February 8 , 2001, 6:30 a.m. EST
 

Agilent Leverages Visualization Technology from AVS in Hot-Selling Optical Analysis Tool

(Waltham, MA - February 8, 2001, 6:30 a.m. EST)

Advanced Visual Systems today announced that HP spinoff Agilent (NYSE: A) employs AVS/Expressô software in its highly successful 8614X-series Optical Spectrum Analyzers (OSAs), which are used to test fiber-optics equipment both in development and in manufacturing. AVS/Express, a powerful visualization package developed by Advanced Visual Systems (AVS), serves as the graphics engine for the 8614X OSA series and provides rapid plotting of test results on the OSA's built-in screen

Agilent's OSAs enable manufacturers to test and characterize even the most complex fiber-based systems, including those that employ Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM). WDM allows the transmission of hundreds of wavelengths over a single fiber and has upped the ante in the fiber optics industry. WDM's rapid evolution, combined with fierce competition in the fiber-optics manufacturing sector, makes tools like Agilent's 8614X series indispensable to manufacturers.

Through both built-in and custom test sequences, an engineer uses the OSA to compare a system's throughput with established baselines, and can then immediately visualize the test results in the AVS/Express-based presentation. The engineer can use either a mouse and keyboard or hardware buttons surrounding the OSA's display to run tests and work with the data.

Mike Freeman, Agilent R&D Project Leader, commented, "The off-the-shelf availability of AVS/Express shortened our product development time and gave us access to a tool which allows us to more quickly provide measurement solutions to our customers. We have also been very pleased with AVS' support responsiveness and timely reaction to product enhancement requests."

Tim Dunn, AVS Vice President of Professional Services, commented, "Agilent's high-quality OSAs demand an equally high-quality graphical representation of the resulting spectrum analysis, and AVS/Express provides that quality. End users in the fiberoptics industry rely on this testing equipment to ensure that their products are up to spec at every stage of development, and can do so quickly and easily. We've worked very closely with Agilent since the inception of the OSA series and are very pleased with the product's great success."

AVS/Express has been used to visualize many different types of data in a wide range of configurations-extending from small and portable Agilent test systems to theatre-sized visualization facilities-as well as on Windows PCs and UNIX workstations from Hewlett-Packard, Digital, IBM, SGI and Sun. Over 1,000 worldwide customers and 8,000 licensed users rely on AVS/Express to bring clarity to complex scientific, engineering and business data through highly visual representations that facilitate rapid understanding and comprehension.

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About Advanced Visual Systems
Advanced Visual Systems (AVS) is an international leader in data visualization software and solutions that enable computer users to experience and interact with all types of business, scientific and engineering data. AVS offers a complete line of products that bring information to life on all major computing platforms using the latest in graphics, Web-based and collaborative technologies. AVS is dedicated to helping clients in nearly every industry speed the process of data analysis and decision-making. For more information on AVS call (781) 890-4300, write to info@avs.com, or visit www.avs.com. 

Information contained in this press release includes statements that are forward-looking. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1999, its most recent quarterly report on Form 10-QSB, the registration statement on Form S-4 filed in connection with the merger and other public documents on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.