Cooperation Creates a Single Supply Point for Avionics and Safety-Critical Graphics Devices, Software and Support

WOODINVILLE, WA - (Send2Press Newswire) - October 13, 2003 -- Seaweed Systems, Inc., a leading developer and supplier of OpenGL(R) and X Window System embedded graphics solutions, today announced that the company is distributing 3Dlabs'(R) Visual Processing Units (VPUs) into the avionics, automotive, defense and medical device markets. Seaweed has developed and provided drivers for 3Dlabs graphics processors in demanding embedded environments for several years. This agreement enables Seaweed to become a unique single point of supply and support for complete embedded graphics solutions. Seaweed will also sell stand-alone processors to customers who write their own drivers. 3Dlabs is a wholly owned subsidiary of Creative Technology Ltd.

"This distribution agreement is a significant milestone in Seaweed's continued growth," said Robert Schulman, president of Seaweed Systems. "It allows us to focus our vast embedded graphics experience on providing complete hardware and software solutions to our customers with insight and precision not possible unless silicon and drivers are available from a single source. We are leveraging 3Dlabs' products and design information with our experienced support and development resources to create a conduit for customers to make the most effective use of the latest COTS graphics technologies together with the necessary support for long-term deployment."

Seaweed has expanded its resources to provide hardware design support services, including graphics PMC reference board designs, to its customers who have standardized on 3Dlabs' graphics processors. 3Dlabs is supporting Seaweed by providing access to its latest driver sources and detailed chip and board design information to ensure that Seaweed customers receive the best possible level of technical support while deploying 3Dlabs' latest COTS graphics silicon in a range of embedded environments.

3Dlabs and Seaweed Systems have a long-standing relationship that has positioned the two companies as the pre-eminent sources of state-of-the-art graphics devices and driver software for the avionics and safety-critical embedded markets. The combination of 3Dlabs' VPUs and Seaweed's suite of DO-178B certifiable products, aimed at satisfying the growing demand for safety-critical COTS embedded graphics software, have secured a number of recent program wins.

"3Dlabs is fully committed to the embedded graphics market and through Seaweed we can enable unique integrated technology and support for our avionics, defense and safety-critical customers," said Neil Trevett, senior vice president of market development at 3Dlabs. "Seaweed drivers have been widely and successfully deployed with 3Dlabs' processors and this agreement is a natural extension of our business relationship. In particular, we consider Seaweed to have a significant lead in DO-178B certifiable graphics drivers, and we look forward to continuing our work with them to create unique and safety-critical embedded graphics solutions."

About Seaweed Systems, Inc.
Seaweed Systems provides software products and consulting services in the embedded X Window System and OpenGL(R) markets. Seaweed Systems' customers, which include BAE SYSTEMS, Boeing, EADS, Lockheed Martin, Radstone Technology, AITech, Elbit Systems, Ultra Electronics, Ericsson Avionics, General Dynamics, Rockwell Collins, Smiths Aerospace, Honeywell, L-3, NASA, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Synergy Microsystems benefit from Seaweed's unmatched price, performance, feature set and implementation schedules in the real-time embedded space.

They also benefit from the strong working relationships established between Seaweed Systems and other leading COTS suppliers in this arena such as 3Dlabs, Wind River, Green Hills, LynuxWorks, Radstone Technology, AITech, Synergy Microsystems, eNGENUITY Technologies, Altia and Centric Software. These relationships ensure that customers are provided with the most complete and advanced product solution possible for both certifiable and non-certifiable developments. Additional information is available at www.seaweed.com.

Certain matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could affect the Company's abilities to achieve its objectives and cause actual events to differ materially from expectations. Seaweed Systems is a trademark of Seaweed Systems, Inc. 3Dlabs is a registered trademark of 3Dlabs Inc., Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. OpenGL(R) is a trademark of SGI Inc. All other trademarks are acknowledged.

Organization Website: www.seaweed.com
Source of News: Seaweed Systems, Inc.

Washington Business Newswire / Aerospace and Defense Technology Newswire
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