A Brief about the Interaction of Two Dissimilar Technologies that Converge at the Forklift
As forklifts begin to emerge from being the last frontier of technology change in the warehouse, an evolution begins to take place at the most unexpected but most logical place: The Intelligent Forklift. Understanding this convergence opens a new era for those technologies that are dependent on the data collection activities that are resident on the forklift.
The term Smart “x” is the new standard when referring to cars, phones, hospital beds and now forklifts. Each has their own set of circumstances that qualify for this honor. The forklift and its constituents are our primary focus in this primer. Taking a closer look at those players, we have the following:
Forklift Manufacturer – Many players in this arena answer the call of electric vs. gas, stationary vs. mobile, manned vs. unmanned, etc. There are many companies participating in this portion of the market: Crown, Raymond, Jungheinrich, Hyster, Caterpillar, just to name a few. All supplying the basic functionality of a powered industrial truck used to lift and move materials short distances.
Glacier Computer announces the release of a new Rugged Android Tablet for the Industrial Marketplace.
Fusion 7 – Rugged Android Tablet
The Fusion 7 Rugged Android Tablet extends the Glacier Computer product line of rugged industrial PCs, rugged tablets, portable hand-held devices, and fixed mounted data collection computers. Glacier industrial computers are typically used in harsh industrial environments where a standard PC cannot survive. The Fusion 7 offers enterprise customers the additional advantages of the Android OS while remaining sealed and ruggedized.
The Fusion 7 is compact, light, and feature-rich. It enables businesses and their mobile users to add efficiencies throughout the operation while providing a capital asset with a significantly extended useful life and a superior ROI.
The Fusion 7 combines the advanced power management and memory management capabilities of Android enabling more than 1 million applications to run on the typically rugged Glacier device.
“The industrial marketplace is finally ready to accept the changes needed to embrace the value of the Android platform,” says Ron D’Ambrosio, President of Glacier Computer. “We have had a rugged Android computer for the last couple of years, but didn’t get enough feedback from our industrial customers to release the product. It is still somewhat early, but with the input of much larger market influences in the industry, customers seem to be more amenable to at least talking about using the Android OS as a solution.”
To further enhance the usefulness, and ease some of the pain of adapting to the new OS, Glacier is collaborating with complementary business partners including The Allen Group.
The Allen Group (Fairfield County, CT) provides application development and consultative expertise to assist companies seeking fulfillment for mobile content delivery objectives , corporate digital branding initiatives, and development workflow requirements. While The Allen Group enhances the mobile user’s capabilities, the Fusion 7 allows those mobile users to work in very harsh and/or ultra-clean environments.
About Glacier Computer
Glacier Computer LLC. (Glacier Computer) develops versatile, rugged industrial computing solutions for use within harsh environments. Founded in 2000, our products are used in stationary, portable, and vehicle-mount applications. Our customers use our rugged devices in industries including field service, construction, utilities, retail, warehouse, freight, healthcare, food, and chemical processing.
Glacier Computer’s company standards include a knowledgeable staff, an array of high-quality, value-based products, and a deep sense of customer service. Together with our strategic partners, we deliver comprehensive solutions to specific industry segments, and resolve the unique needs of each customer. Glacier employees are committed to, and share in, the mutual success of our business, and possess a desire to help our partners and customers succeed.
For more information about all Glacier Computer products and services, visit our website at: www.glaciercomputer.com or contact Dave Hewett at DaveH@GlacierComputer.com or 866-726-6257 x3209.
Mashable.com recently posted a ‘history of wearable Tech.’ They’ve got a few things you might not remember but the standard-bearers are there. Calculator wristwatch, Bluetooth headset, the iPod, and of course Google glass. But back in 2009 Glacier began offering a product called the W200, a fully functional wireless PC you wore on your wrist.
And Mashable gave us props for it.
We’re still leaders in the mobile computing business and while we’re not offering wearable computer technology at the moment, we’ve got some exciting new rugged mobile tech for you to check out called the Fusion 7 Android tablet.
How do you use a Glacier to promote spider-silk farming in Costa Rica? You Donate it to the Forman school.
Forman School is a college-preparatory boarding and day school with a vital purpose: to deliver an unparalleled education for students with learning differences to empower them to succeed in college and throughout their lives.
1. To get as much spider silk as possible.
2. To figure out when and why the silk is most strong.
3. Make a cottage industry for local ranchers abutting rainforest land.
“…gives you the power of desktop computing in a slim, rugged design with a large 10 inch display and 23-key Keypad. On-the-go data collection is easy with 2D barcode imaging, camera, and RFID. Staying connected is easy with 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth and optional integrated 3G/4G mobile broadband. Dual hot swappable batteries give you up to 9 hours of use in the field or in the warehouse. The T510K weighs only 2.42 lbs, with an IP54 rating and is also shock and vibration tested.”
Glacier Computer is proud to be a part of the effort and we look forward to continued updates on their success.
On Oct. 14, 2012, the Austrian skydiver stepped off the narrow porch of an experimental capsule hovering 127,852 feet over New Mexico and became the first free-falling person to break the sound barrier. Instruments recorded his top speed at 843.6 miles per hour, which is 1.25 times faster the speed of sound. (YouTube Link)
Information is the key to success in warehousing and manufacturing. Whether receiving inventory, filling orders, moving freight, or monitoring time and attendance, there is no better partner than the Everest from Glacier Computer.
Warehouse personnel are not the easiest on equipment; but your data collection needs are 24/7, 365 days per year. The Everest computers have been tested in the most extreme conditions imaginable. With a sealed enclosure, you can be sure the Everest is as tough as you are.
3D printing is becoming affordable for small Business.
The $499 price point for the da Vinci makes it the cheapest “plug and play” 3D printer out there. According to a statement released by XYZprinting Inc., “The da Vinci is a plug-n-play 3D printer with a large build size designed specifically for households and small businesses. With no assembly required, a smart design, unique safety features and easy-to-use cloud system, the da Vinci has redesigned the 3D printing experience making it more user-friendly across all aspects of the process than ever before.”
This device was featured at CES 2014 along with a number of other more expensive 3D printers, but the race is on to deliver at price points people are willing to pay.
With the right rugged mobile computing solutions, and easy to use cloud systems, companies with an interest in 3D technology can up their game for a lot less money.
In medical, industrial, vehicle-mount, and military deployments, Glacier Computer rugged tablets and rugged PCs have withstood harsh temperatures, vibration, and humidity in wet and dirty environments.
If you need a rugged tablet, check out the Glacier Computer Rugged Tablet Comparison Chart available from this link. If you see a unit that may meet your needs, and want to put one to the test we’ll gladly provide you with a free evaluation unit so you can see for yourself.
One of my roles and functions at Glacier Computer is to help you. If you’d like to discuss your application and how we can help if not “conquer the elements,” at least prosper within harsh environments, or if you just need more information … just give me a call or drop me a line.
AND … if you don’t see the exact rugged device that you need, let’s discuss how Glacier can customize and build the exact rugged unit that does!
As we approach the extent to which powerful processors can be miniaturized the engineering has to move in a new direction.
At IBM that direction is a brain-inspired 3D architecture, staking processors and memory in close proximity. But it is a solution with the same old problem. How do you remove all the heat?
The art of liquid cooling has been demonstrated by Aquasar and put to work inside the German supercomputer SuperMUC which – perversely – harnesses warm water to cool its circuits.
SuperMUC consumes 40% less electricity as a result.
But for IBM to truly match the marvels of the brain, there is a third evolutionary step it must achieve – simultaneous liquid fueling and cooling.
Just as blood gives sugar in one hand and takes heat with another, IBM is looking for a fluid that can multitask.
Vanadium is the best performer in their current laboratory test system – a type of redox flow unit – similar to a simple battery.
First a liquid – the electrolyte – is charged via electrodes, then pumped into the computer, where it discharges energy to the chip.
Redox flow is far from a new technology, and neither is it especially complex.
But IBM is the first to stake its chips on this “electronic blood” as the food of future computers – and will attempt to optimize it over the coming decades to achieve zettascale computing.
Many great achievements in engineering have looked to nature for as a path to success. IBM is exploring the compact efficiency of the human brain as a model for getting more out of a more compressed package.
“Ninety-nine per cent of a computer’s volume is devoted to cooling and powering. Only 1% is used to process information. And we think we’ve built a good computer?”
“The brain uses 40% of its volume for functional performance – and only 10% for energy and cooling.”
Michel’s vision is for a new “bionic” computing architecture, inspired by one of the laws of nature – allometric scaling – where an animal’s metabolic power increases with its body size.
Can they built it better, faster, even stronger…? Will it cost 6 million dollars? Can they get that power into a form factor anyone can use at a price they can afford. It’s not as if they have not done it before.
Glacier Computer Adds Another Member to their Family of Rugged Tablet Offerings
T707 RUGGED – CONFIGURABLE – JUST SMALLER
New Milford, CT – September 1, 2013 – Glacier Computer, a leading provider of rugged industrial computing solutions, announces the addition of the T707 to an already powerful line up of rugged tablet options. The T707 combines enhanced rugged specs, configurability, and better value into a very dependable package. Glaciers “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” warranty program makes the T707 an ideal protégé for any portable application.
“If you were at all concerned about the long range durability of your iPad, the T707 would give you some comfort.”
The industrial marketplace lacks an iconic tablet that satisfies most applications so having one place to go with many options is a good place to start your search. A closet full of choices, combined with Glacier’s ability to customize, equals maximum customer satisfaction for all your rugged tablet needs. “Industrial customers are always challenged with finding the perfect data collection tool for their application. Most products can get them to about 75% satisfaction. With Glacier in the mix, you don’t have to settle for less than perfect.”
The T707 rugged tablet is completely sealed from dust and particulates and can withstand a water bombardment of 12.5 liters per minute from a nozzle. Dropping the unit, even from 6 feet, is well within warranty coverage and specifications. It has a 7.0” touch-screen display that can be used outdoors and all of the processing power and memory requirements necessary for most applications. The T707 also has plenty of I/O to become the managing resource for all of your data collection activities. Equipped with SOTI and Stay-linked you can be in complete control of your T707 fleet. Windows 7 remains the standard OS for the T707.
The T707, combined with our other 7-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch units, offers Glacier customers some of the best options in an expanding line of rugged tablets. And our partners, rugged computing expertise, and commitment to customer service remain our core values.
About Glacier Computer
Glacier Computer develops versatile, rugged industrial computing solutions for harsh environments. Our key markets include warehousing, distribution, field service and field sales. The core ingredients of the company are a knowledgeable staff, a variety of quality/value conscious products, committed strategic partner relationships and focused customer service. Glacier employees are committed to and share in the mutual success of our business, partners and customers. For more information about Glacier Computer’s products and services visit our website at www.glaciercomputer.com or call 866-724-6257.
“GLACIER IS, WHERE RUGGED LIVES”
Ron D’Ambrosio marketing@glaciercomputer.com 866-724-6257
