GRiD Systems and Trimble Navigation Demonstrate First Pen Computer with Global Positioning System Technology
DETROIT, Mich. — October 26, 1992 — The world's first pen computer utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) technology was demonstrated Monday by GRiD Systems Corp. and Trimble Navigation Limited (NASDAQ:TRMB).
The GPS unit, manufactured by industry leader Trimble, was integrated with a GRiD PalmPAD RF pen computer as the two companies demonstrated how police officers can rapidly collect accident and incident data using two of the hottest new information technologies on the market.
The demonstration, involving a simulated vehicle accident, was held at the Detroit Police Department in conjunction with the annual meeting of the International Association of Chiefs of Police being conducted this week. It featured GRiD's MS-DOS compatible PalmPAD RF pen computer and Trimble's SVeeSix Plus GPS unit.
Risa Freedman, GRiD's government national sales manager for pen-based systems, said, "The marriage of these two exciting technologies represents a major breakthrough in real time portable computing. Not only can the user wear significant computing power on the wrist, but now the user's location and time can be recorded automatically."
The pen computing and GPS solution, which relies on software developed by Technology Solutions Inc., Minneapolis, will enable police officers to more quickly, efficiently and accurately collect data.
"There is widespread interest in using pen computing solutions in numerous markets including law enforcement, emergency medicine, transportation, utilities and real estate," according to Perry Busalacchi, president of Technology Solutions. His firm currently is involved in more than 170 pilot projects using GRiD and Trimble hardware.
The Technology Solutions application was developed under PenRight!, GRiD's DOS-based, pencentric graphical application platform that allows quick development of custom applications for virtually all major pen hardware systems on the market.
Lt. K.D. Bullock, commanding officer of the department's communications systems section, said, "The GRiD pen computer and Trimble GPS technology combination has enormous potential value for police officers. It will give officers more time for actual law enforcement because they will be able to spend less time at crime and accident scenes collecting information. This will free officers to more quickly respond to the next crime or accident call."
While police departments in Detroit and other cities are just starting to explore uses of the technology, already two state police departments in the Midwest have started pilot projects using a limited number of the pen computing/GPS units. If the projects are successful, the two departments plan to purchase some 3,000 units for their officers.
Using lightweight, handheld PalmPAD and GRiDPAD pen computers, police officers and other users are able to electronically call up familiar forms that they must daily complete on the screen of their computers. By filling out that form, instead of the time-consuming paper-and-pencil forms, organizations and companies can dramatically reduce workloads, insure more accurate reports and speed the flow of information.
The information can be easily down-loaded into a central or desktop computer system thus eliminating later data entry of the information gathered in the field.
Trimble's GPS products, which gained international acclaim when allied troops used more than 5,000 of the devices in Operation Desert Storm, add a valuable dimension to the pen computing paradigm. The GPS unit, linked via the 232 serial port to the computer, automatically feeds position and time data to the computer.
John Wenzel, public safety project manager for the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Trimble, said, "With 19 GPS satellites in orbit, 24-hour-per-day position information is now available to aid the emergency response and other markets. Municipal and state police, fire departments and emergency medical response units are keen for high technology equipment that can speed their resources to the scene and minimize their time on the scene."
The GPS receiver weighs just under a pound and can be worn on the belt or attached to the pen computer. GRiD pen computers are priced in the $2,500 or $3,500 range. Trimble officials said that it is expected that the GPS unit will be priced at under $1,500.
Wenzel added that Trimble's GPS product also adds value because it provides an "automatically-reported location." Sometimes the exact location of an accident or incident is disputed because it is left to the often subjective decision of an officer. "The information gathered using GPS can legally stand up in court," he added.
Already, Trimble is working with a number of cities where GPS position sensors are installed on top of police vehicles. The location information constantly gathered using GPS is sent to central and district police offices where dispatchers electronically keep track of their location.
When vehicles need to be quickly dispatched to a location, the dispatchers know immediately which vehicles can reach the scene most quickly. Trimble's advanced six-channel design reduces the time it takes to achieve a first fix and to reacquire satellite signals that are temporarily blocked by urban structures.
Freedman anticipates that "the availability of Trimble's GPS technology will be a catalyst in increasing the interest for using GRiD pen computers as mobile data terminals. The combination of compact size, bright and easy-to-read screen, ruggedness and portability make it a great fit in police, fire, ambulance, truck and utility vehicle applications. And, the user can make use of a GRiD pen system to interface with the dispatch center for status and message exchange."
GRiD designs, manufactures, markets and services laptop, notebook, pen and multimedia computers, and pen-based software development tools. GRiD, located at 47211 Lakeview Blvd., Fremont, Calif., markets products in the United States, Canada, South America, Israel, Australia and the Pacific Rim. GRiD Systems Corp. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tandy Corp., Forth Worth, Texas, a leading manufacturer and distributor of consumer electronics and computers.
Trimble Navigation Ltd. is a world leader in the emerging commercial market for satellite-based navigation and positioning products using the U.S. Government-funded Global Positioning System (GPS).
Trimble designs, manufactures and markets electronic instruments and systems for determining precise geographic location. These products are sold in a variety of markets including survey and mapping, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), marine, aviation, vehicle tracking, military applications and differential GPS systems. Founded in 1978 and located in Sunnyvale, Trimble has been the leader in the commercial business of GPS since 1984, selling more than 70,000 GPS systems to worldwide markets as of Q3 1992.
Note to Editors: GRiDPAD, PalmPAD and PenRight! are registered trademarks of GRiD Systems Corp.
CONTACT:
GRiD Systems Corp.
Cathy Truesdell, 817/491-5200
Risa Freedman, 703/734-9600
or
Trimble Navigation Ltd., Sunnyvale
Suzann Manteufel, 408/481-2905