Toughbooks "in the line of fire"
Panasonic Toughbooks "in the line of fire" at Howard and Sons Pyrotechnics Displays.
Australian company Howard and Sons, a world leader in the field of pyrotechnics, is using Panasonic's Toughbooks to meet the extreme demands of live computer-controlled fireworks displays at outdoor events such as the Australia Day fireworks at Darling Harbour.
Howard and Sons has been established since 1922. The company designs and manufactures fireworks and provides dazzling fireworks and multimedia pyrotechnics displays for major events across Australia and around the world - in both outdoor and indoor environments - including national celebrations, rock concerts, festivals, corporate and private events.
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| Display Designer Stuart Bensley preparing for the Australia Day Fireworks in Sydney. |
Panasonic's ruggedised Toughbooks are specialised notebooks, with a design that can withstand the extreme field conditions experienced in pyrotechnic events. The fully ruggedised Toughbook CF-18 convertible notebook/Tablet PCs purchased by Howard and Sons provide protection against vibration and shock; are specially sealed to resist damage from liquid, dirt and dust; and are used tablet-style to provide touchscreen operation to drive the shows.
The Toughbook's features are vital to the success of outdoor fireworks events where the notebook is subject to extremes of temperature, powerful vibration, corrosive falling debris, moisture from sea water or rain, or dirt in stadium or trackside environments. They also have the ruggedised durability needed to stand up to the constant transportation from show to show.
Andrew Howard, Director, Howard and Sons, said: "We could be holding an event anywhere, from the desert, to a ski resort in the snow, a rusty barge in the harbour, or a speedway environment. Our solution had to withstand heat, cold, dust and rain, all the elements we work in. Toughbook was the only product on the market that would handle this stuff."
Flexibility and control with touchscreen tablet
Howard and Sons have purchased four Toughbook CF-18s, which they began using in January 2005 for setting up and live control of their fireworks displays. One of the first uses was the Australia Day fireworks. Each fireworks display is programmed using a program called 'FireOne' software, which precisely synchronises the detonation of the fireworks to live music.
The program is downloaded to the Toughbook, which is connected to the 'FireOne' controller, which in turn fires the circuits for detonating the fireworks. The system is operated via radio link, with the Toughbook receiving signals to activate each section of the show.
Unlike Howard and Sons' previous hardware, the CF-18 gives the company the flexibility to upgrade as software develops. Stuart Bensley, Display Designer, Howard & Sons, added: "The previous system was just a 'black box' which ran the show - with the Toughbook you can see what is going on at all times.
" During the set-up of each fireworks show, the Toughbook is used to test the detonation circuits. Before the event begins, the technicians re-test to ensure all the circuits are open and working, and that the Toughbook is receiving the transmission of music sync time codes.
Andrew Howard added: "Because the CF-18 converts into a tablet, we can fold the screen down so it covers the keyboard and is facing up. By using it in pen-only digitiser mode, there is no risk of accidentally stalling or stopping the live show if debris falls on the toughened screen.
The Toughbook can also be used to address any 'glitches' during the show. "For example, if there was an unplanned explosion on one barge, we can hit that barge on the touchscreen, and isolate it from other areas. Once we've assessed the problem, we can bring it back online at the touch of a button.
All the company's technicians have been trained to use the CF-18, so the company can use them in up to four shows on any one date.
Resilience in extreme field conditions
In events like the Australia Day fireworks at Darling Harbour, there are numerous barges of fireworks, an extensive display that requires set-up over several days and the support of dependable, rugged equipment.
Water and dirt resistance was a key purchasing consideration when selecting the Toughbook. Andrew Howard said: "The barges themselves are dirty and rusty, and we can get a lot of sea spray, as well as the spray when we include jet ski shows. Fireworks can look better in rain, due to the water droplets, so if the client is happy, we will go ahead. Also, it will often rain at some stage during the set-up period, so our equipment has to be reliable at all times."
In addition, the grit that falls back on the barges from a large fireworks display is corrosive, and can damage equipment over time. This landed inside Howard and Son's original controller and eventually corroded away its circuits.
The CF-18's design helps protect against this, water, dust and other damaging elements with features such as waterproof seals for LCD, keyboard and interface ports. In addition, keyboard circuitry is sealed and integrated with the keyboard and touchpad in a single panel, that is itself sealed from the PC's interior - so even if debris enters via gaps in the keyboard, it cannot reach internal circuits.
Vibration-resistance was another key factor that convinced Howard and Sons to go with the Toughbook, as fireworks displays cause massive concussions and vibrations which could stall a program, or dislodge internal components.
The CF-18 is designed to withstand impact and shock, with the hard disk drive protected by a shock-insulating dampener, and a body made of magnesium alloy with tensile strength 20 times that of ABS resin. In addition, the entire computer has been tested for compliance with US military-standard MIL STD 810F requirements for drop shock and vibration absorption.
The Toughbook will bring an increased degree of reliability and performance to Howard and Sons' schedule of events in the coming year, including the dramatic Adelaide Skyshow, and international events such as the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The Toughbook CF-18s were supplied to Howard and Sons by Toughbook Value Added Reseller TouchStar Pacific Ltd.
Panasonic Toughbook CF-18
The Toughbook CF-18's robust design protects valuable data from impact, moisture, water and dust. Built-in ruggedised features include a full magnesium-alloy case, sealed port and connector covers, ruggedised case hinge and moisture and dust-resistant LCD, keyboard and touchpad. Both the screen and hard drive are impact-isolated and the entire unit has been tested for compliance with MIL STD 810F requirements (US Military standards) for drop shock and vibration absorption, and liquid, dust and dirt ingress in extreme operating environments.
The CF-18 features a tilting-and-swivelling 10.4-inch highvisibility (daylight readable) XGA display panel that flips and closes over the notebook's keyboard to convert it to a rugged touchscreen Tablet PC. The CF-18 uses an advanced mobility platform, incorporates the latest processing technology for maximum performance with minimal battery drain, and weighs just 2.0kg for highly mobile use.
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