exporting to 50 countries worldwide, VEMCO’s primary area of expertise lies in providing customized underwater acoustic telemetry and tracking equipment to scientists studying the behaviour patterns of marine and freshwater animals.

Contact:
Nancy Edwards
Marketing Communications Manager
AMIRIX Systems Inc.
(902) 450-1700 ext. 234


 




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