Toughbook Universe

This story is courtesy of http://jkontherun.com/

There is something about little boys and fire trucks that get the imagination working in overdrive. Those big red trucks create a sense of wonder and growing up doesn’t end that wonder. A friend of the family, who I won’t name so he won’t get in trouble, offered to meet me at the local fire station to give a tour of the equipment. My grandkids are in town visiting me and it was the perfect opportunity to give them a thrill of a lifetime, so off we went recently to the firehouse. I did it for the kids — sure I did. I was thrilled to get a firsthand look at the mobile technology that firemen use to help fight fires.

Passenger side looking in

The Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department is not the typical volunteer fire department. It is one of the largest volunteer fire companies in the America with over 300 members, and it covers a huge geographical area with a high population just outside of Houston. It is considered one of the premier volunteer organizations in the country and are frequently called in by the surrounding fire departments to help out in times of need. They have 12 fire stations that cover their area of responsibility, which they aptly do with state-of-the-art equipment.

It was a lot of fun crawling all over that equipment. Seeing the fire trucks up close and personal was a thrill for all of us. I had the chance to get a hands-on look at the mobile technology that is deployed in the trucks to help the brave men and women fight fires.

Since our focus is on mobile technology I will concentrate on that aspect of the equipment they use. Each fire truck has a Panasonic Toughbook laptop mounted in the cab that plays a big role in emergency response. Everything a fire department does is predicated on fast response, and these laptops play a huge role toward that goal.

There is a Toughbook mounted on a special rack in every fire truck in operation. These are fully ruggedized as you would expect and are designed from the ground up for the special requirements. They run Windows XP in a kiosk configuration, so they are locked down to running only the special software used by the fire department.

Mounted Toughbook in the Fire Truck

This software is the heart of the system — it is a specialized system that plays an important role in emergency situations. The laptops are always running navigation software that is tailored for firefighters. It displays a constant 2D map view of the area around the fire truck, aided by the GPS system in all trucks.

When an emergency call is received, the first thing the firemen do in the truck is open the lid of the Toughbook. The laptops are always on thanks to the sophisticated and powerful electrical generators in the trucks. There is no sleep or standby. Instead, the Toughbooks are simply always on. Fast response means you must be able to open the lid and see the map instantly. This mapping software will show the best route to the scene, much like standard car navigation systems. The resemblance ends there however.

In addition to the street maps used to navigate to the fire, this software also shows the location of every other truck in the department. This allows the firefighters to determine at a glance how many trucks are en route to the fire, how many are already on the scene and which trucks are not available. The latter group might be trucks on other calls or out of service. The result is that every truck crew knows what it going on from the moment they pull out of the fire house on a response.

The dispatch office can interact with the Toughbook in all the trucks from the central command center. This insures that every truck has the latest information about the emergency in real-time. The communication is done via radio; each laptop is always connected to the dispatch office while it is on. The entire system is designed to provide the maximum amount of information to every firefighting crew on a response, in real time. The firefighters are trained heavily on this equipment and can get a lot of information about any situation at a glance.

Close up of software

The Toughbooks in the trucks have touch screens for easy interaction, and the entire software system is optimized for touch. Maps can be moved and zoomed by a simple tap on the screen. The firefighter can tap on any truck that shows up on the map and get detailed information about the equipment installed, the crew on the truck and lots of other information. It was stressed to me how important firefighters consider this software. They can do everything they need to do with no lag by simply touching the screen. It has become a vital part of the firefighting process, and my guide got very uneasy with the thought of fighting fires without it.

One of the key needs of firefighters on a response is situational awareness. They need to know as much about the building on fire, sources of water to fight the fire and exactly where their compatriots are located. The special maps the laptops access can show them where all the sources of water are located, fire hydrants for instance, and just as importantly make the crew on the scene aware if there is no water available. This fire department serves a large area outside of the city and there are many areas not served with adequate fire hydrants. These are called dry subdivisions, and the fire crew must be aware of this to make sure the water tanks on the trucks will be adequate to fight the fire depending on its size and weather conditions.

These maps can also show building diagrams that the firefighters can use to understand the scope of the problem they face in a fire. This is essential in fires of larger structures, as the firefighters can come up with a plan of attack to address the emergency. It is especially vital to minimize the danger that the firefighters always face in such a situation.

This look into the technology used by the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department was a great opportunity for me. Mobile technology has become a vital part of the fire fighting process, and it is rare for us civilians to get a glimpse of that technology. I want to thank the brave men and women of the fire departments world-wide for the dangerous jobs they perform to keep us safe.

EJK Uncategorized CF30, Department, Fire, Fire Department, Fire House, Full Rugged, gps, Public Safety, Toughbook, Toughbook Universe, Vehicle Mounted, Volunteer

Here’s a demo video of the U1 .  Obviously the actors are Panasonic employees, which makes the video’s acting quite comical.  Nonetheless, it’s still a good demonstration of what the U1 is capable of.

EJK Uncategorized Demo, Full Rugged, gps, Panasonic, Toughbook, U1, Ultra Mobile Rugged, Video, WWAN

Panasonic Toughbook aids global conservation by donating products to Wildlife Trust

Panasonic Computer Solutions Company donated several Toughbook convertible tablet PCs for use in the field by scientists working for the Wildlife Trust, the premier international organization that’s striving to understand the links between ecosystems, wildlife and human health.

Wildlife Trust is a pioneer in the field of conservation medicine, an emerging, interdisciplinary field that studies the relationship between human and animal health and environmental conditions. It is currently studying the location where the SARS virus first appeared - demonstrating a connection between bats and the pathogen that will allow the prediction of future outbreaks.

“We’ve learned in the field that not every computer is up to the task of mobility. We’ve seen hardware failures, poor screen readability and insufficient battery life,” says Dr. Mary C. Pearl, president of Wildlife Trust. “Our scientists need to focus on conducting research - not managing technology. The Toughbook notebooks are the perfect fit for us.”

Back to the Humid Bat Cave
Dr. Luis F. Aguirre, with the Centro de Biodiversidad y Genetica in Bolivia, uses his Toughbook notebook to analyze recordings of bats. Working deep within dark, humid caves, Dr. Aguirre appreciates the fact that the notebook is waterproof and allows him to work up to four hours without leaving the caves.

“It’s just a great machine. We can plug in to bat detectors (ANABAT system) and work for several hours. and we can carry it to several places, without having to be too careful. Its size helps a lot - easy to put in a backpack. The touchscreen is also very helpful and saves a lot of time.”

A Bird in the Hand is Messy
Banding wild birds and recording the data in the field can be a dirty, chaotic environment for a notebook says Dr. Susan Elbin, director of the New York Bioscape Initiative. “I band the birds and often use Excel to record my findings. I love the Toughbook notebook’s portability and durability - I just wipe it off when it gets dirty.”

When it comes to fieldwork, Dr. Elbin says no other notebook stands up to the Toughbook. “I would never attempt to take a regular laptop in the field to collect data. There is no comparison.”

The notebook’s wireless capabilities are another important feature for Dr. Elbin. “It’s especially helpful in downloading software. Also, while traveling, it’s easy to connect in an airport, as I am carrying the computer anyway. I use Google Earth and other mapping programs on the laptop.”

Locust Plague? No Problem.
Dr. Damayanti Buchori, with the PEKA Center for Conservation & Insect Studies in Indonesia, uses the Toughbook notebook extensively for her work. “We always use the Toughbook for our fieldwork. One way we use it is conducting land-use mapping with the community in the area of Cipeutuey Village, West Java, Indonesia.”

The notebook’s touchscreen is a particular favorite of Dr. Buchori’s. “The touchscreen has become our favorite feature because, in some way, it serves as a small whiteboard where we can draw sketches for everyone to see.”

Even with extensive use in wet, humid environments, Dr. Buchori has encountered no problems with her Toughbook notebook. “So far, we have not experienced any difficulty using the Toughbook. It ’s been easy to carry, solid, strong and waterproof.”

Helping to Save the Manatees
As a winner of the 2005 Whitley Award - often referred to as the “Green Oscar” - Nicole Auil has gained international recognition for her work to conserve Belize’s threatened manatees. Now Ms. Auil has a Toughbook notebook to help her look after these large aquatic mammals.

The notebook comes in extremely handy in the hot, tropical coastal waters and rivers of Belize that the manatees inhabit. Ms. Auil often uses her notebook aboard marine vessels. So far, there have been no problems - even when ocean sprays have landed on it.

We commend the Wildlife Trust and all the scientists for their great work. And we are happy they can use their Toughbook notebooks to perform research that will help gain more recognition and grants to fund the trust’s important mission.

EJK Uncategorized animals, boat, donation, Full Rugged, global conservation, google earth, gps, mobile broadband, Toughbook, waterproof, Wildlife Trust

Toughbook on Mt. Everest

Panasonic Computer Solutions Company is a proud sponsor of The Everest Peace Project, which organizes international, multi-cultural climbs for peace. The project draws people from different faiths and cultures who learn to work together in order to survive and conquer the world’s most formidable peaks.

After three and a half years of planning, 10 international climbers, representing seven countries and five faiths, scaled Mount Everest from April through June 2006, to promote a global community of peace, teamwork and cultural understanding.

During the expedition, the team used the Toughbook 29 notebook and the Toughbook P1 rugged PDA to receive weather updates and other critical information via satellite. They also communicated wirelessly with friends and family by posting and broadcasting daily dispatches, photos and even video from the Mount Everest expedition.

In the course of the climb, the team faced hurricane-force winds, extreme cold, ice, snow, sleet and freezing rain. Despite the grueling conditions and punishing altitudes, the Toughbook equipment stood the test - ultimately returning with the expedition from the slopes of the world’s highest mountain, unscathed.

EJK Uncategorized CF29, Everest Peace Project, Extreme Testing, Full Rugged, global community, gps, Mount Everest, P1, PDA, peace, satellite, teamwork, temperature, Toughbook