Robust mobile computing solutions
Darveen rugged industrial mobile computing terminals now available in the UK and Europe
A COMPLETE range of Darveen rugged industrial mobile computing solutions is now available in the UK and Europe from Redditch-based sole agents M.A.C Solutions (UK) Ltd.
The VT (vehicle mount terminal) and HT (hand-held terminal) series, designed and manufactured by Darveen, are the result of focused development aimed specifically at fulfilling an increasing requirement for PC functionality in very harsh mobile environments.
As well as providing high-accuracy navigation, the VT range also allows real-time wireless communication between a vehicle and a central control system or data centre. In addition, the terminals can be used for other office-type functions to record data and emergency events, or to monitor conditions on the vehicle.
The VT range includes seven different models, the largest being the VT-835, which has a 12.1in TFT LCD touchscreen display and an Intel Atom N450 (1.66GHz) processor. The smallest model currently available is the VT-533, which has a 5.7in panel with touchscreen and a Marvell PXA270 (520MHz) processor.
All VT terminals are protected by a rugged aluminium enclosure. Their special fanless design requires no ventilation holes in the back, front or side panels, which provides the unit with a high degree of protection (IP65) from the ingress of dust and water. The VT range also benefits from enhanced shock and vibration resistance, and provides flexible expansion capabilities for WiFi, GPS, WCDMA/EDGE/GPRS and BT.
A wide variety of flexible mounting kits (to VESA Standards) are available for the VT range, including RAM mounts and cradles, as well as a range of optional accessories such as antennas, DC power adapters, industrial keyboards, RFID readers, barcode scanners and printers.
The HT range of hand-held compact terminals also comprises seven models, the largest featuring a 3.5in TFT LCD display (HT-318),while the smallest (HT-218) has a 2.8in display. The IP65-protected HT-318 is suitable for use in harsh industrial environments and can withstand a 1.5m drop on to concrete.
The HT range is equipped with a Marvell PXA270 (520MHz) processor and is pre-installed with the Windows CE 5.0 operating system. An optional 1-D, 2-D barcode scanner is also available, which allows users to collect data efficiently and to communicate with back-end host data servers wirelessly via Bluetooth or 802.11b/g.
Dennis Price, product manager at M.A.C Solutions, said: ‘As mobile computing solutions, Darveen’s VT and HT terminals complement M.A.C Solutions’ own portfolio of open-connectivity products very well, and we expect the market to show a great deal of interest in these products over the coming months.’
