Ambient Corporation and Itron have partnered to develop  a product called the Ambient® EDC module. The module allows legacy automatic reader systems to newer, advanced smart grid systems. The module is installed at strategic positions along the grid to pick up data from encoder receiver transmitter systems (ERT meters). This negates the need for drive-by meter readings and allows utilities to set up monitoring in real time.

In a press release, John J. Joyce, Ambient’s President and CEO, commented on the advantages of the system:

“The possibility of leaving assets stranded without a clear road map or without a viable option for incorporating such assets into a smart grid platform has prevented many utilities from deploying smart grid technology.  The new EDC module, developed with cooperation from Itron, gives utilities a critical migration path linking their legacy meters to newer advanced communications systems without stranding recently deployed assets. With greater than 60 million ERT meters in the U.S. alone, the market potential is very significant.”