We are a technology company, focused on sensing and control, and have been in business since 1998. Our core competency is in solving particularly intractable engineering problems. We emphasize understanding the underlying mathematics of physical processes, and utilizing the latest available technology and research development.
FTV-11 fools prospective burglars by recreating the glow of a television for larger rooms EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., June 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — These days the average TV screen size tops 36 inches. There is a downside to all of those pixels: large flat screens are a target for thieves, because they are valuable and easy to […]
New Rain Sensor for Automated Window and Vent Closing
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — A new rugged and reliable rain sensor is being used to automatically close vents and windows. Limitations in previously available sensor technology has made this seemingly simple task very difficult. Hydreon Corporation of Minnesota has introduced the RG-11 Optical Rain Gauge. With the RG-11, applications such as greenhouses, agriculture, […]
Burglar-Deterrent Device FakeTV(TM) Is a Cost-effective Product for Safeguarding the Home
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Jan. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Most burglars do not target occupied houses, and most "know" that the flickering glow from an operating television means that someone is almost certainly home. But from now on, many would-be thieves are going to be misled by a burglar deterrent device, FakeTV™. A FakeTV simulates the light […]
Unwrapping a FakeTV This Christmas
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Many beloved relatives and friends will be receiving FakeTVs for Christmas this year. This is not at all like getting a lump of coal in your stocking. FakeTV is a crime prevention device that produces exactly the same sort of light a television produces. From outside the home, […]
Four Tips to Prevent Home Burglary While Traveling This Holiday Season
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Along with retail, the "business" of burglary also picks up during the holiday season. Burglars know they are likely to find easy targets as people head over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house. Here are a few simple tips to keep your house from looking […]
FakeTV Is a Green Way to Prevent Burglaries
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Oct. 25, 2011 — A burglar deterrent called "FakeTV" saves energy and might possibly save your possessions. FakeTV came into existence because Blaine Readler of California used to leave his television on every time he left home. He figured that if a would-be thief saw the flickering glow of a TV he […]
FakeTV Helps Travelers Prevent Burglaries
MINNEAPOLIS, June 21, 2011 — Every traveler knows that there is always a chance that he or she may come home to a house that has been broken into. Burglars target unoccupied homes, and leaving a home unoccupied is a part of the journey. Many savvy travelers now use a product called "FakeTV" that makes […]
New Rain Sensor Helping to Make Rivers Cleaner
MINNEAPOLIS, June 7, 2011 — You might have had the pleasure of driving a luxury car equipped with rain sensing windshield wipers. Recently, Hydreon Corporation has developed a new optical rain sensor that uses the same principles as automotive rain sensors, and is now being used to make wastewater treatment plants more efficient. The Hydreon […]
7 Burglary Prevention Tips for Your Summer Vacation
MINNEAPOLIS, May 18, 2011 — Warm weather is finally here, and you might be planning your summer vacation. Here are a few tips — some you might not have thought of — for making sure your possessions are still there when you get back: 1) Do not post about your vacation on Facebook until after […]
Don't Let Spring Break Become Spring Break-In
MINNEAPOLIS, March 9, 2011 — So, your family is counting down the days to your much-needed spring break getaway. Here are a few tips for making sure your possessions are still there when you get back: Don't publicize your vacation. Okay, your kids are really, really excited, but they must resist the urge to post […]
Top Ten Worst Valentines Gifts for 2011
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Feb. 9, 2011 — Have you ever received a Valentine's gift that made you think twice, and not in a good way? You are in good company. Rotten Valentines gifts are commonplace and range from the clumsy but well-intentioned to the downright nasty. The makers of a burglar deterrent called FakeTV wondered […]
What to Do If You Get a FakeTV for Christmas
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Nov. 22, 2010 — Many beloved friends and relatives will be receiving FakeTVs for Christmas this year. This is not at all like getting a lump of coal in your stocking. A FakeTV™ is a crime prevention device that produces exactly the same sort of light a television produces. From outside the […]
Neighborhood Watch Groups Tricking Burglars with FakeTV
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Oct. 12, 2010 — Neighborhood watch groups have a new way to encourage burglars to move on to the next neighborhood: FakeTV. A FakeTV™ is a device about the size of a coffee cup that produces exactly the same sort of light that a real television set produces. Viewed from outside the […]
New Optical Rain Gauge Kicks the (Tipping) Bucket
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Jan. 12, 2010 — A new optical sensing technology appears poised to change the way rainfall has been measured for centuries. Opto-Electronic Design, Inc. of Eden Prairie, MN has developed a optical infrared sensor that measures rainfall, the Rain Tracker RG-10 Rain Gage. The new rain sensor is about the size and […]
FakeTV Uses Advanced Optics to Thwart Thieves
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., July 30, 2009 — It may sometimes seem like the program content on your television is utterly mindless, but it turns out to be devilishly difficult to counterfeit it. A new burglar deterrent device, FakeTV, does just that: FakeTV produces exactly the same sort of light your television does. The idea is […]
World's Worst Television Picture
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., March 10, 2009 — A new burglar-deterrent device boasts the world's worst television picture. "FakeTV" is not really a television at all, but produces the exact light output of a real television set. So, FakeTV fills a room with shifting, pulsating, fading and swelling light in thousands of possible shades of color. […]
FakeTV: A Green Way to Keep Bad Guys Away
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Jan. 27, 2009 — Blaine Readler used to turn on his television every time he left home. He did this because an operating television makes a great burglar repellent. When a burglar sees the flickering glow of a TV through the curtains, he generally "knows" somebody is home, and he moves on […]
A New Way to Make Vacant Homes Look Occupied
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., July 21, 2008 — The housing market correction has left more than 2 millions homes vacant, making them prime targets for burglars and vandals. But now, an inexpensive new burglar deterrent device called "FakeTV" gives property owners a new and convincing way to make these homes look occupied, making them less likely […]
Television Simulator Baffles Burglars
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., May 19, 2008 — Ever notice the flickering glow shining from your neighbor's windows when they are watching television? Burglars use this as a cue that a home is occupied, so they know to move on to another target. But from now on, many would-be thieves are going to be misled by […]
