Handhelds have meanwhile found their way from the office into industrial warehouses and production facilities. Mobile data acquisition based on PDAs is increasingly replacing documentation using pen and paper. With its new, ruggedised series of i.roc x10-ex PDA models for industrial customers, ecom instruments has extended the application spectrum of these ingenious helpers and enabled safe, wireless communication even in hazardous areas.
In contrast to explosion-protected palmtops, whose interface is only allowed to be activated outside the hazardous area, the i.roc x10 -ex PDAs from ecom instruments provide three different methods of wireless data synchronisation with other devices located inside Ex zones – infrared interface (IrDA), WLAN 802.11b or Bluetooth. The latter two can be used simultaneously without mutual interference. It is possible to access the intranet or Internet via the WLAN, for example, while at the same time connecting up to a Bluetooth-enabled RFID reader. VPN software, WEP coding and Cisco LEAP support ensure a high level of data security.
In addition to facilitating intelligent wireless communication, the three i.roc devices are also optimally designed for use in heavy-duty industrial environments such as the corrosive, humid or dusty atmosphere of a chemicals processing plant. The industry-standard i.roc 410 PDA is extremely shock-resistant. Thanks to its ruggedised casing made of anti-static plastic, it can withstand a fall from a height of one metre onto a concrete surface without suffering any damage. It is also dustproof and waterproof (IP 65). The 510-Ex and 610-Ex models (IP 64) are likewise suitable for use respectively in Ex zones 2/22 and 1/21 (gas and dust), and have been granted the corresponding Atex certification.
The most striking improvements featured in the new industrial PDAs are the high-contrast, TFT display (64,000 colours) with LED background illumination and the ergonomically shaped casing. Inputs can be made using the pen and touchscreen, with a 5-way navigation field or by means of programmable keys. The PDA is equipped with a 400 MHz Intel processor and delivered with Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 as well as the PC pocket versions of Outlook, Word, Excel and Internet Explorer.
Bluetooth periphery for PDA
Bluetooth, the standardised short-distance radio technology, is ideal for simple and rapid communication between peripheral and portable devices in hazardous areas. Even with a low transmitting power of 1 mW, communication is possible within a radius of up to 10 m. Unlike infrared technology, for instance, radio transmission does not require a clear view between the interfaces. This alone was sufficient reason for ecom instruments to extend its already wide range of explosion-protected devices with Bluetooth-enabled components. These accessories, combined with the industry-standard PDA, open up a wide spectrum of applications in manufacturing and processing environments.
For the first time in process control, the Bluetooth RSB-Ex 1 adapter can now activate a transmitter in a hazardous area directly via a serial RS232 interface. The PDA can also communicate with a Bluetooth-capable, explosion-protected Hart modem.
Product identification
The i.roc PDA can additionally be used to increase efficiency in an existing ERP system (Enterprise Resources Planning). ecom instruments offers the handheld with an integrated Bluetooth barcode reader for this purpose. The PDA becomes a mobile data acquisition device and brings the ERP system to every workstation in the field, turning it into a real-time information system for all resource movements in the company.
Product identification based on RFID technology (Radio Frequency Identification) is even more sophisticated. Using an RFID chip, an object such as an empty container can be quickly localised without being touched. ecom instruments supplies the Bluetooth-enabled RFBT-Ex 10 that allows the chip to communicate with the PDA. The external pen gathers the information from a transponder up to 5 m away and sends it to the PDA.
Localisation with PDA, alarm by mobile phone
The explosion-protected Bluetooth MD-Ex 1 module fulfils two functions. Firstly, it can be used as an external GPS receiver in combination with the i.roc pocket PC. Users in the field can thus determine their exact position very easily via satellite or, for example, report the precise location of a pipeline leak.
Secondly, in combination with the Ex-Handy 04, the MD-Ex 1 with its integrated position sensor performs the role of a dead man’s switch. The device is attached to the user’s belt and a Bluetooth connection is set up to the mobile phone. As long as the person, i.e. the MD-Ex 1, keeps moving and remains in an upright position, nothing happens. However, if no movement takes place within a defined time period, for example 30 s, or if the device is lying flat on the floor, an internal loudspeaker sends out a pre-warning signal. If the position of the person concerned does not change after a further pre-defined time period of, say, 15 s, a position signal can be transmitted via the mobile phone directly to the company’s alarm management system or to the appropriate emergency service. The time required to track down an unconscious person is thus reduced to a minimum.
Hall 7, Booth F09
cpp 439
Definitions of Classes and Zones
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