Li-ion batteries power wireless communicator

Gotive of Slovakia has selected Saft rechargeable lithium-ion battery power for its innovative H41 handheld wireless enterprise communicators.

Gotive of Slovakia has selected Saft rechargeable lithium-ion battery power for its innovative H41 handheld wireless enterprise communicators (WECs), which run both enterprise and education applications.

They are being employed in an EC sponsored project involving "remote accessible field trips", or RAFTs.

Gotive H41 ruggedised, handheld wireless enterprise communicators (WECs), powered by Saft MP 174865 rechargeable lithium-ion cells, are being employed in a three-year European Commission project called RAFT - Remote Accessible Field Trips.

The objective of this project is to show how next-generation technologies can contribute to the education process.

During the RAFT conference held in October 2002 in Bratislava, the Slovak capital, participating university teachers used H41 WECs with Saft's Li-ion batteries to compete in a "remotely operated field trip".

Each of three teams, trying to accomplish a set of different tasks to reach the same goal, used a Gotive H41 - and Saft's batteries for reliable power.

During the competition, teams received messages remotely on their handheld WECs, including trip instructions, checkpoint locations, questions to answer and tasks to fulfil.

In addition to their advanced battery technology from Saft, Gotive's WECs combine the functions of a handheld computer, a mobile phone, a localisation/navigation device (thanks to its ability to receive GPS signals) and a barcode reader in a single mobile handset.

Their open architecture additionally enables them to accommodate optional smart-card and/or magnetic strip readers, a printer and a camera - depending on the specific market's needs.

Slovakia software-provider Anasoft APR - which organised the field-trip competition - set different routes and checkpoints for the teams.

The application was based on Anasoft's Corpus content management system.

The EC has sponsored RAFT in part to introduce appropriate high-end digital and mobile technologies - like Corpus - into schools in order to ensure future generations' digital literacy.

On Gotive's H41, the Corpus software runs on top of Windows CE.NET to provide, receive and evaluate data necessary for the competition.

Gotive's devices are designed for any application where mobile users need to collect, process and communicate information: for remote logistics, transportation, field services, utilities, on-the-move retailers, public safety, forestry, defense and still more - in practically any mobile enterprise solution.

Marcus Specht, of Germany's Fraunhofer Institute, led the winning group.

However all three competing teams reached the finish line despite rainy weather - and Gotive's H41, including its Saft battery, proved it is ruggedised not just against being dropped and other abusive use, but also for rain and other humid conditions.

Gotive selected Saft's battery technology for several reasons including its reliability and long cycle-life in a wide range of environments.

Gotive Sales Manager Kamil Jadron says, "The battery's characteristics enable our company's customers and business partners to work efficiently all day without recharging, and its ability to recharge fast was another crucial point".

He continues, "This relatively large capacity and operating reliability are particularly important for applications when it's necessary to work several hours in the field without the possibility of recharging the battery".

Saft's rechargeable lithium-ion MP 174865 delivers 4.6Ah of power at 3.6V and it weighs just 121g.

(The product number is roughly derived from the MP cell's dimensions: 18.5 x 47.6 x 64.5mm).

Its maximum continuous discharge current (in milliamps) is rated at up to 3C/4C.

Its operating temperature range during discharge starts at -40C and continues up to +60C.

(Charging temperature range is between -20 and 50C).

Saft MP (or medium prismatic) batteries put unrivalled performance in the palm of the hand.

They combine the power of rechargeable lithium-ion technology with advanced battery construction.

They do not contain lithium metal; instead, they operate by inserting and extracting lithium ions into and out of their electrodes.

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