Wi-Fi innovator Cees Links receives Lifetime Achievement Award

significant contributions to the Wi-Fi industry with the Design News 2017 Golden Mousetrap Lifetime Achievement Award. Presented Feb.7 in Anaheim, California, the award honors an individual whose career has been devoted to innovation in the advanced design and manufacturing industry.

James Klein, president of Qorvo infrastructure and defense products, said "Cees is passionate about building a smarter, more connected world--one where we can live more meaningful lives through the power of billions of interconnected devices. Many of the communications technology breakthroughs we use every day are the direct result of his unwavering commitment to this vision." 

Links is considered a pioneer in wireless data, advancing and integrating the worlds of mobile computing and continuous networking. He began his career at NCR Computers, where he was responsible for developing the world's first wireless local area network (LAN) product in 1990. He continued his innovative work in wireless technology under different companies, including AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Agere Systems, and in 1999 closed a deal with Apple that made wireless LANs a standard feature in notebook computers.

In 2004, Links founded GreenPeak Technologies, a fabless semiconductor company focused on wireless technology for ultra-low power, remote sense and control networks for consumer electronics. In 2016, GreenPeak was acquired by Qorvo.  As head of the Qorvo Wireless Connectivity business unit, Links leads the design and development of wireless semiconductor systems for connected devices, including advanced RF chips and software for smart home data communications and the Internet of Things (IoT).  Links helped establish the Wi-Fi Alliance, as well as the IEEE 802.11 standardization committee, which has become the basis for ZigBee® sense and control networking technology and standardization.

Learn more about Design News' 2017 Golden Mousetrap Lifetime Achievement Award and Cees Links' contributions to the industry here.