Mobile Computing Reliability Putting Components to the Test

By Nicolas Milani Business Development Manager, Havis, Inc.

EMI testing occurs in an anechoic chamber, where electromagnetic interference is measured.

When it comes to mobile computing, max- ports while seated behind the wheel. By com- imizing system uptime is absolutely critical for pleting routine tasks more quickly, they are ensuring that officers on the streets have time- able to spend more time on patrol. To put ly access to critical information — especially things into perspective, consider how much when performing traffic stops and responding more efficient the modern office is thanks to to calls. Knowing about any outstanding war- computers, networks, and Internet connec- rants or criminal records before approaching tions — and then imagine what would hap- a stopped vehicle or knocking on a door can pen if all of that business-critical technology mean the difference between a safe encounter was suddenly taken away. Productivity would and a potentially life-threatening situation. plunge, frustration would soar, and general On the productivity side, mobile comput- chaos would be just around the corner. Then, ing allows officers to perform instant plate and imagine how much more serious the situation license checks, issue and print traffic citations would be if the public’s safety was dependent electronically, and write and file incident re- on that technology remaining functional.

The previous two articles in this series have explored the safety and ergonomic issues related to mobile computing. This final installment addresses the importance of system component reliability and the tests manufacturers can conduct to ensure it. That is why an officer who has become de- Toughest Testing Crash Simulation — Mobile com- pendent on the safety and productivity ad- puting equipment can be subjected to sig- vantages of mobile computing will be the in the Industry nificant forces in the event of a crash. If first to tell you that system failure is simply Prior to making a purchasing decision, improperly secured, laptops, keyboards, not an option when sworn duty is involved. it is critical to look into what kinds of test- and other components can become po- But, is that a realistic expectation? It cer- ing, if any, are conducted by the equipment tentially lethal projectiles. To ensure that tainly can be if you make the right choices. manufacturer. Testing that closely simu- the mounting solutions you are consider- One of the keys to making certain that the lates the conditions that mobile computing ing can withstand the physical stresses of mobile computing system you implement equipment experiences in actual use helps a crash, ask the manufacturers if they have provides long-term reliability is to carefully manufacturers pinpoint potential trouble conducted crash simulation testing. These scrutinize each and every component to areas, optimize their designs, and maximize tests, conducted under carefully controlled confirm its overall quality. Just as impor- long-term reliability. laboratory conditions, allow manufacturers tantly, make sure each component is suit- The following tests are applicable to to determine how their equipment is likely able for the intended application. Since it mobile computing equipment and together to hold up in the event of a vehicle crash. serves as the primary interface between the represent a comprehensive regimen of per- Air Bag Deployment — Simulating laptop and the officer, what happens when this is especially true a mobile computer for mounting systems. and its mounting A mount that may per- system are struck by form perfectly well in a deploying air bag, light-duty civilian use this test helps mount- could fail miserably ing system manufac- under the rigors of turers determine if law enforcement duty their equipment can cycles. withstand the force Many people of impact. This test think of the obvious does not determine structural and manu- airbag compatibility, facturing qualities however. For more when considering the information on air- potential reliability bag compatibility, see of a piece of equip- the related article on ment. Some obvious mobile computing things to look for when safety in the [2008] examining a mobile issue of Police Fleet computing mounting Magazine. solution include the Vibration — thickness of the mate- Equipment in patrol rial (thicker is better), Vibration testing shakes equipment on three axes to ensure reliability in real world mobile conditions. vehicles can be sub- the overall size of the jected to heavy vibra- components, and the quality of the welds formance benchmarks that manufacturers tion in the event of a high-speed pursuit and finish. While these cosmetic observa- can rely on to ensure the quality and reliabil- over rough or uneven surfaces. A mount that tions alone cannot confirm the quality of ity of their products. If the manufacturer vibrates can transmit damaging shock to a a product, they can at least help you de- does not volunteer information about which computer. Even during normal use, a mount termine whether or not it meets minimal testing protocols they follow, be sure to ask, that vibrates excessively can lead to eye strain, quality standards. However, in the absence because not all manufacturers conduct the typing errors and undue wear and tear on of first-hand experience, there is no better full battery of tests described here. the laptop’s chassis, electronics and hinges. way to predict future performance than to Mounting solutions that pass stringent vi- look at the testing regimens that products bration testing in the laboratory are a fleet have been put through. manager’s assurance that they will per- form satisfactorily under even extreme real-world conditions. Most companies refer to MIL-STD-810F for this test. Be sure to ask which components in the mo- bile computing system have been tested. Pry-Force — This test determines the ability of a mounting solution to withstand attempts to forcefully remove a locked mobile computer. A mounting solution that fails this test — as well as any manufacturer that fails to perform this test — should be avoided if the secu- rity of the laptop is a concern. Although this testing is somewhat subjective, it is critically important for manufacturers to take theft resistance into consideration when designing their products. Ingress Protection (IP) — The In- ternational Electrotechnical Commis- sion (IEC) has established a worldwide standard for rating the ability of elec- tronic devices to withstand exposure to dust particles and water. The ratings, called “Ingress Protection” or “IP” rat- ings, contain two digits. The first digit indicates the relative ability of a device to resist the ingress of dust and can have a value from 1 to 6. The second number indicates the ability of an enclosure to resist the ingress of moisture and has a Engineers should be involved in all stages of testing. value of 1 to 8. Higher numbers indi- cate greater protection. Devices with the highest ratings are typically more expen- sure that docking stations do not emit or sive than those with lower ratings. transmit electromagnetic interference or ISO 9001 Cerification Temperature — The range of cli- radio frequencies that could potentially ISO 9001 is a series of internationally- disrupt the function of the patrol ve- matic conditions in which mobile com- recognized standards and procedures de- hicle’s communications equipment and puting equipment is used spans extremes veloped by the International Organization of temperature, from sub-zero to sub- other electronic devices. for Standardization. These standards and tropical. Environmental testing subjects General Durability Testing — components to a range of temperature Even the most well-made products can procedures define requirements for the im- conditions in order to determine how eventually fail as a result of normal us- plementation of quality systems in opera- well they perform and to identify any age. The most quality-conscious manu- tional procedures. They apply uniformly potential problems before they release facturers will likely perform a variety of to companies of all sizes worldwide and to the products to the marketplace. other tests to ensure that their products industries involved in the design, develop- EMI/RF — Almost everyone has will provide a reasonably long service ment, manufacture, installation, and ser- experienced the annoyance of an elec- life under typical operating conditions. vicing of products. trically powered device interfering with Such tests may include repeated docking ISO 9001-certified companies must com- a radio’s reception. A device that inter- and undocking of laptops, tests of mo- ply with stringent quality process standards feres with mission critical radios is not tion device position locking systems, and and implement effective quality manage- only annoying, but potentially danger- similar repetitive component durability ment systems. By requiring consistency in ous. EMI/RF testing is conducted to en- analyses to simulate a lifetime of use. the manufacturing process and documen- tation of quality procedures, ISO-9001 registration is a customer’s assurance that a manufacturer is meeting standards that result in overall product quality. Test Your The Changing Face requirements must drive their development: they must be safe, they must be ergonomic, Expectations of Mobile Computing and, above all, they must be unfailingly reli- able. As this series of articles has shown, the The more testing a manufacturer con- Technology mounting systems that support them must ducts, and the more information you can be, too. gather about the results of that testing, the The adoption of mobile computing better able you will be to assemble a mobile technology by law enforcement agencies computing system that will meet your ex- has given patrol officers powerful high-tech pectations for performance and reliability tools. These devices have enhanced their Nicolas Milani is the Business Development every minute you are on duty. productivity, their personal safety, and their Manager for Havis, Inc., an ISO-9001-certified Do not assume that all manufactur- ability to protect and to serve the public. manufacturer of rugged computer mounting systems ers perform the same tests. If the product’s Given the enthusiasm with which depart- for law enforcement, public safety, and emergency specs fail to specify the tests that have been ments across the country have welcomed fleets. With a degree in mechanical engineering and preformed, do not hesitate to ask. After all, mobile computing, the next generations experience in a number of mobile computing envi- your department is making a significant of technology and software advances will ronments, Milani travels the world educating resell- investment in mobile computing, and it is undoubtedly find their way into fleets at an ers and customers on both the advantages and risks better to find out about a product’s quality even faster pace. associated with mobile computing. Prior to joining shortcomings beforehand than to learn an Regardless of what those future ad- Havis, Inc., Milani worked for Motorola. unwelcome lesson the hard way. vancements look like, three fundamental

Missouri State Highway Patrol Sticks With What Works

As an early adopter of mobile The MSHP has looked at less ex- computing — they installed their first pensive consumer-grade equipment, laptops in patrol vehicles back in 1999 but because published failure rates — the Missouri State Highway Patrol of non-ruggedized systems are often understands the value of reliability. in the range of 15 to 25 percent, the impact on operations would be too Now on their fourth generation great. Investing in reliable equipment of laptops, the MSHP has approxi- keeps troopers on the road, serving mately 825 units deployed in vehicles and protecting. across the state. According to Captain Kim Hull, his troopers use the lap- MSHP troopers are assigned tops for everything from sending and take-home vehicles. “With some receiving email to performing license troopers located hours away from checks. Nine years of mobile comput- their regional headquarters, a system ing has made his troopers dependent failure may require a drive of up to on the technology. five hours one way just to access IT support. That could result in losing That dependence is why the the trooper for 12 hours or more and MSHP purchases the most reliable put an additional 650 miles on the ve- equipment they can find. Hull claims hicle,” Hull says. that over the last nine years, the com- puters and docking stations have ex- “We’re on our fourth generation perienced only about a one-percent and we’ve stuck with what works. failure rate, most of which has been With laptop and docking station fail- the result of user error. ures almost nonexistent, our troopers know they can rely on the MCD (mo- bile computing device) to help them do their jobs.”