Thursday, August 21, 2008

PR Tweet Are any of you on Twitter, yet? Very good short form communication method. You can get me at http://www.twitter.com/garymintchell. Here is a first. Lourdes Rios Salazar, or @LRiosSalazar, has sent the first press release via Twitter. Great. National Instruments recognized more than 20 innovative applications developed by engineers and scientists from around the world at the inaugural Graphical Systems Design Achievement Awards banquet on Aug. 5 during NI Week. Winners from 10 categories were recognized for developing applications that met complex engineering and science challenges using graphical systems design. Four more applications were presented with Humanitarian of the Year, Green Engineering Application of the Year, Editor's Choice and Overall Customer Application of the Year awards. The Overall Customer Application of the Year Award was presented to a team of researchers from Kitasato University in Japan for its research using an optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging technique for advanced cancer research. The team developed a prototype medical instrument that uses a high-speed acquisition system with 256 simultaneously sampled channels, making it the fastest OCT system in the world. The high-resolution device, which is an alternative to ionizing radiation techniques, will ultimately be used to safely detect cancer in patients faster than current methods. The Editor's Choice Award, which was voted on by a panel of editors from more than 20 technical trade publications, was presented by EE Times Editor Nicolas Mokhoff to Nanyang Polytechnic Institute of Singapore, Schmid Engineering and Analog Devices. The winners collaboratively used graphical system design and high-power embedded processors to develop a six-legged, highly functional robotic spider for use in rescue missions. The Green Engineering Application of the Year winner, Loccioni Group of Italy, was recognized by CEO James Truchard for creating a test system that measures the flow rates of diesel engine nozzles. Additionally, the Humanitarian Application of the Year Award was presented by NI Business and Technology Fellow and Co-Founder Jeff Kodosky to Sanarus Medical for the development of a less invasive breast tumor treatment device that dramatically reduces the emotional and physical discomfort for patients undergoing tumor treatment. 11:50:57 AM    comment []

FUD Usually when I write a FUD blog the subject is either an EtherNet/IP proponent misrepresenting Profinet or the FDT v EDDL debate. Here is a post from Jim Cahill at Emerson Process Experts about FUD concerning the age of the DeltaV system. Apparantly people are saying that the platform is getting a little long in the tooth. Actually, I asked Emerson the same thing several years ago. I really hadn't heard much from them and it has the same name and appearance. (OK, so that's pretty shallow.) So, no, Emerson hasn't been sitting on its laurels. The platform has undergone continual updates. I continue to be amazed that some marketing people just don't have a clue. It's happening in our (media) industry, too. The approach of sharing how your own product or solution meets the needs of the prospect works much better--and leaves you with a much better reputation--than just going around knocking the competition. (Part of my talk at the ISA Sales & Marketing Summit in Cleveland next month.) 11:36:00 AM    comment []

Wonderware acquisition for mobile applications One of the important uses of wireless technology often overlooked in the sensor network discussion is the mobile workforce. Wonderware has been developing products in this area, and now it has made an interesting acquisition. It has acquired Houston-based SAT Corp. With this acquisition, Wonderware will form a new mobile solutions group. The group will focus on manufacturing visibility and task execution. The acquired IntelaTrac Enterprise Suite product includes configurable software and ruggedized mobile hardware solutions that enable workflow, procedural and general task management capabilities typically focused around plant operations, maintenance management, production tracking and compliance applications. "Wonderware is excited to extend its operations management offerings with these proven  mobile solutions for its large customer base of more than 125,000 plants," said Mike Pring, Wonderware's general manager of the new mobile solutions group and vice president of Wonderware customer support and services.  "Wonderware will be investing in extending both the capabilities and the value of Wonderware IntelaTrac with strong support of existing customer applications, as well as adding new industry solutions that can be delivered and supported on a global basis." The former SAT organization, now the Wonderware Mobile Solutions Group, will report to Mike Pring. 11:26:57 AM    comment []