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 Weight ¾ lb. = 350 grams Screen 8 x 11 or 8 x 14 Screen 8 x 11 or 8 x 14 Bright off-white with dark letters Bright off-white with dark lettersAdd Character Recognition Character Recognition Weatherization Weatherization Lots of power – Lots of power – Solar charging? Solar charging? Make it wireless Make it wireless

Add Alternate Inputs Add an earpiece and microphone Make the earphone small Make the earphone small Make the microphone unobtrusive and able to filter out highways and lawnmowers Make the microphone unobtrusive and able to filter out highways and lawnmowers Make it wireless communicating with clipboard and database 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 independent of hands – Headset? Armband? Make it scan barcodes in daylight from a distance Make it scan barcodes in daylight from a distance Make it wireless communicating with clipboard and on to database -- feedback to earpiece optional 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 Needs to be interactive at this time with Microsoft and Oracle products

What are your thoughts on this design?

HP Calculators Very few products available at this price Very few products available at this price Software …. Should I say difficult. Software …. Should I say difficult.

Handheld HP 360 Interacted fairly well with Microsoft products Interacted fairly well with Microsoft products Presented a spreadsheet interface easy to modify for any acquisition form Presented a spreadsheet interface easy to modify for any acquisition form

HP Jornada 720 Screen could not be seen in daylight Screen could not be seen in daylight

Handheld Itronix Fex21 Rugged – Water and Shock resistant Rugged – Water and Shock resistant Medium weight 1 3/4 lbs / 790 grams Medium weight 1 3/4 lbs / 790 grams

Handheld Itronix Fex21 Departure from Ideal Medium weight 27.9 oz / 1 3/4 lbs grams Medium weight 27.9 oz / 1 3/4 lbs grams Screen 1/3 full sheet of paper Screen 1/3 full sheet of paper $800 $800

Juniper Systems -Allegro CE Rugged Rugged Visible in daylight Visible in daylight Medium weight 1.84 lbs Medium weight 1.84 lbs Screen small for size of device Screen small for size of device Price on sale 1,975 Price on sale 1,975

Tablets Fujitsu Sylistic Screen size headed toward ideal Screen size headed toward ideal Operating System Powerful - Windows Tablet XP Operating System Powerful - Windows Tablet XP

Tablets Fujitsu Sylistic Departure from Ideal Heavy 3.5 lbs. Light for current tablets Heavy 3.5 lbs. Light for current tablets Not rugged Not rugged Screen not bright and clear enough Screen not bright and clear enough Cost high end of laptops 2-3,000. Cost high end of laptops 2-3,000.

Panasonic Toughbook-18 Rugged Rugged Daylight readable Daylight readable Almost normal keyboard Almost normal keyboard Weight 4.5 lbs Weight 4.5 lbs Daylight readable Daylight readable Price $3,000-4,000 Price $3,000-4,000

Last Year - Summer 2004 Palm Zire 72 Lightweight 4.8 oz. / 136 grams Lightweight 4.8 oz. / 136 grams You can take pictures – 1.2 megapixel You can take pictures – 1.2 megapixel Bluetooth connectivity to PC Bluetooth connectivity to PC You can record voice memos You can record voice memos Good handwriting recognition Good handwriting recognition $ $

Palm Zire 72 Negative Battery replacement? Battery replacement? Interactivity with Windows less precise Interactivity with Windows less precise PDA to multiple machines problematic PDA to multiple machines problematic

Currently Using on Maize Project Summer HP iPAQ hx4700 Lightweigt – 6.6 oz Lightweigt – 6.6 oz Better than average screen visibility in daylight Better than average screen visibility in daylight You can voice record You can voice record Good Handwriting recognition Good Handwriting recognition Bluetooth connectivity to PC Bluetooth connectivity to PC Removable battery Removable battery

Still Under Evaluation HP iPAQ hx4700 Looking for a good barcode scanner option Looking for a good barcode scanner option Still looking for better screen visibility – Brighter? larger? Still looking for better screen visibility – Brighter? larger? Still looking for software to easily move data into Access and on to GRIN Still looking for software to easily move data into Access and on to GRIN May not be the most weather hardy May not be the most weather hardy $ $

Things that have gone wrong Battery replacement impossible Battery replacement impossible Cradle connectivity wears out Cradle connectivity wears out Visibility in daylight absent Visibility in daylight absent Scratched screens Scratched screens Single PDA to multiple computers problematic Single PDA to multiple computers problematic Abrupt loss of data when batter runs down Abrupt loss of data when batter runs down Not rugged, in fact delicate Not rugged, in fact delicate

Baracoda pen Won’t read tyvek barcode labels Won’t read tyvek barcode labels Still working on implementation Still working on implementation

Things to look for 1) Lightweight 2) Good daylight visibility 3) Long Lasting power – 12 hrs. 4) Wireless rather than cradle for data exchange. Make the cradle connection not as critical 5) Ability to record memos 6) Single PDA to multiple computers 7) Software interactivity with Microsoft and Oracle products without expensive investments