Most people think of using information and communication technology (ICT) hardware and applications in the workplace or at home. Increasingly though ICT is being taken out on the road in unconventional ways. On the second page of CompuNet today we feature a report on Bluetooth technology. This is an application which has come to be known best for wireless communication between headsets and cell phones. With that in mind, see the twist a company called Blue Ant (www.myblueant.com) has put on such usage.
BlueAnt’s new wireless Interphone Handsfree and Intercom allows motorcyclists to talk on their cell phones and ride at the same time. Easily attached to either full faced or open faced helmets, the fully weatherproof Interphone incorporates a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) designed to reduce noise and echo to ensure sound clarity. With an automatic volume adjustment feature which fine-tunes to environmental noise caused by speed, the BlueAnt Interphone device enables excellent performance in speeds of up to 120 kmph. In order to increase usability and maximize safety while in use, the Interphone offers automatic voice answer, voicing dialing and redial functionality.
The BlueAnt Interphone also incorporates an intercom capability which can be used between either pillion riders or motorcyclists riding in close proximity to each other, up to 150 meters. This facility is enabled when two units are being used. The device offers up to 10 hours talk-time and 700 hours standby time. This is essential if the rider is on the bike all day for work, or on a long journey, and doesn’t have an opportunity to recharge the unit while on the road. The product retails for $189.00.
And while we’re on the subject of mobile communication, have you seen the latest satellite phones? Thuraya has just introduced the second generation of satellite handsets which offer many technological breakthroughs. The first thing everyone notices about these phones is how small they are. Old satellite phones were about the size and weight of a brick. The new Thuraya SO-2510 weighs just 130 grams!
That’s impressive but it must be pointed out that the SO-2510 only handles satellite connectivity. Add an additional 40 grams though, and you can have it all. Thuraya’s SG-2520 offers satellite, GSM Tri-band and GPS. This means that to keep calling costs down, you can use the phone in GSM mode when you are within network range and then switch to satellite when outside the GSM coverage area.
The SG-2520 also features GPS navigation capabilities that allow users to find locations and reach destinations quickly and safely, plus the handset is GmPRS enabled meaning that the embedded micro browser facilitates Internet access. That’s important because not all information is exchanged verbally.
Swedish Explorer Johan Ernst Nilson is demonstrating just how many different ways there are to communicate in our digital age during his “Seven Summits challenge,” (www.sevensummits.se). The goal of his challenge is to climb to the highest point on each continent. Nilson has already climbed such peaks as Aconcagua in Argentina and Carstensz Pyramid in Papua New Guinea. Now, he has begun to tackle Mount Everest.
During the expeditions Nilson relies on ICT to complete numerous tasks. At his website he writes, “Today when I travel I use UpLink sat systems, satellite phones, editing programs, HD cameras, Bluetooth in my clothes and GPS systems. I broadcast film from my phone to my website, I send handwritten text from a digital pen with Anoto Functionality and I even pay my rent from 8,000 meters via a Palm Pilot.”
Anoto Digital Pen and Paper technology is used in Nilson’s expeditions for gathering data, writing his journal and sketching routes. This data is stored in the pen and transferred via a docking station or wirelessly to a laptop computer at base camp and then it is transmitted anywhere in the world.
In February 2006, Anoto Digital Pen and Paper technology proved more than a match for the extreme temperatures, altitude, humidity and wind speeds that Nilson encountered during his expedition on Aconcagua in Argentina — the highest peak outside the Himalayas.
“When climbing the world’s highest mountains, bulky equipment and excess weight are a no-go,” said Nilson. “On Aconcagua I needed to be able to do my documentation and sketching right there on the mountain. I also needed to send the data quickly to my team members, partners and media around the world. The digital pen worked brilliantly — it allowed me to do all that in a natural way while taking hardly any space in my pocket.”
Anoto technology involves the interpretation and transmission of handwritten text and images. It is based on a special digital pen and a paper printed with a pattern that is invisible to the eye. Advanced image processing and a complex infrastructure allow anything written with the pen on the paper to be transformed to digital media. To understand this technology see http://www.anotofunctionality.com/cldoc/aof3.htm.
In real life Anoto technology can be used in the processing of forms since recognition and conversion of handwritten text to digital documents enables big savings for organizations and allows easy storage of user supplied data in enterprises’ computer systems.
On Tuesday the March 26, Nilson began the Everest expedition. He has now left his base camp and is on the way up the mountain by the Lhotse face, part of the traditional southeast route up Everest. To follow Nilson’s trek and see how ICT can be pushed to the limit, click to www.anotoextreme.com.
