DiscussionDiscussion

Ideal Data Acquisition DevicesIdeal Data Acquisition Devices

Mark J. MillardMark J. Millard

33RDRD NCRPIS IT BACKUP NCRPIS IT BACKUP

HINT!!!HINT!!!

There ain’t one in reality;There ain’t one in reality;

ONLY VIRTUAL SHHH!ONLY VIRTUAL SHHH!

Design of Ideal DeviceDesign of Ideal DeviceStart with Start with ClipboardClipboard

Weight ¾ lb. = 350 gramsWeight ¾ lb. = 350 grams Screen 8 x 11 or 8 x 14Screen 8 x 11 or 8 x 14 Bright off-white with dark Bright off-white with dark

letterslettersAddAdd

Character RecognitionCharacter Recognition WeatherizationWeatherization Lots of power – Lots of power – Solar charging?Solar charging? Make it wirelessMake it wireless

Add Alternate InputsAdd Alternate Inputs

Add an earpiece Add an earpiece and microphoneand microphone

Make the earphone smallMake the earphone small

Make the microphone Make the microphone unobtrusive and able to unobtrusive and able to filter out highways and filter out highways and lawnmowerslawnmowers

Make it wireless Make it wireless communicating with communicating with clipboard and databaseclipboard and database

Add More Alternate InputsAdd More Alternate Inputs

Add a barcode Add a barcode readerreader

Make it scan independent Make it scan independent of hands – Headset? of hands – Headset? Armband?Armband?

Make it scan barcodes in Make it scan barcodes in daylight from a distancedaylight from a distance

Make it wireless Make it wireless communicating with communicating with clipboard and on to clipboard and on to database -- feedback to database -- feedback to earpiece optionalearpiece optional

Add Good SoftwareAdd Good Software

Needs to be interactive at this time Needs to be interactive at this time with Microsoft and Oracle productswith Microsoft and Oracle products

What are your thoughts What are your thoughts on this design?on this design?

HP CalculatorsHP Calculators

Very few products Very few products available at this available at this priceprice

Software …. Should Software …. Should I say difficult.I say difficult.

Handheld HP 360Handheld HP 360

Interacted fairly Interacted fairly well with Microsoft well with Microsoft productsproducts

Presented a Presented a spreadsheet spreadsheet interface easy to interface easy to modify for any modify for any acquisition formacquisition form

HP Jornada 720HP Jornada 720

Screen could not Screen could not be seen in daylightbe seen in daylight

Handheld Itronix Fex21Handheld Itronix Fex21

Rugged – Water Rugged – Water and Shock and Shock resistantresistant

Medium weight 1 Medium weight 1 3/4 lbs / 790 grams3/4 lbs / 790 grams

Handheld Itronix Fex21Handheld Itronix Fex21Departure from IdealDeparture from Ideal

Medium weight Medium weight 27.9 oz / 1 3/4 lbs - 27.9 oz / 1 3/4 lbs - 790 grams790 grams

Screen 1/3 full Screen 1/3 full sheet of papersheet of paper

$800$800

Juniper Systems -Allegro CEJuniper Systems -Allegro CE

RuggedRugged Visible in daylightVisible in daylight Medium weight Medium weight

1.84 lbs1.84 lbs Medium weight Medium weight

1.84 lbs1.84 lbs Screen small for Screen small for

size of devicesize of device Price on sale 1,975Price on sale 1,975

Tablets Fujitsu SylisticTablets Fujitsu Sylistic

Screen size headed Screen size headed toward idealtoward ideal

Operating System Operating System Powerful - Windows Powerful - Windows Tablet XPTablet XP

Tablets Fujitsu SylisticTablets Fujitsu SylisticDeparture from IdealDeparture from Ideal

Heavy 3.5 lbs. Heavy 3.5 lbs. Light for current Light for current tabletstablets

Not ruggedNot rugged Screen not bright Screen not bright

and clear enoughand clear enough Cost high end of Cost high end of

laptops 2-3,000.laptops 2-3,000.

Panasonic Toughbook-18Panasonic Toughbook-18

RuggedRugged Daylight readableDaylight readable Almost normal Almost normal

keyboardkeyboard

Weight 4.5 lbsWeight 4.5 lbs Daylight readableDaylight readable Price $3,000-4,000Price $3,000-4,000

Last Year - Summer 2004 Last Year - Summer 2004 Palm Zire 72Palm Zire 72

Lightweight 4.8 oz. / Lightweight 4.8 oz. / 136 grams 136 grams

You can take pictures You can take pictures – 1.2 megapixel– 1.2 megapixel

Bluetooth connectivity Bluetooth connectivity to PCto PC

You can record voice You can record voice memosmemos

Good handwriting Good handwriting recognitionrecognition

$160-400$160-400

Palm Zire 72Palm Zire 72NegativeNegative

Battery Battery replacement?replacement?

Interactivity with Interactivity with Windows less Windows less preciseprecise

PDA to multiple PDA to multiple machines machines problematicproblematic

Currently Using on Maize Currently Using on Maize Project Summer 2005 - HP Project Summer 2005 - HP

iPAQ hx4700iPAQ hx4700 Lightweigt – 6.6 ozLightweigt – 6.6 oz Better than average Better than average

screen visibility in screen visibility in daylightdaylight

You can voice recordYou can voice record Good Handwriting Good Handwriting

recognitionrecognition Bluetooth connectivity Bluetooth connectivity

to PCto PC Removable batteryRemovable battery

Still Under EvaluationStill Under EvaluationHP iPAQ hx4700HP iPAQ hx4700

Looking for a good barcode Looking for a good barcode scanner optionscanner option

Still looking for better Still looking for better screen visibility – Brighter? screen visibility – Brighter? larger?larger?

Still looking for software to Still looking for software to easily move data into easily move data into Access and on to GRINAccess and on to GRIN

May not be the most May not be the most weather hardy weather hardy

$500-600$500-600

Things that have gone Things that have gone wrongwrong

Battery replacement impossibleBattery replacement impossible Cradle connectivity wears outCradle connectivity wears out Visibility in daylight absentVisibility in daylight absent Scratched screensScratched screens Single PDA to multiple computers Single PDA to multiple computers

problematicproblematic Abrupt loss of data when batter runs downAbrupt loss of data when batter runs down Not rugged, in fact delicateNot rugged, in fact delicate

Baracoda penBaracoda pen

Won’t read tyvek Won’t read tyvek barcode labelsbarcode labels

Still working on Still working on implementationimplementation

Things to look forThings to look for

1)1) LightweightLightweight2)2) Good daylight visibilityGood daylight visibility3)3) Long Lasting power – 12 hrs.Long Lasting power – 12 hrs.4)4) Wireless rather than cradle for data exchange. Wireless rather than cradle for data exchange.

Make the cradle connection not as critical Make the cradle connection not as critical5)5) Ability to record memosAbility to record memos6)6) Single PDA to multiple computersSingle PDA to multiple computers7)7) Software interactivity with Microsoft and Software interactivity with Microsoft and

Oracle products without expensive Oracle products without expensive investmentsinvestments