News Briefs – Thursday, May 25, 2006
U.S. Navy awards contract for wireless sensor system
The U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs awarded a contract to Sporian Microsystems for the development of a wireless-sensor networking system. The system will evolve from the company’s existing sensor technologies. The company also received a contract from the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal for the development of a compact, low-power, non-igniting gas sensor for nitric oxide (NO2) and other decomposition products of rocket fuel.
Hospital system integrates mobile communications
Global Care Quest will provide Los Angeles-based Century City Doctors Hospital with its mobile, Integrated Clinical Information System, which will be built into the hospital’s IT structure to let doctors review patient data on handhelds connected to wireless networks. The first phase will give physicians access to patients’ X-Rays, CT-scans or vital signs from bedside monitoring devices, according to the company.
Pa. State Police Department expands mobile office project
The Pa. State Police Department is expanding its mobile office project with the addition of a Truck Inspection Unit. The units use BIO-Key’s Mobile Cop product to monitor whether commercial vehicles driven in the state are compliant with state and federal regulations. The product lets law enforcement send messages to others in the system, complete field reports, log activities, access criminal databases and more, according to BIO-Key.
Md. Department of Budget awards wireless contract
Maryland’s Department of Budget and Management awarded Tessco Technologies a contract to provide wireless communication hardware equipment. The contract lets participating government agencies procure equipment from the company, including wireless antennae, transmission line and RF conditioning equipment on an as-needed basis.
Transit authorities buy mobile computers
SCR Medical Transportation of Chicago and Victor Valley Transit Authority of Hesperia, Calif. deployed 150 of Digital Dispatch Systems’ Vector 530 and 35 of its iPilot 8000 mobile computers. The Vector is a mobile data terminal used for vehicle dispatch applications with an option to add additional modules in phases. The iPilot is a configurable mobile computer designed for fleet-management applications built with an Intel Xscale processor and Microsoft Window’s CE .Net operation system.
Mobile firewall protects handhelds
ProtectStar launched a mobile firewall for devices loaded with a Microsoft Windows operating system. The ProtectStar Mobile Firewall built for pocket PCs, hand-helds and smart phones provides IP filters for WiFi, Bluetooth, USB and other technologies to secure a mobile terminal against unauthorized access, data theft and abuse, according to the company.
U.S. military purchases Cingular service
The Virginia-based U.S. Joint Forces Command ordered wireless voice and data communication services from Cingular Wireless. The order included BlackBerry wireless hand-helds and LaptopConnect cards enabled for Cingular’s UMTS/HSDPA-based BroadbandConnect Service.