Putting the technology together
The decision was made to employ 20 Dell Axim X5 300 MHz units and associated RFID CompactFlash readers. There was, of course, the need for the RFID card and the Dell Axim to work together effectively to accomplish a very specific set of tasks. Enter MWare, Inc., a Quincy, Massachusetts-based consulting group (www.mwareinc.com). MWare was charged with the task of getting the technology to work together and building supporting applications in a very short timeframe.
"What was particularly remarkable was the support we received from our software development partners at MWare," says Hellman. "We received the Syscan RFID readers only 3 weeks before the event. The shipment from Germany was held in customs for an extra week and the final products we received were still in their engineering housing (sort of a large shrink wrap). The support from Syscan was very good, but it was the persistence and talent of Jeff Matherly at MWare that led to these three applications being ready for our event."
In addition to the Pocket PCs and RFID readers, there was the issue of printing RFID tags. Each rider would be equipped with an RFID wristband to be worn during the event. "We left the wrist band printing and encoding to Harry Walden at MWare. We used a Zebra R402 Thermal Printer with RFID encoding (www.zebra.com) to produce almost 4000 wristbands for our riders. Each band was encoded with the rider's ID number and printed with their route, transportation home, emergency contact, allergies, and room destinations. Harry pulled that together in about a week. He also supported us throughout the weekend at our various sites. "Once all of the pieces were in place, the true test of the technology would take place during the PMC 2003.
Scanning a rider's RFID tag prior to the 2003 Pan-Massachusetts Challenge.
The results of a "proof of concept"
According to Hellman, the time and effort to implement the new Pocket PC solution was worth it. "As a proof of concept and replacement for paper reporting (and an upgrade from barcode scanning that was initiated last year) the RFID scanning using Axims was an unqualified success." 19 Axims were up to the task. According to Hellman, "The only casualty was one Axim that could not swim and drowned in one inch of water!"
In addition to the technological success the Pocket PC solution provided, Hellman pointed out that there was also a significant financial success. "A decent laser scanner for barcodes would have cost more than the complete solution of PPC and RFID scanner. The Pocket PC also offered the most seamless integration with our existing Access- and SQL Server-based systems."
The PMC, Pocket PCs and the future
With a successful 2003 event behind him, David Hellman is now looking to the future of the event and the possibilities that Pocket PC technology provides. "We used the SD slot for a memory card that we used to synchronize to one host handheld," said Hellman. "Next year, we will use the slot for Wi-Fi (or have newer Pocket PCs with built-in Wi-Fi) and synchronize via wireless. The host PC or Pocket PC will sync with our Web server and support rider updates to their supporters as to their location along each route. Our command center will receive the same info." Real-time updates to the command center information will also be of greater use for analysis and for proactive responses from medical personnel at the medical stations throughout the event.
With Pocket PC technologies assisting in the logistical process, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge and the worthy cause it supports should be in good hands for 2004.
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Don Sorcinelli has been involved with planning, developing and deploying enterprise applications for over 15 years. His involvement in these processes expanded to include the PDA platforms in the late 1990s. Don has also provided training and mentoring on numerous topics pertaining to enterprise planning and deployment. He regularly presents on Pocket PC topics at both regional and national Pocket PC and PDA meetings and conferences. Don is Co-Manager of the Boston/New England Pocket PC User Group, and webmaster of BostonPocketPC.com (www.bostonpocketpc.com). He can be contacted at [email protected].
Flight Manager
Pilots and corporations track air routing, trip, and weather information on Pocket PCs
by Ann Bordelon
Even when traveling aboard the company's private jet, a Fortune 500 executive can experience a hectic work schedule that's filled with uncertainty. The last thing that executive or the plane's pilots want is travel-related problems.
For 25 years, Air Routing International (ARI) has used the latest technology to make critical trip data available to corporations that operate their own jets.
Recently, the company adapted its system to make data accessible with Pocket PCs. The new capability enhances security, simplifies jet travel for pilots and executives and saves money for the companies operating the jets.
Pilots get updates in the air
For each client flight, ARI provides a custom, interactive Web page. These pages give authorized users secure, instant access to the information they need before, during and after each flight. As a trip proceeds, pilots use ARI's Flight Manager software (www.airrouting.com) to view such critical information as up-to-the minute weather information, copies of computerized flight plans and fueling information.
Fig. 1 (above). The Flight Manager Web site provides information about what Air Routing's software does to help private jet pilots get their passengers where they need to be.
Before the system was redesigned to communicate with Pocket PCs, pilots used desktop or laptop computers to view trip information from offices, airports and hotel rooms. A typical overseas flight going from the United States to Europe is an eight-hour flight over water. Before wireless tools, the crew's last update was sometimes an hour before the flight left.
Fig. 2 (above). Pilots for ARI clients choose the information they want from custom interactive Web pages.
Now, pilots use Pocket PCs to get updates directly from the ARI Web sites while in the air. Pocket PCs are a logical wireless solution because they are small and fit comfortably into the confines of a jet cockpit. Also, pilots can carry them easily in their crew bags, in pockets, or in hip holsters when they deplane. Flight crews can also review trip data on the way to the airport, in a parking lot, or on the tarmac. Even on intercontinental flights, crew members can stay in constant touch by using add-on Pocket PC sleeves and popping in different transmission cards.
Because each corporate user is funneled through a unique Web-based service page, flight planners can choose the services and options they require and can change or update these without service interruption. Options include flight plans, weather, security, accommodations, transportation, permits and clearances, crew and passenger briefs, flight following, trip logs and information, airport information, time and distance calculations, current trip profiles, and current charges and billing information. Pilots can access weather reports in many formats, including forecast, current and real-time radar and satellite images. While underway, they can also connect to Air Security International products (www.airsecurity.com) such as Hot Spots and World Watch Online for security news affecting their destinations.
Fig. 3 (above). A sample folder for an ARI client shows folders containing information for six different trips.
To accommodate Pocket PC use, ARI modified its infrastructure to accept and respond to communications from Pocket PCs. ARI redesigned its Web sites to display trip data on a Pocket PC screen, and Flight Manager was revised to work on a Pocket PC, as well as on laptop and desktop PCs.
Flight Manager is a browser-based application that works with the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape browser. Although Flight Manager works on any Pocket PC, ARI engineers prefer the HP iPAQ Pocket PC because its backlit screen is easy to see in the low-light environment of an airplane cockpit. Engineers also like the add-on sleeves and the full-color, high-resolution screen that accurately displays the color weather maps ARI creates. For clients who don't want to purchase new hardware, ARI rents HP iPAQ Pocket PCs on a per-trip basis.
After a trip, ARI ma
intains each client's trip information for seven years, in compliance with aviation regulations. Clients retrieve current trip data through a secure connection via desktop or laptop or, most recently, via Pocket PCs. Authorized users can also access the archived records to review tickets the captain signed, catering details and all of the basic service invoices that stream in from around the globe. They can add comments to the record regarding the quality of services. Later, if a client needs to repeat a trip, the trip planner can decide whether to follow the same plan or to make changes to improve service.
Meeting high expectations
"Most of our customers are Fortune 500 companies," explains John Legh-Page, chief information officer for ARI. "Take a typical company with one, two, or half a dozen jets in their fleet. Their executives fly around the world on business. These are important individuals. They run multi-billion-dollar, multinational operations, and they expect perfect service. If we do a good job, they can reap big rewards. If they are delayed, it can cause very serious economic repercussions."
In addition to company executives, ARI handles the "rich and famous" who have enough money to own large jets. These clients, as well as the Fortune 500 executives, demand high levels of confidentiality, reliability and security. By using the satellite, cell and the wireless capabilities now available in some planes, corporate flight crews can deliver the flexibility and quality their passengers require.
Changes that occur while a flight is in the air and important messages for passengers are posted on that trip's Web page and are highlighted for attention. If a pilot needs to change or question plans while en route, he or she can e-mail to the ARI team right from the cockpit and get a confirmation back promptly.
Fig. 4 (above). With ARI's Flight Manager and a Pocket PC, a pilot can view a specific flight route superimposed on an official aviation chart.
Fig.5 (above). Using an HP iPAQ Pocket PC and ARI's Flight Manager software, a pilot can view details of each leg of a trip while the plane is in the air.
Because security is always important, ARI uses Web technology similar to that used for credit card transactions to provide clients secure access to ARI's database. When a client logs on, the system looks at the logon and password to determine the user and his or her levels of permission. Then, ARI builds a Web page dynamically from databases to deliver a filtered level of information to that authorized user.
"For example, some flight departments want to limit flight crew access to only the trips they take or to the particular aircraft they are rated to fly. We can filter the data to that level," says Legh-Page. "We can use whatever criteria they give us to filter data for different levels of access."
"Flight following" is a useful feature for corporations. Users can see the message traffic between ARI operations and the agencies handling the aircraft. This information may be read and reviewed by those who have authorized access—at the home office, in the field, and at ARI. Clients can also get a confirmation of departure and arrival times along with any changes that may have occurred via e-mail, fax, or phone. With Pocket PCs and Flight Manager, the corporate flight office can keep tabs on a flight from any location, and an executive flying from Europe to Asia can determine the location of another company officer on the way from one coast to another in the United States.
ARI also hosts custom fuel-price Web pages for clients so they can check fuel prices at a particular airport and make fueling arrangements based on discounted prices. With Pocket PC access, clients can make fueling arrangements from the air. "One of the largest cost factors in operating a jet is fuel," notes Legh-Page. "So you can see how valuable it is to be able to shop for the most competitive price and make those arrangements online on a Web site."
Flight Manager works on all Pocket PCs. Minimum browser requirements for operation of Flight Manager on a desktop or laptop system are Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 5.5 or higher, with service pack 2 (IE5.5, SP2) or higher.
Fig. 6 (above). ARI's custom Web sites are interactive and accessible from almost anywhere in the world if a client's pilot has a Pocket PC.
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Ann G. Bordelon has 35 years of experience as a writer and editor for newspapers, magazines, corporations, government organizations, and public relations agencies. She has written aboutthe transportation industry, aerospace spinoffs, and advances inoil exploration and chemical processing. For the past five years, she has specialized in the high-tech arena, including both wired and wireless innovations. She works from home in a small residential community just southeast of Houston, Texas, and enjoys boating, playing Mah Jongg, and checking out technological innovations. Contact Ann at [email protected].
Utah Building Safety Inspectors Pack iPAQs
No paper, no pain
by Bill D. Bell
Some history
Five years ago, I took over the Building Safety Division of Orem, Utah, a city of 95,000 about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City.
My staff and I were responsible for inspecting all construction within the city limits and verifying that all current building safety codes were met. We conducted between 8000 to 9000 inspections each year.
At that time, all of the requests for building inspections were taken over the phone and put into a paper scheduling log by the office technicians, who would then make copies of the log and give them to the five building inspectors every morning. The inspectors visited each construction site on their inspection log throughout the day. They had no information other than what was on the piece of paper: builder's name, job site address, and the type of inspection called for.
When the inspector found items on the job site that needed to be corrected, he or she would write it down on a correction list and leave a copy with the builder. The builder would fix the problems and then call for a re-inspection. When the inspector returned, the builder was required to have the old paper correction list on the job site for re-inspection.
Lots of inefficiencies...
This process was inefficient in a number of ways:
When builders called in to schedule inspections, the addresses were often recorded incorrectly in the paper inspection scheduling log, causing the inspectors to waste time in finding the right location.
The builders had a hard time reading the writing of some of the inspectors on the correction lists.
The inspector might not find the old paper correction list at the job site and therefore would not be able to do the inspection, causing a delay in the construction process. The builder then would have to get a copy of the old correction list to the job site and call for another re-inspection.
The inspectors had to carry around a large clipboard to write on at each inspection.
At the end of the day, the inspector would bring his/her inspection corrections for each job site to the office technician. The technician would then enter the corrections into the computer the next work day.
If a builder was not on the job site during an inspection, he would call in and ask if the inspection had passed or failed. If the inspection had failed he would often ask to have all the corrections read to him over the phone, but the office staff wouldn't be able to give him that information because it was with the inspector in the field until the end of the day.
Before taking over the Building Safety Division, I had worked in both the field and the office for some time, so I knew of these problems. I wanted to streamline our process and give the inspectors more information in the field, as well as free up office staff to work on other important issues.
I looked into buying commercial software packages that included computer tablets, Palm Pilots, or Pocket PCs. This approach came with a heavy price tag, around $50,00060,000. I asked for this money in my budget for two years and was turned down each time. I had to come up with a cheaper way!
Pocket PCs to the rescue
About this time the iPAQ Pocket PC came out. I bought six iPAQs along with Novatel Wireless Aircards. I then got with one of the city's best programmers and
talked over the idea with him. We designed a new Web-based system that allowed the office technicians to enter all calls for inspections into a desktop computer schedule, which in turn would feed that information to each building inspector's iPAQ (Fig. 1). This system would check each address before allowing it to be scheduled, thus solving the wrong address issue.
Fig. 1 (above). The inspector's schedule for the day.
We designed the system to get all the information on each inspection from our inspection database on the city's mainframe computer. An inspector now goes on a job site with access to all the information that is required for that inspection on the iPAQ. The builder no longer needs to keep a copy of the old paper correction list on the job site because the inspector can pull up that information on the iPAQ. The inspectors no longer need to carry clipboards; they input the corrections into the small, easy-to-carry iPAQs and send it back over the Internet to our server at the city (Fig. 2). The office technician no longer has to input that data into the system, which frees up her valuable time.
Fig. 2 (above). The inspector's data entry screen.
Each inspector, when finished with an inspection, uses the IrDA on the iPAQ to print a copy of the corrections to an IrDA-equipped Pentax PocketJet 200 printer. The builder now has a printout correction list and the bad handwriting problem is solved.
Pocket PC magazine, January 2004 Page 6
