BBN Technologies Named Innovation Influencer of the Year at the 2005 MITX Technology Awards; BBN Honored for Boomerang Mobile Shooter Detection System Currently Deployed In Iraq.

BOSTON -- BBN Technologies, an advanced technology and research and development firm, today announced that it was named the Innovation Influencer of the Year at the 2nd Annual MITX Technology Awards. The MITX Technology Awards recognize innovative technologies developed in the New England area, as well as the individuals and organizations responsible for driving these advancements. The Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX) is the region's premier association for thought leadership, technology trends, business networking and professional training and development.

BBN received the honor for its Boomerang Mobile Shooter Detection System which was developed for the Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and more than a half century of similar accomplishments. Boomerang alerts soldiers of incoming sniper fire to give them the opportunity to flee or return fire before they are hit. The Boomerang units attach to a vehicle and use seven small microphones, arranged like the spine of a sea urchin, to detect the shock wave in front of a speeding bullet. Once a sniper's bullet is detected, Boomerang's display panel, which is located inside the vehicle, alerts soldiers through audio and visual signals that a bullet has been fired, its direction and elevation. Boomerang is currently deployed on 50 Humvees in Iraq.

"I am pleased that MITX is honoring the dedicated team that worked through many nights, weekends, and holidays to deliver this life-saving technology quickly," said Tad Elmer, president and CEO of BBN Technologies. "Recognizing the potential significance of this project, the Boomerang team put in an extraordinary effort and produced a great result, so this recognition is well-deserved."

The Awards were presented last night at a ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel attended by 200 of the region's top technology and business professionals. Eight Massachusetts companies were presented with awards in technology categories including enterprise applications, network infrastructure & security, data management, mobility/communications and nanotechnology. Additional award honorees included Ronald L. Rivest, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT for the Lifetime Achievement Award. For a full list of winners go to http://www.mitx.org/technologyawards/finalists_winners.aspx

"In just its second year, the 2005 MITX Technology Awards have attracted some of the most distinguished technological innovations the region has to offer," said Kiki Mills, executive director of MITX. "It is this tremendous interest that enables our organization to accomplish its mission of uniting the brightest minds in the technology community and honoring outstanding achievement."

The 2005 MITX Technology Awards were sponsored by Backbone Media, Bank of America, Deloitte, and Nixon Peabody LLP. Media sponsors include Technology Review, ITWorld.com and Robotics Trends.

About BBN Technologies

BBN Technologies, an advanced technology and research and development firm, is focused on solving some of the world's most pressing problems. From national security, information security, speech recognition and language translation, to integrating disparate systems and networks, BBN has been at the forefront of technological change for over 50 years.

Known for pioneering the development of the ARPANET, the forerunner of the Internet, BBN continues to create advances in Internet and networking technologies through its work on ad-hoc networking, the semantic web, quantum communications, and advanced protocols. Building on its substantial list of firsts, BBN operates the first metro quantum cryptography network, the first real-time foreign broadcast monitoring system, and has developed the world's first stereoscopic digital mammography system. For more information, visit bbn.com.

About MITX

The Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX - pronounced my-techs) accelerates business opportunities and professional development for those who seek to create business advantage through the innovative application of technology and services. Serving more than 2,500 members from multiple industries including information technology, interactive, financial services, healthcare and nanotechnology, MITX is the region's premier association for thought leadership, technology trends, building business relationships and professional training and development. MITX also offers its members the chance to promote their companies to targeted audiences through sponsorships, speaking opportunities and networking. MITX is headquartered in Boston. For more information please call 617-227-2822 or visit www.mitx.org.