Handheld Vibration Spectrum Analyzer

handheld PDA-based Vibration Spectrum AnalyzerDatastick Systems has released the first handheld PDA-based Vibration Spectrum Analyzer / Data Collector for Palm Powered devices. Vibration Spectrum Analyzers are used for industrial machine diagnostics and predictive maintenance. The software provides easy operation with open PC software that allows push-button data export to any PC running Microsoft Excel.

The system includes the new Datastick VSA-1212 Vibration Spectrum Analyzer module that attaches securely to select PDAs running Palm OS; new Datastick Spectrum handheld software that collects and stores vibration measurements while displaying them in time waveforms and FFT spectra complete with alarm levels; and Datastick Reporting System (DRS) software for PCs, which is based on Microsoft Excel. Vibration data from the PDA exports to the PC with a single press of a button and loads into the DRS workbook on the PC with two mouse-clicks.

The VSA-1212 module is designed to use standard ICP-type industrial accelerometers. The Datastick Spectrum software that runs on the PDA places all the vital waveform or FFT spectral information on one screen. Data can be shown in terms of acceleration, velocity, or displacement, and versatile cursor-point tools enable precise zooming and numerical readout of any data point, and can show the relationship between any two data points. An “Add Note” feature allows the user to attach written observations to individual waveform or spectrum captures.

“The VSA-1212 system will enable more companies to take advantage of the cost-saving and efficiency benefits of routine machine condition monitoring in predictive maintenance. In addition it’s an excellent, easily affordable troubleshooting device for field service technicians and organizations,” said Michael Scandling of Datastick Systems. “Until now, there have been two barriers to wider use of vibration analyzers: initial cost and the perception that you have to be a vibration expert to use them. The VSA-1212 breaks down both of these barriers."

handheld PDA-based Vibration Spectrum AnalyzerUp to 22 MB of recorded waveform and spectrum data can be stored in the recommended Garmin iQue 3200 or 3600 handheld computer, enough to store data from more than 700 inspection checkpoints. There are 6 selectable FFT windowing options and a broad selection of maximum frequency options. The user can use alert levels based on ISO standards, or set his own. Industry-standard BNC connectors connect with industrial-grade accelerometers, and a ruggedized case is available for the system.

“A wealth of PDA software includes spreadsheets and word processing programs, and if the user selects a Garmin handheld, he can track GPS locations in a separate program,” said Scandling. “For added functionality, a user can detach the VSA module from the PDA, attach a Datastick module for data acquisition, attach sensors for temperature, pressure, humidity, and other factors, and have an entirely new instrument.”

The VSA-1212 supports these handhelds: Palm Tungsten T, T2, T3, C, Palm m-500 series, Garmin iQue 3200, and Garmin iQue 3600.

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Palm OS Dead?

legodude522 @ 2/26/2006 3:47:36 PM # Q
Who said Palm OS is dead?

Palm m125 December 25, 2002 to March 24 2004 > palmOne Zire 71 March 24, 2004 to March 31, 2005. Tapwave Zodiac 1 April 18, 2005 to November 2, 2005 > palmOne Zire 72 November 2, 2005 to present
RE: Palm OS Dead?
joad @ 2/26/2006 4:05:14 PM # Q
Yup - empirical evidence that they are still moving.

RE: Palm OS Dead?
Admin @ 2/26/2006 4:07:29 PM # Q
yeah, you don't see too many new sled add-ons these days.

-Ryan
RE: Palm OS Dead?
Surur @ 2/26/2006 4:11:13 PM # Q

except for the only serious WIFI option for the Treo 650, the Enfora WIFI sled. A bit 1990's, isn't it.

Surur

They said I only argued for the sake of arguing, but after an hour I convinced them they were wrong...

RE: Palm OS Dead?
joad @ 2/26/2006 5:47:56 PM # Q
Palm keeps changing their sync connectors faster than the third-party manufacturers can get anything tested properly and out the door... looks like some clever company came up with a use for leftover stock from the "Universal Connector" days. Very retro.



RE: Palm OS Dead? Yes, unfortunately PalmOS is DEAD.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 2/26/2006 6:14:06 PM # Q
Who said Palm OS is dead?

Access did when they announced the death of Cobalt/PalmLinux last week. Since PalmOS has officially been relegated to staying as a gussied-up version of PalmOS 4 running as an emulator within a smartphone OS that won't be available on devices for at least 2 more years, most people would agree that PalmOS indeed is DEAD. Thank Allah that PalmOS survived long enough for gems like the Samsung i500 and CLIE UX50/TH55/VZ90 to be produced. At least the PalmOS faithful have a few devices to use over the next decade as we resist the inevitable triumph of Microsoft. (Desktop OS, laptop OS, word processor, spreadsheet, web browser, presentation app, email app, media player, database app, personal finance app, server, email server, gaming device, PDA OS, smartphone OS, feature phone OS... Yikes!)

Onward, PalmOS soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Hawkins going on before


------------------------
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.
------------------------

The Palm eCONomy = Communism™

The Great Palm Swindle: http://www.palminfocenter.com/comments/7864/#108038

NetFrontLinux - the next major cellphone OS?: http://www.palminfocenter.com/comments/8060/#111823

RE: Palm OS Dead?
Foo Fighter @ 2/26/2006 8:09:07 PM # Q
God yes! What could be more prove that PalmOS is alive and thriving than a new sled attachment. Take that you other growing platforms!

-------------------------------
Editor, http://Pocketfactory.com
RE: Palm OS Dead?
hkklife @ 2/26/2006 8:32:16 PM # Q
Goodness gracious, I never even knew the iQues used the UC. You'd THINK someone would have publicized that one a bit more. Very cool, in a sort of 2001 retro sort of way.

You know, if someone could come up with a multifunction sled that'd have something like a barcode scanner, Power to Go style battery pack/recharger, and wi-fi sled all in a single device it'd still make sense for vertical or industrial style applications. Now, there's a distressing amount of handhelds utilizing the UC or Athena (ie nothing made by Symbol) nowadays but it still would make sense for certain applications.

An accessory sled still likely makes more sense than a fragile piece of SDIO vaporware!

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX

RE: Palm OS Dead?
relyons @ 2/26/2006 9:16:53 PM # Q
With the death of the Palm OS, The Voice Of Reason has announced his departure from PalmInfocenter.

God speed, TVoR. May you spread your vile and misinformation somewhere else but here.

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Legacy palm support

DJS_TX @ 2/26/2006 9:31:57 PM # Q
This really means nothing... Look at the list of palms it supports. Only the ones with a "real" serial port. All these guys did was adapt one of the open source terminal programs for palm OS to talk to an existing RS232 based sensor.

I wish palm had not gone the way of Handspring and done these "fake" serial ports that can't talk to real DCE equipment without a battery powered converter.

David


RE: Legacy palm support
AdamaDBrown @ 2/27/2006 2:41:10 AM # Q
(Shrug) What can you say, it's cheap. And the number of serial ports in active use these days is dwindling--they hardly exist outside of industrial/vertical uses.

RE: Legacy palm support
ChiA @ 2/27/2006 12:45:12 PM # Q
Hey, I thought the whole point of USB, the Universal Serial Bus was to get rid of all that DTE and DCE headache! It's time to move on or should we all still be using punch card with our computers?

"It is commonly said, and more particularly by Lord Shaftesbury, that ridicule is the best test of truth".
Lord Chesterfield
RE: Legacy palm support
DJS_TX @ 2/27/2006 10:22:34 PM # Q
LOL, Don't fall into the trap that newer is better.

Yep, all recent palm models have USB capability. USB slave that is. They can only talk to a desktop, not another USB peripheral.

And I won't argue that serial is probably a useless legacy technology for most consumers. But I guess it irritates me that palm does such a half @ss job on serial when it would be so easy to do it right. They save $.25 by not putting a real serial UART in there and instead using some GPIO pins on the processor.

David


RE: Legacy palm support
ChiA @ 2/28/2006 2:52:29 PM # Q
LOL, Don't fall into the trap that newer is better
Don't blame the (USB) standard, blame the ones who fail to implement its relevant elements; there's the USB on the Go standard for allowing certain devices i.e. PDAs to connect directly to keyboards, flash drives etc.

http://www.usb.org/developers/onthego/

"It is commonly said, and more particularly by Lord Shaftesbury, that ridicule is the best test of truth".
Lord Chesterfield

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