Zensor becomes UAA's first start up company, long lifespan sensors for monitoring remote property

Electrical engineering professor John Lund with sensor.

The University of Alaska Board of Regents announced Friday that the University of Alaska Anchorage launched its first ever startup company, Zensor™. The company was established in February 2013 by UAA Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Studies Dr. Helena Wisniewski, and faculty inventor Dr. John Lund, a UAA electrical engineering professor.

Zensor™ LLC, a Seawolf Holdings company, offers a new generation of wireless sensors for use in remote monitoring, asset management, surveillance and security. The long-lasting sensors––boasting a 50-plus year lifespan––present several advantages over current competitors on the market: no batteries required, effective with a small power source, maintenance free, low cost and more.

The idea for Zensor™ came from Professor Lund’s observation of remote monitoring needs for the maintenance and management of assets in the harsh arctic environment. “Zensor™ sensors are intended to make monitoring remote infrastructure cheap, easy and reliable,” Lund says. He explains that the small sensors are filled with tiny circuits that can be customized to detect humidity, water flow, temperature, tilt, sound and a number of other useful criteria based on the customer’s needs.

Dr. Wisniewski developed a business infrastructure for commercialization of innovative faculty and student research, which was approved by the Board of Regents in August 2012. This infrastructure includes Seawolf Holdings and Seawolf Venture Fund, which provides seed money for startups.

“This is an exciting time for UAA,” says UAA Chancellor Tom Case. “This endeavor is just one example of how our faculty are exploring ideas and practical solutions to local and global challenges. We are a leading force, making a difference in new technologies and new hope for the future.”

Read more about Professor Lund’s work. For more information about Zensor™, contact Dr. Helena Wisniewski at hswisniewski@uaa.alaska.edu or Dr. John Lund at jalund@uaa.alaska.edu.