240 likes | 354 Views
Discussion. Ideal Data Acquisition Devices Mark J. Millard 3 RD NCRPIS IT BACKUP. HINT!!!. There ain’t one in reality; ONLY VIRTUAL SHHH!. Design of Ideal Device. Start with Clipboard Weight ¾ lb. = 350 grams Screen 8 x 11 or 8 x 14 Bright off-white with dark letters Add
E N D
Discussion Ideal Data Acquisition Devices Mark J. Millard 3RD NCRPIS IT BACKUP
HINT!!! There ain’t one in reality; ONLY VIRTUAL SHHH!
Design of Ideal Device Start with Clipboard • Weight ¾ lb. = 350 grams • Screen 8 x 11 or 8 x 14 • Bright off-white with dark letters Add • Character Recognition • Weatherization • Lots of power – • Solar charging? • Make it wireless
Add Alternate Inputs Add an earpiece and microphone • Make the earphone small • Make the microphone unobtrusive and able to filter out highways and lawnmowers • Make it wireless communicating with clipboard and database
Add More Alternate Inputs Add a barcode reader • Make it scan independent of hands – Headset? Armband? • Make it scan barcodes in daylight from a distance • Make it wireless communicating with clipboard and on to database -- feedback to earpiece optional
Add Good Software • Needs to be interactive at this time with Microsoft and Oracle products
HP Calculators • Very few products available at this price • Software …. Should I say difficult.
Handheld HP 360 • Interacted fairly well with Microsoft products • Presented a spreadsheet interface easy to modify for any acquisition form
HP Jornada 720 • Screen could not be seen in daylight
Handheld Itronix Fex21 • Rugged – Water and Shock resistant • Medium weight 1 3/4 lbs / 790 grams
Handheld Itronix Fex21Departure from Ideal • Medium weight 27.9 oz / 1 3/4 lbs - 790 grams • Screen 1/3 full sheet of paper • $800
Juniper Systems -Allegro CE • Rugged • Visible in daylight • Medium weight 1.84 lbs • Medium weight 1.84 lbs • Screen small for size of device • Price on sale 1,975
Tablets Fujitsu Sylistic • Screen size headed toward ideal • Operating System Powerful - Windows Tablet XP
Tablets Fujitsu SylisticDeparture from Ideal • Heavy 3.5 lbs. Light for current tablets • Not rugged • Screen not bright and clear enough • Cost high end of laptops 2-3,000.
Panasonic Toughbook-18 • Rugged • Daylight readable • Almost normal keyboard • Weight 4.5 lbs • Daylight readable • Price $3,000-4,000
Last Year - Summer 2004 Palm Zire 72 • Lightweight 4.8 oz. / 136 grams • You can take pictures – 1.2 megapixel • Bluetooth connectivity to PC • You can record voice memos • Good handwriting recognition • $160-400
Palm Zire 72Negative • Battery replacement? • Interactivity with Windows less precise • PDA to multiple machines problematic
Currently Using on Maize Project Summer 2005 - HP iPAQ hx4700 • Lightweigt – 6.6 oz • Better than average screen visibility in daylight • You can voice record • Good Handwriting recognition • Bluetooth connectivity to PC • Removable battery
Still Under EvaluationHP iPAQ hx4700 • Looking for a good barcode scanner option • Still looking for better screen visibility – Brighter? larger? • Still looking for software to easily move data into Access and on to GRIN • May not be the most weather hardy • $500-600
Things that have gone wrong • Battery replacement impossible • Cradle connectivity wears out • Visibility in daylight absent • Scratched screens • Single PDA to multiple computers problematic • Abrupt loss of data when batter runs down • Not rugged, in fact delicate
Baracoda pen • Won’t read tyvek barcode labels • Still working on implementation
Things to look for • Lightweight • Good daylight visibility • Long Lasting power – 12 hrs. • Wireless rather than cradle for data exchange. Make the cradle connection not as critical • Ability to record memos • Single PDA to multiple computers • Software interactivity with Microsoft and Oracle products without expensive investments