Cambridge, Massachusetts based Ambient Devices -- which commercializes patent-pending technologies developed at the MIT (News - Alert) Media Lab -- has announced that former the CEO at Palm Inc., Carl Yankowski, will be heading the company.

 

Yankowski resigned as Palm’s CEO in 2001, as a reaction to Palm’s move to separate its hardware and software businesses, the company split its Platform Solutions Group -- the division that oversees the lucrative Palm operating system -- from its hardware business.

 

At that time he said in a statement, “With Palm's transition into two individual businesses almost complete, my role has changed, and it no longer matches my aspirations.”

 

The newly appointed CEO at Ambient (News - Alert), Yankowsk, will be taking the place of the incumbent CEO, David Rose, who said that he is leaving Ambient to pursue other interests. Though, he remains a shareholder in the company.

 

Rode had founded Ambient in 2001 along with COO Pritesh Gandhi and CTO Ben Resner, to create everyday products that display active information without a PC or an Internet connection.

 

“Ambient is enjoying significant momentum, and is at a great inflection point,” said David L. Rose. “With Carl leading the team, I am confident that our original vision for ambient information everywhere will become a reality for millions of consumers in the near future.”

 

Yankowski has also worked as president at Sony Electronics and as CEO at Reebok. “His consumer product experience will help Ambient build its consumer brand and roll out new mass market products,” the company said.

“Carl brings extraordinary experience, leadership and operational skills to carry Ambient to the next level,” Nicholas Negroponte (News - Alert), a Board Member and major investor of Ambient, said in a press statement.