The PDRC works seamlessly with other Toughbook mobile computers, providing a secure and ergonomic system for transferring mission-critical data in the field.  In addition, the PDRC also helps broaden the functionality of ultra-mobile devices to include activities like writing detailed reports.  Public safety users also have the ability to mount the PDRC independently from the connected Toughbook mobile computer for easy viewing and access.

Take a look at this recent post for more info about how one agency, the Tulsa Police Department, is utilizing PDRCs with rugged Toughbook U1 handhelds.   If you’re attending the APCO International Annual Conference in Houston next week, be sure to stop by the Panasonic booth (#923) to see the new PDRC as well.

Meeting specific criteria is daunting and for an EMR project to be truly effective and compliant with official regulations it will require a reliable mobile computing solution that offers security options like fingerprint scanners and smartcard readers. Durability is also a critical element in order to withstand inevitable bumps, drops and spills at the point of care.

I recently discussed critical points for EMR deployments in a blog post titled ‘It’s All About The System…’ The post is worth reading if you are in the process of rolling out an EMR and in search of tips for a successful IT system.

Kinetic finished the Vic-Maui International Yacht Race.  We won our class and the race overall.  We sailed against some keen, experienced competitors and the outcome was in doubt until very late in the race.  This year’s race was quite windy and fairly rough, making for some fast, exciting sailing.

Our team of five adults and four teens did a great job of staying focused and working hard for the entire twelve days of the race.  They also kept up a great sense of humor and had a lot of fun!  Contributing significantly to our win was getting the weather and course decisions right; for this, we used an electronics system including instrumentation, communications and navigation equipment, at the center of which was our Panasonic CF-30 Toughbook.  Impossibly reliable!

Regards,

Kinetic.

A recent study by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology found that the U.S. construction and engineering industry is losing over $15 billion per year as a result of the industry’s continued paper-based business processes, lack of standardization and overall lack of consistent approach to technology deployment among leading organizations.[1]

As construction firms begin to embrace mobile technology to enhance efficiency on the job site, it is critical that they have the right technology in place. Rugged tablet PCs are the ideal mobile device, as they are very portable and have touchscreen capabilities that are favorable for forms-based data entry and work in conjunction with software solutions designed for the market. However, a tablet used on the job site should be MIL-STD-810G certified and IP65 rated in order to survive drops of up to six feet, dust, vibrations and extreme weather. Tablet computers like the Toughbook H1 Field have integrated features, such as a barcode scanner, RFID reader, GPS, camera and mobile broadband that eliminate the need for multiple devices and provide additional resources for data and image capture in the field.

For more information on tablet PCs for the construction market and how to deploy the total solution – hardware and software – for the job site, you can read my article with software partner, Vela Systems, on ForConstructionPros.com here.

The editor sent us a list of tests he wanted to put the 31 through, including placing the device in an oven, covering it in ice, dropping it three feet to a hard surface, dropping objects onto the screen and strapping it to an ATV for a little off-roading.

We agreed, suggested a few more extreme tests and waited for the results.

After testing ruggedized laptops from Dell, HP, Lenovo and Panasonic, Inc. selected its “Best Rugged Laptop”. Can you guess who won? The Toughbook 31, of course.

Having brought to market the first reasonably priced, standard form-factor, rugged PC back in 1995, we have a lot of expertise in this mobile computer space. It is, in fact, our only focus. Combining our commitment to quality with a market specific focus results in the development of products that our customers rely on, even in the most demanding of conditions.

To be fair, only the Dell Latitude E6400 XFR was a direct competitor to the fully-rugged Toughbook 31. The HP and Lenovo fall into the business-rugged category.

HP and Lenovo, if you are listening, we’re happy to put our Toughbook C1 or F9 up against any of your business-rugged devices!  How about we test drop and spill resistance – the two most common causes of failure?  We can also compare battery life, weight, ergonomics and performance.  We think we’ll hold up very nicely.  Do you have that same confidence?  You know where to find us.

With our current economic climate, it’s no surprise that the survey results place an emphasis on reducing overhead and controlling expenses. Not surprisingly, respondents showed an increased commitment to mobile technology in supply chains.

According to the survey, 81% of respondents are already using or planning to evaluate mobile solutions in their operations. In fact, most of the responding organizations are planning to spend at least the same amount as last year, if not more, on mobile technologies. Furthermore, one-half of organizations consider wireless technologies, like RF scanners and GPS, to be essential in developing their supply chain operations.

So what’s the bottom line? According to the survey, mobile solutions are “key drivers in helping organizations achieve supply chain proficiency.” Increased accuracies, productivity and cost savings came through as clear benefits for the supply chain. Other benefits included improved customer service and savings on labor and resources.

But not all mobile computers are ideal for the supply chain market. There are a number of key issues that supply chain managers must consider when evaluating mobile technology for their operations. For instance, the functionality of the device, such as its battery life, weight, ergonomics, screen viewability (in direct sunlight) and operating system can have a direct impact on employee efficiency and support costs. In fact, the operating system is a significant consideration. Having a full Windows OS dramatically simplifies the process of integrating mobile technology with the corporate backend, resulting in substantial savings.

Another consideration is a device’s embedded features, like a barcode reader, RFID scanner, camera, wireless connectivity and GPS. All these technologies can improve communication as well as increase the accuracy and level of data that is available at any given time. Having these features integrated into a single unit eliminates the complications associated with having your workforce – and IT department – manage multiple devices.

Finally, durability plays an important role in reducing hardware failure and downtime from IT departments, and any associated costs. Mobile computers must be rugged enough to survive drops of up to six feet, dust, vibrations and extreme temperatures and weather. When purchasing a mobile computer, consider a device that is MIL-STD-810G certified and IP65 rated to ensure reliability in these harsh conditions. Also, ask manufacturers for audited failure rate data and look for devices that fail less than five percent of the time. If someone can’t, or won’t provide this information, it’s best you consider a different device.

Panasonic has a number of mobile computers that are optimized for the supply chain setting, including the Toughbook U1 rugged handheld computer, the fully-rugged Toughbook 19 convertible tablet and Toughbook H1 Field handheld tablet.

Please join David and his team on this exciting adventure. We wish them smooth sailing on the path to victory. We look forward to receiving their guest-blog updates throughout the course of the race.

More information on David, KINETIC and the race:

David, skipper of KINETIC, has sailed in a number of long distance and ocean races including two Vic-Maui’s, three Van Isle 360’s and two Sydney Hobart’s. He currently serves as a corporate director and was previously an executive with wireless data leaders Motorola and Sierra Wireless.

KINETIC is a Beneteau First 47.7 and hails out of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club in Vancouver, Canada. Her sailing program includes inshore and offshore sailboat racing with PHRF, ORC Club and IRC ratings, Pacific Ocean racing and local cruising in the Pacific Northwest. We strive for a well-rounded program: boat preparation, crew teamwork and tactics. Races include Southern Straits, Swiftsure, Vic-Maui, VARC events, Snowflake series and the Van Isle 360.

KINETIC in the 2010 Vic-Maui Race
Sailing for the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, the third entrant for the 2010 Vic-Maui race is KINETIC, a Beneteau First 47.7. David hails from North Vancouver, BC and the Kinetic team is returning to the Vic-Maui race after participating in the 2004 and 2006 races. Following the 2006 Vic-Maui race, KINETIC sailed onward to Australia, competed in the 2006 Sydney Hobart race and then sailed home, a round trip of over 17,000 nautical miles. Filing KINETIC‘s entry papers early, David comments “This will be our third ocean race to Hawaii and we’re in it for the challenge, adventure and teamwork, and the great parties in Lahaina!”

With a new football season around the corner, the Parking Services Department for Texas Tech University (TTU) faced a serious problem. During the previous season, parking lots surrounding the 52,000-seat Jones AT&T Stadium had been regularly accessed by cars without proper passes, because duplicates were difficult to identify. Complaints from alumni unable to park even with legitimate passes were getting louder.

Much of TTU’s issues could be traced to the limitations of its enforcement officers’ handheld computers. They were difficult to operate, couldn’t be used in the rain, and were easily damaged when dropped. Battery life was short, requiring someone to constantly seek out and replace dead units throughout game days. Without wireless connectivity, there was also no way to track usage in real time.

As the second-largest contiguous university campus in the United States, TTU has 30,000 students and covers more than 1,800 acres. More than a quarter of Parking Services’ $4 million annual revenue is derived from citations, and the university needed reliable technology and rapid information-sharing to ensure it could document each infraction – especially during home football games.

Building a Solution with Versatile Ultra-Mobile PCs
After extensive testing, TTU decided to equip enforcers with the Panasonic Toughbook® U1, an extremely rugged ultra-portable computer with a 5.6” sunlight-viewable screen. With a six-foot drop rating and IP65-certified protection from dust and moisture, the U1 could be counted on to work in any condition.

“We were very impressed with the U1’s rugged capabilities, and the ability to run a full Windows Vista operating system enabled us to quickly develop a custom application for enforcers,” said Stephen Lambert, Manager of Information Systems for TTU Parking Services. “We utilized the U1’s built-in barcode scanner and touchscreen to create an easy-to-use program ensuring every car was accounted for and verified.”

Using the U1’s embedded mobile broadband capabilities and AT&T’s wireless network, TTU set its devices to automatically synch with their servers every five minutes. From a central control room, they were then able to monitor exactly how full each parking lot was as well as  battery life and network status for each U1 being used.

“We had a much more positive response from football fans parking on campus this season, thanks in no small part to the solution we rolled out with the Toughbook U1s,” said Eric Crouch, Managing Director of TTU Parking Services. “We have since deployed U1s to parking enforcers patrolling campus on a year-round basis, and are seeing valuable returns through more efficient and effective processes.”

View the TTU Parking Services U1 case study:

Additional mobile enforcement case studies for the Public Sector can be found here.

(Photo Credit: Kevin Burkett / Flickr)

Market research company Input has released a report identifying cloud computing and geospatial technologies as two technology trends that are set to transform the federal government. In the same vein, last year Federal CIO Vivek Kundra announced the launch of Apps.gov, a GSA-operated Web site that government agencies can use to both install and purchase cloud computing applications.

Ultimately, Input’s study shows that the federal cloud computing market will grow from $370 million in 2009 to $1.2 billion in 2014. The federal government’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will require agencies that do not employ cloud computing solutions to explain why before they obtain funds from the fiscal 2012 budget. By 2013, federal agencies will need to create reports for the OMB showing how they plan to move to cloud computing.

Over the same timeframe, the federal market for geospatial technology is expected to increase from $860 million to $1.4 billion. Manufacturers designing mobile computers for the Federal Government’s use are continually looking to leverage geospatial technology for situational awareness, safety, modern warfare, etc. An article from Geospatial Intelligence Forum discussed the Army Intelligence and Security Command’s (INSCOM) reliance on geospatial technology and applications:

“Now more than ever, U.S. military and civilian leaders around the world rely on accurate, timely and focused intelligence information to make strategic and tactical real-time decisions that directly impact military and civilian personnel in hundreds of locations worldwide. This has never been more critical to mission success than today, as hundreds of thousands of military, civil service and contract employees are deployed globally supporting contingency and strategic military operations.”

Panasonic Solutions Company has been at the forefront of technological change since 1993, adapting to the mission-critical needs of its customers. With extensive embedded wireless capabilities, Toughbook computers are optimal tools for cloud computing and geospatial applications. We will continue working hand-in-hand with federal and military customers to take advantage of new trends and keep them prepared, informed and safe.

Cpl. Will Dalsing with Toughbook U1 and PDRC (Photo Credit: JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World)

The Tulsa Police Department recently began implementing Toughbook U1 rugged ultra-mobile computers running a full Windows operating system as a more portable and efficient option.  When paired with the Toughbook PDRC in their vehicles, Tulsa now has the ability to work effectively from any location.

Take a look at Tulsa Police Department’s story from a recent Tulsa World article discussing their jump to ultra-mobile solutions. We’re also very interested in hearing from first responders about your own deployment stories.