Intermec now shipping handheld for hazardous applications

Intermec is now shipping the new CK32IS handheld computer, which provides industries like chemical, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, grain, textile and mining, a powerful, safe, extremely rugged handheld computer. The CK32IS will carry an extensive list of global hazardous environmental ratings–including ATEX and IEC at launch, UL shortly thereafter–of any handheld computer, so it can be deployed anywhere in the world.

The CK32IS was designed from inception for hazardous environments, meeting the most stringent requirements not only for flammable gases, vapors, liquids, but also for dust, fibers and flyings, the company says. The mobile computer has been ATEX-certified for use in Zone 0 (gases) and Zone 20 (dusts and fibers) environments–the highest possible safety ratings, requiring double-fault protection of circuitry. In addition, the product’s accessories meet the latest associated apparatus certifications to provide the highest level of safety.

The Windows Mobile 5.0-based handheld computer features a fast Intel XScale PXA270 processor, 128 MB of DRAM memory and 64 MB of non-volatile Flash memory. It supports Intermec TE2000 terminal emulation software to run legacy applications and has a full suite of audio capabilities to enable interactive VoIP, walkie-talkie applications, and digital recording applications.

“Over the last year, we have observed growing awareness and interest in devices that meet the I-Safe and ATEX standards, particularly among companies that work with or distribute flammable gases,” said Todd Kort, principal research analyst, Mobile and Wireless, Gartner.

As part of Intermec’s complete family of rugged AIDC products designed and manufactured for demanding environments, the CK32IS supports all the leading industry standards, including Cisco Client Extensions (CCX), Wavelink Avalanche Remote Device Management, Wi-Fi, .NET, Java and the Intermec Developer Library. It also supports Intermec’s SmartSystems Foundation, which provides a single, integrated environment for hands-free deployment and management of devices located anywhere in the enterprise–on-site or remote.