Defining ''Rugged'': Deciphering Ruggedness Testing Standards By Dale Kyle, Trimble

Handheld computers are becoming increasingly popular for use outside the office. Their versatility makes them useful tools for public safety, law enforcement, field service and construction, as well as utility, forestry and military applications.

However, consumer-grade handhelds like Hewlett Packard iPAQs and Palm Pilots are not meant for everyday use outdoors. They're not designed or built for applications where users often work in rain, extreme heat or cold, or at job sites that are dusty, wet or muddy. Nor can consumer-grade handhelds withstand repeated drops or vibration. For these harsher environments and for rough everyday use, fully rugged and semi-rugged handhelds are a much better choice.

Trimble and its subsidiary Tripod Data Systems design and manufacture two fully rugged handhelds—the Ranger™ and the Recon®. Since its introduction, the Trimble Recon has been deployed in a number of Department of Defense applications. From the city streets of Baghdad to the jungles of Central and South America, the Recon has been validated in applications where a laptop computer—with its boot time, weight and battery limitations—is not a feasible option. The Recon also offers an optional AA PowerBoot Module™ that uses two alkaline or lithium AA batteries to power the Recon for up to 16 hours.

Introduced in 2000 and substantially updated in 2005, the Trimble Ranger has the features field professionals depend on, like field-ready ruggedness, a 30-hour battery and an easy-touse keypad and touchscreen. Like the Recon, the Ranger gives users the option of integrated Bluetooth and 802.11 wireless, so they can communicate without bulky cables. In addition to CompactFlash (CF) slots, the Ranger features a Secure Digital (SD) slot that lets users works with SD memory, SD I/O and other SD accessory cards.

This white paper explains the difference between semi-rugged and rugged handhelds, define IP and MIL-STD durability standards, and describe the testing protocols. Followed by a more detailed description of how Trimble tests its rugged handhelds to these specifications. The IP and MIL-STD standards provide objective information to help you select a handheld computer that will stand up to your users' working environments.

About Dale Kyle
Dale Kyle is Rugged Handhelds Product Manager for Trimble. He has more than 15 years of experience in product development, systems testing, quality assurance and customer support for GPS and other navigation hardware and software. At Magellan Corp., he managed the development and technical approval of an OEM board that combined GPS and wireless communications via the ORBCOMM satellite constellation. At Glenayre Electronics, he managed the development, marketing and early production activities of a consumer wireless/GPS personal location and asset tracking device. He also produced a number of user manuals and other technical documentation for GPS receivers and software at Thales Navigation. Dale has bachelor's degrees in geology and environmental studies from the University of Maryland. He can be reached at dale_kyle@trimble.com.