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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