Select Page

When a racing car driver needed a computer capable of gathering vital performance data while withstanding extreme heat and vibration in the cockpit, he turned to Handheld’s rugged Android Nautiz X6.

Handheld partner Peter Palotas is the Managing Director of AllTerra Hungary, a company that provides sales and support for geospatial products, drones and LiDAR scanner systems. He’s also an autocross and rallycross driver, who was looking for a mobile device that could generate precision data to help fine-tune his car’s performance, without breaking down under harsh operating conditions. Mobility was also important – the device needed to easily swappable between cars.

Car

A rugged solution from Handheld

Already familiar with the quality offering from Handheld in his own business, he didn’t need to look far for a solution!

“Our company’s clients need rugged, reliable mobile computers – they spend more time in the field than in the office. That’s why we work with Handheld as our strategic partner for field controllers and data collectors. We know the quality, reliability and easy operation these units offer. We also knew we could use them for very different applications than just land surveying.”

Like, for example, in a race car, where devices need to be rugged and durable enough to withstand the demanding environment inside the cockpit.

“We found the best product is the Nautiz X6 rugged Android handheld,” he says. “It’s the perfect rugged unit for us, with long battery life, good camera images and GPS performance.”

Man riding in a car.

A data collector with GPS, accelerometer, camera 

Peter pairs the Nautiz X6 Android handheld with a specific race software called TrackAddict. The software uses the handheld’s internal sensor data (GPS, accelerometer) and the camera for the precise lap-time calculation. So, precision data-generation? Check.

How about ruggedness? The Nautiz X6 data collector proved its worth immediately, Peter says.

“I had previously used my iPhone with the same software, but after half an hour the iPhone died because of the vibration.”

The Nautiz X6 is tested to military ruggedness standards and can handle vibrations, drops, dust, water, as well as operating in extreme temperatures. Check for that one too.

And the need for mobility?

“The most important thing is to be able to move it from one car to another, very quickly,” he explains.

Race computers are normally hard-wired into specific cars, logging all the necessary information during the event.

But races are won just as much in training and testing as in the actual event. When a team is working with multiple cars between races to determine the best setup, they need details like maximum speed, lap times, best lap time and predictive information. Specifically, the lap times are crucial, so they can see changes lap by lap.

“We especially like the Handheld solution because we have different types of cars,” he says. “So instead of investing in a wired race-control system in each car, we can use the Nautiz X6 easily in any car, swapping extremely quickly. It’s an efficient and economical way to compare the times of different cars on the same track.” There’s the third check.

Man holding Nautix X6

Good battery life and easy data transfer

Combining his work and his play has worked out wonderfully for Peter and his team. He knew the track record (pun intended) of Handheld’s devices, and so he wasn’t worried about the Nautiz X6 withstanding the harsh environment. And other aspects of its performance have impressed him as well.

“The battery life is more than enough for a full day of track testing, and the data transfer via BT is easy,” he begins with.

“But if I had to choose one thing as the best feature, it’s that the Nautiz X6 can broadcast the TrackAddict data to the service team in the depot in real time with GSM connection, so they can see the information instantly – that’s fantastic!”

It’s just one of the many innovative applications users have found for the Nautiz X6, from exploring caves to finding gold!

At ESIS Industrial Electronics, we offer a range of solutions to meet your industrial user interface needs. Whether you require a rugged tablet or handheld, a data logging system for temperatures, a high-quality industrial display, a powerful integrated computing platform or a programmable interface for direct PLC integration, we have the right equipment to ensure your operations run smoothly and efficiently.

For more information, visit www.esis.com.au or contact our team to discuss your specific requirements.

Article courtesy of Handheld Group.

Call Now Button