TORONTO, Ont. (May 5, 2004) - cStar Technologies Inc. announces its entry into the biotechnology lab equipment sector. cStar, a wireless data communication company, is proud to launch e-Dispense, a system that dispenses life science products like a vending machine. A wireless data connection allows the system to be located almost anywhere.

The e-Dispense system was designed to offer the vending machine convenience for laboratory, pharmaceutical and hospital settings. Inventory can be stocked at any temperature. Life science products such as reagents and enzymes can be dispensed from the machine's chilled or frozen storage conditions while hospital medications and instruments can be stocked at room temperature. Authorized users select and dispense restrictive products unattended anytime using personal swipe cards. A card can be assigned to dispense only select items from the machine based on the user's qualification and needs for inventory control. Wireless data transfer replaces manual stockroom record keeping. The manual process of supplying and documenting restrictive products to staff is inefficient and prone to recording errors. Wireless transmitters relay activity to suppliers and management for accountability (who is using what), inventory management, quality control, and supply chain management. Wireless allows e-Dispense units to be located anywhere and is not dependent on proximity or the need to install a wired network connection.

"cStar's entry into the life science, biomedical lab support-equipment sector was driven by an actual need from the labs looking for solutions such as e-Dispense," said Stella Yoon, president of cStar Technologies. "e-Dispense is a mix of cStar's wireless technology, software and vending machinery. Lab and institution managers can watch supply use while suppliers monitor inventory levels to automate a seamless supply chain, making sure crucial supplies never run empty." 

The e-Dispense system uses wireless local area network (wLAN) or wireless wide area network (wWAN), including the Internet in both instances, to facilitate remote monitoring and tracking of allocated products. Remote data collection and e-Dispense software allow information on inventory, sales history, users, dispensed products and machine performance to be clearly displayed in real-time online. Supply chain and manufacturing cycles can be formulated and established with actual trending data. The wireless data transmission relays information that streamline operational efficiency, improve inventory control and increase product sales for suppliers.

Highlights on e-Dispense:

- Wireless connectivity provides flexibility in the placement location of the machines

- Improve operational efficiency and supply chain management

- Provide suppliers with a 24/7 automated distribution channel

- Prevent product sell-out 

- Manage product shelf-life

- Securely store restrictive products in chilled or frozen environments

- Reduce transaction-processing time 

- Provide convenient 24-7 anytime access of products for authorized users

- Increase product sales with high brand exposure in the form of dispensing machines

- Temperature monitoring with power failure alarms to prevent inventory loss

"We want to be known as the wireless enabler for health sciences," said Ms. Yoon. "There are many ideas and much potential where wireless technology can play a supporting role. By fusing different technologies and applications together, you find useful new solutions that solve and improve upon the way things are currently done. Our upcoming application, the TrakR, is a retrofit solution incorporating RFID that wirelessly enables inventory tracking of products in conventional laboratory freezers, refrigerators and storage cabinets already existing in hospitals and research labs. Besides sharing the same technology platform, the TrakR offers the same customer benefits as the e-Dispense System."

The Stowers Institute for Medical Research is one of the organizations that have implemented the e-Dispense system

About cStar Technologies

cStar Technologies Inc. develops, manufactures and markets two-way wireless data communication products -- hardware, middleware and software -- for M2M (machine-to-machine and machine-to-men) and mobile-commerce applications. cStar's products and solutions enable communication between non-IT devices and IT systems, wireless data collection and remote monitoring and control of assets. With its patented technology and products, cStar offers a mixture of wireless LAN and wireless WAN solutions to help customers automate processes, conduct remote diagnostics, increase sales, and improve customer service. www.cstartech.com

For more information:

Ken Chiu

Icebreaker Public Relations

Ken@icebreaker.ca 

416-222-5350

Ghada Abou El Dahab

cStar Technologies

ghadaa@cstartech.com

416-739-8484 ext. 202