Agilent product developed in Santa Rosa receives award

<p>SANTA ROSA, Feb. 17, 2009 -- A vector network analyzer developed and launched by the Agilent Technologies wireless business unit in Santa Rosa won Electronic Products magazine's 2008 "Product of the Year" award and promises to deliver increased sales for the electronic test and measurement company, it was announced today.</p><p>According to Greg Peters, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Component Test Division, the new product reduces a rack of complex equipment to a small box that can be deployed to measure performance on a wide range of wireless communication devices.</p><p>"Not only is our product about half the cost of solutions in use by systems and system component manufacturers, it can be operated by a bachelor-level engineer rather than a PhD," said Mr. Peters.</p><p>The Agilent analyzer solves the problem of measuring non-linear behavior like signal reflection. The analyzer, a combination of rugged hardware and software, provides a critical leap in technology, letting designers for the first time efficiently and accurately analyze and develop devices under real-world operating conditions.</p><p>Designed in Santa Rosa and manufactured here and at the company's facility in Penang, Malaysia, the product is already shipping to customers.</p><p>"One told me, 'I didn't believe it was possible,'" said Mr. Peters, a long-time manager with Hewlett-Packard and Agilent.</p><p>The only one of its kind in production, the analyzer is expected to be adopted by the wireless and aerospace and defense industries worldwide, he said.</p><p>Earlier today, Agilent reported a 16 percent decline in revenue and said it would reduce its worldwide workforce by 600 positions, or 3 percent.</p>