Industrial Mobile Computing

Advantech-DLoG was tasked with developing an intelligent vehicle system for a large urban city's taxi fleet. The goal was to increase customer service and safety by introducing a computer display for passengers that would allow them to connect to the internet for messaging; find nearby services and attractions; and see route and traffic conditions, flight information, and other important information. The system had to be rugged, and capable of surviving the jarring and extreme temperatures commonly faced by taxis. It needed WWAN connectivity to enable 24/7 internet connectivity, and a display that was capable of delivering video and other multimedia. The system also needed to be able to send vehicle/driver information back to central dispatchers, and provide GPS location and routing information

When it comes to fleet management, Advantech-DLoG is proud to play a role in advancing safety, efficiency, and
profitability. One notable example is the Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) that helps manage moving fleet assets. With
built-in GPS, CDMA/GPRS/HSPA+, the MDT keeps drivers and dispatchers in close communication. And depending on
sensor outfitting, the Advantech-DLoG MDT can track everything from mileage, routing, speed, acceleration, braking,
oil pressure, fuel consumption, An important additional function is the logging of driver duty and rest hours to help
maintain compliance with safety and hours-of-service regulations. The TREK-722/723 ARM base MDT can be mated
with a software solution that takes virtually all the drudgery out of tedious logging and tracking, enabling wellinformed
management for even the most complex fleet operations.

Successful outcome of a medical emergency can sometimes be measured in seconds. Ambulance fleets facing traffic, congestion, and other obstacles make life and death decisions at every turn on the way from patient pickup to delivery at the hospital. Serving a large regional area such as that of southern Australia, distances alone create logistics problems. Supervisors in cars in the field help with dispatch of ambulances, trying to choose the nearest vehicle for the quickest response, and sending it along the most efficient route to the hospital. While on the road, ambulance personnel in radio communication with hospital medical personnel need to get data to the hospital in advance to prepare emergency rooms for arrival. Factor in traffic and road conditions, and the result is a complex system that needs careful coordination.

Managing vehicle fleets in the long haul trucking industry is challenging: vehicles and drivers are spread out geographically; central offices need to consolidate information for billing and invoicing; and customer service needs to stay on top of deliveries to be able to communicate with clients. It seems there is never enough time in the day to get the work done in this highly competitive business. A large company in the United States was trying to sort out just these types of challenges to improve their operating efficiency and maintain their competitive edge. Billing and invoicing for the company is done at the end of the driving day, when the bills of lading are collected from drivers.

Zetes (Euronext Brussels: ZTS),a leading pan-European provider of solutions and services for automatic tracking of goods and positive identification of personnel,recently announced the launch of its new electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) solution to optimize traceability across the supply chain. The ePOD solution is based on Advantech's TREK-743R,a robust vehicle mounted terminal that integrates RFID, wireless communication, smart card and barcode technology,