Global electronics distributor Digi-Key Corporation, recognized by design engineers as having the industry's largest selection of electronic components available for immediate shipment, was named the "Most Favorite Catalog Distributor" by Electronic Engineering and Product World (EEPW) magazine in China. The company was recognized for its broad product availability, an ability to quickly ship orders of any size and for its exceptional customer service."Digi-Key is pleased to be recognized by EEPW readers as a favorite," said Mark Larson, President of Digi-Key. "China is an important growth area for us and engineers can rest assured that Digi-Key is prepared to support their needs from prototype to production."Electronic Engineering & Product World (EEPW) is jointly published by Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (ISTIC), a division of the Ministry of Science & Technology, and IDG, the leading technology publisher in China. EEPW covers electronic technology, products and markets to engineering managers, executive managers and senior design engineers.Digi-Key Corporation, based in Thief River Falls, Minn., is a global, full-service provider of both prototype/design and production quantities of electronic components, offering more than two million products from over 650 quality name-brand manufacturers at http://www.digikey.com/.With over 790,000 products in stock, an impressive selection of online resources, and the logistical advantage of more than 800,000 square feet of expandable distribution space, Digi-Key continues to move forward, affirming its commitment to stocking the broadest range of electronic components in the industry and providing the best service possible to its customers.Mark Larson, President of Digi-Key

China's booming economy has led the country to invest more on traffic infrastructure which has created the need for traffic management and security monitoring systems overseen by video walls displays in control rooms. Among all the traffic monitoring systems, those monitoring traffic safety in highway tunnels are especially mission-and-life critical.A large system integrator customer in China submitted a bid for a highway tunnel surveillance control room project which comprised of a video surveillance system, an emergency operations system, a vehicle recognition system, and a traffic management system. And crucially at the center, a video wall was needed in the main control room that was able to display all data and video coming from these systems in real time, with advanced warning capabilities that could draw an operators' attention to the most critical images.Supported by the new AVS series—Advantech's newest video wall controller products, and co-validated with Matrox Mura MPX video cards, our customer was able to render a proposal which provided industrial-grade stability and reliability with the highest cost/performance ratio among competitors.System Requirements- Ample inputs for data and video from different sources including 32 cameras and 20 operator workstations or servers- Capability of capturing multiple video sources (VGA, DVI, YPbPr, S-Video, Composite, SDI, etc)- Visualize and display data on multiple monitors with flexible configuration- Outstanding computing performance - Excellent reliability for 24/7 operationBefore choosing Advantech's AVS products, the customer like many other video wall system vendors in the China market today, developed video servers by themselves with components purchased from different sources. They had to test compatibility of these components, including motherboards, video cards, power supplies and others, over and over again and often encountered difficulties in dealing with thermal issues and system performance and this meant a lengthy R&D process with repeated investment.When they finally completed a workable system and shipped it to their customer for on-site installation, things still went wrong—either the graphic cards or memory modules broke loose, or the system couldn't even boot up. This was because their computers were not able to endure vibration during transportation.They were also often having to provide maintenance service for their systems. Individual components purchased from different vendors meant the technical support from their suppliers varied and was often of poor quality, plus they had to stockpile replacement components for maintenance needs, causing extra inventory costs.However, by choosing Advantech's turnkey solutions, all the hassles from R&D, shipment and installation, to after-sale service went away and now they are able to focus on their core business of designing and developing high-end video walls and providing value added services to their end customers.Advantech AVS series video wall controllersare dedicated to video wall applications with industrial grade designs for efficient heat-dissipation, and anti-vibration, stability and reliability features built in. On top of that, each AVS product is sent to Matrox headquarters at Montreal to go through tests to ensure that the computer system is fully compatible with Matrox's Mura MPX video cards and can achieve optimal performance without electrical, mechanical or thermal problems.For 24/7 applications like highway tunnel control room video walls, stability and reliability are crucial. With Advantech AVS series products at the center, their video wall performed with optimal quality and reliability. Advantech's turnkey solution helps system integrators shorten product development cycles, saving R&D investment, and minimizing headaches from rising costs of shipping, installation and operation.To aid maintenance, AVS series have remote control and management functions built in, this helps customers save a lot of time with on-site visits. Advantech acts as single vendor for customers; if something happens they just call Advantech for trouble shooting instead of contacting multiple vendors for support. Advantech's long product life cycle support reduces costs for stockpiling components, global logistics and technical support—saving effort on after sales service and customer support.Finding more case study articles

Queensland Health organization in the state of Queensland, Australia provides a network of fifteen health service districts and the Mater Hospitals. The organization delivers a range of integrated services including hospital inpatient, outpatient and emergency services; community and mental health services; senior care; and public health and health promotion programs. Medtel, established in 1965, is the foremost supplier of high technology and medical systems to the Australasian region. They are a long-term partner of Advantech and together the two have teamed up to deploy four generations of specialized medical equipment including medically-certified hardware, specialized software, and operational support.With a history of reliability and success, it is little wonder that Queensland Health turned to Medtel and Advantech for a solution to enhanced automation and control of perioperative processes throughout the hospital group. They were looking to replace paper-based systems and capture clinical data in real-time. They wanted a slim, easy to maintain, easy to clean device certified for use in a medical environment.Advantech's POC-S157 Slim Point-of-Care terminal was chosen for the 500 unit deployment throughout the state's 32 public hospitals. The system runs Medtel's Winchart application, specifically developed and designed by medically-trained doctors at Medtel to capture clinical information from patient monitoring equipment and peripheral medical devices. The data displayed graphically in real-time, is stored in a customizable database, and the system can be interfaced with external hospital information systems and other applications. The POC-S157 terminals were deployed for use in all phases of the hospital's perioperative treatment, using various software modules of the Winchart application, as well as for electronic patient record keeping, and for medical administration. Since the system is integrated and connected to the hospital information system network, data is available to specific applications in real-time. Doctors and medical staff no longer need to record data after the fact relying on memory or quickly scrawled notes.Medtel's Winchart running on Advantech's POC-S157 Slim Point-of-Care terminals replace paper-based systems and give staff the ability to capture and display real-time information throughout the various phases of the hospital's perioperative environment. Anesthetists can enter information about drugs, fluids, and take other notes. Data accuracy is greatly improved and time is managed better, allowing them to focus on patient care. The POC-S157 point-of-care terminal has a large 15" panel equipped with a touchscreen to graphically display data. It is UL60601-1/ EN60601-1 certified with electrical isolation of LAN and power connections. POC-S157 features an IPX1 water resistant enclosure and an IP65 dust-tight front panel. It can be kept clean with hospital antiseptic cleaners, reducing bacteria and the chance of contamination.BenefitsQueensland Health has reported that the many benefits to the Advantech/Medtel solution have surpassed expectations and they are very satisfied with the results so far. Early estimates show a savings of 90% of the staff's time over the previous paper-based systems. In addition the POC-S157 running Winchart software has brought the hospital:- Reduced liability- Improvements in patient care- Improved data legibility, consistency and accuracy- A tool for data analysis to facilitate research and budgeting- Improved risk management- Decision-making and educational information to the point-of-careQueensland Health has reported that the many benefits to the Advantech/Medtel solution have surpassed expectationsFinding more case study articles

LILIN has announced its integration with Control4, a leading provider of personalized automation and control solutions. This integration means users benefiting from the advantages of automation systems can now control LILIN IP products from the same software platform that controls other appliances in their home or business.The entire LILIN IP product range from megapixel cameras to Network Video Recorders can now be used with Control4 systems. The PTZ function embedded in LILIN IP cameras allows users to move the camera, zoom and select presets all from the Control4 interface. Steve Liddiard, LILIN's Sales Manager commented on the new integration, "Our products and their features are perfectly suited for the integration with Control4. Becoming an integrator for the software platform means we are able to access new markets."LILIN has provided quality IP and analogue solutions to the market for over 30 years. Its philosophy of Creativity, Progress and Excellence means sensational new products and technologies are a primary focus. Home automation systems have developed with technology and offer clear benefits for the user, namely operational simplicity. With this new integration LILIN is able to further extend its presence on different software platforms and is able to further add to the user experience. The LILIN and Control4 integration provides a smart, convenient and efficient home solution for the user.LILIN is a global IP video manufacturer with over 30 years of experience. Throughout the years, the company has maintained its dedication to Creativity, Progress, and Excellence providing expertise in digital video with a strong focus on innovation moving forward.

As technology continues to permeate throughout the world, what other possibilities can panels provide society aside from solely acting as display components? In order to stimulate innovation and promote interdisciplinary talks and collaboration between experts from various fields, Germany-based Merck recently held its Displaying Futures symposium in Taiwan. Merck intended to first depict the future life by the Displaying Futures symposium. Possible roles of display devices will therefore be defined, based upon human's needs in the future life. The symposium featured experts from government, architectural, design, academia, and various scientific fields to discuss how technology can be used in peoples' lives in the future. The moderator of the event was the displays market expert Mr. David Hsieh, Vice President of the Greater China Market at DisplaySearch, who led a lively discussion between experts and audience.The theme of the symposium was "Seamless Transition - From Urbanity to Products," which focused on interaction between humans, information, creativity and the environment. Dr. Bernd Reckmann, Member of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, said at the event's welcoming ceremony that the fast development of telecommunication technology has caused display technology to become more diversified. He also said that the goal of organizing Displaying Futures is to think of how the industries can move away from old ways of technology-oriented thinking towards brand new viewpoints with which new applications and markets for displays can be developed, and Merck's value in the supply chain can be reinforced. Additionally, he said that choosing Taiwan for this year's symposium was because it is both a very important market for Merck, and a center of innovation and technology for the world.Interdisciplinary exchange between architecture, design and technologyThis year's symposium featured a special guest, Minister Without Portfolio Dr. Simon Chang of the Executive Yuan, who discussed "Digital Convergence for a Better Life." He touched on the importance of connectivity, gateway devices, user interfaces and displays diversification. In a report on the world's IT development released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) this year, Taiwan bumped up its networked readiness ranking to number 11.Dr. Chang emphasized that although Taiwan has competitive advantages, it needs to focus more on reinforcing its broadband infrastructure and creating more high-quality content so that it may be able to establish a unique position within the global market.Dr. Ming-Chin Ho, Director General of the Architecture and Building Research Institute at the Ministry of the Interior, presented a lecture called "Architecture for a New Era: Integrating Smart Technology and Environmental Sustainability." Dr. Ho said that in an environment like Taiwan's where the elderly population is increasing and the birth rate simultaneously decreasing, security, sustainability, energy conservation, health, comfort, human-friendly environments have all become issues that the architectural field must face.Dr. Ho also said that in the future, Taiwan's government will continue to push ICT products for use in smart living environments, adding more smart technologies to the living spaces to enable interaction between various devices, such as smartphones, tablets and home appliances, which will make life more convenient, fulfilling people's dreams of having smart buildings in the future.Mr. Eric Schuldenfrei, co-founder of ESKIU - an international and interdisciplinary architecture studio - said during his presentation, "Future Architecture and Technology," that as the world population is increasing and mega cities throughout Asia rising, energy resources and consumption will pose serious challenges in the future. In an age where urbanization is taking place in the most massive scale ever in history, technology must be pushed beyond its limits to change the methods of constructing cities and living style, so as to increase energy efficiency. Mr. Schuldenfrei also elaborated how LCD, LED, and solar energy panels can be used in architecture materials or in public spaces to increase efficiency, which he believes is the future of innovation.Mr. Felix Schwabe from the Audi Urban Future Initiative Insight Team talked about "Seamless Mobility" and introduced the ideas behind Audi's initiatives. He said that the Audi Urban Future Initiative Insight Team wishes to promote a dialogue among mobility, architecture and urban development. He also said urbanization development is both an opportunity and challenge that we have to face.Mr. Schwabe pointed out that in 1800 there were only three cities, Tokyo, London and Beijing, that surpassed one million in population. However, as of 2012 there are 442 cities that exceed that mark, and it is estimated that within 20 years, 60% of the global population will live in cities. As these trends develop, transport infrastructure cannot be developed with just one single goal, namely to make it bigger. It will also need to incorporate smart applications and technology in order to enhance interaction between the city infrastructures and transportation, for better convenience and energy efficiency. Only with these means will there be a life of seamless mobility, added Mr. Schwabe.Mr. Stefan Karp, Founder of mama interactive, on the other hand presented his unique views in "The Magic Experience of Interaction." Citing The Economist's description of Steve Jobs as a "magician," Mr. Karp noted that truly great products must give consumers a "magical" experience beyond their imagination.Mr. Karp stated that even though perceptions of the world are based on individual experiences, constructing a seamless experience needs a detachment from the complexities of individual users to achieve the goal of intuitive operation. Like Google's search engine, he said, its user interface is easy to understand, and yet behind it is very advanced data processing technology that consumers usually are not aware of. Therefore, when technology makers design products, it is important to understand the essence of technology in order to present technology in encompassing system designs.Combining technology and creativity has been a focal point for technology experts in recent times. Mr. Tony Chang, CEO of Taiwan Design Center, in his speech "The Future World of Co-Existence among Humanism, Science, Technology, and Esthetics," introduced the present trends of interdisciplinary design. He also called attention to new design concepts, such as: how design objects have gone from visible products to invisible services, experience and relationships; how the technology community is moving towards integration through open systems; and how effects of design are far more important than innovation itself.Exploring the "Blue Ocean" for the panel industry"Architecture," "design," "seamless," "technology" and "mobility" - these were the key words that linked all the talks at Displaying Futures. During the Q&A session, the event's guest speakers discussed about the challenges of applying new technologies in the fields of architecture and design. The speakers proposed that the government must be convinced to implement new building codes. Cross-industry collaboration must be encouraged to solve user interface issues arising from product integration. Participation from service providers must also be encouraged. Such solutions will create a future of high-quality life enabled by long-distance healthcare, long-distance security and smart living attributes.Mr. Dick Hsieh, Managing Director of Merck in Taiwan, concluded by noting that the talks at Displaying Futures are meant to discuss how technology could improve peoples' lives and create more user friendly applications and interactions, and define the future role of display technology.Mr. Hsieh said that Merck is attempting to create an industrial platform that will give rise to all kinds of cooperation models in the future. The symposium is not a one-off event, as Merck plans to run more in-depth workshops or projects to explore innovative ideas that are promising. It is hoped that through Displaying Futures that cross-industry partnerships could be established, which could be of special benefit to Taiwan's panel industry in its search for a "Blue Ocean." It could also help other IT industries, and even the medical, architectural, and cultural creative industries. Ultimately, it is hoped that humans' needs can be truly met in the future, allowing an integration of technology and humanity to improve the quality of life.In the face of new opportunities arising from industrial development, Merck hopes Displaying Features will set a precedent and help Taiwan's industries to locate their "Blue Ocean."Merck uses "Seamless Integration -- From Urbanization to Products" as its theme for Displaying Futures. Pictured are Merck's executives with the moderator and speakers at the symposium.Dr. Bernd Reckmann, Member of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA, says Displaying Futures is about moving away from technology-oriented thinking and using new perspectives for bringing new markets and applications to the panel industry.Mr. Dick Hsieh, Managing Director of Merck Taiwan, says Displaying Futures hopes to stimulate interdisciplinary cooperation, particularly helping Taiwan-based panel makers explore "Blue Ocean" opportunities through such cooperation.

ARC Energy recently announced a new publication detailing the advantages of its CHES c-axis sapphire growth technology. CHES achieves 75% or greater material utilization across large diameter sapphire substrate sizes compared to 10-20% utilization for a-axis grown sapphire boules. CHES large diameter wafers cost less, lead to higher LED production throughput per MOCVD run, and have properties (such as lower, more uniform bow) that enable lower cost per lumen. The publication, called "Sapphire That Scales," is the latest in ARC Energy's CHES Foundations series which explains the advantages of CHES technology and furnaces."The industry must move to large diameter wafers to reduce costs, but older sapphire technology has significant limitations moving in that direction," said Hap Hewes, ARC Energy's senior vice president. "That's exactly why we developed CHES technology: to reduce costs for large diameter LED sapphire wafers."Today's high-brightness LED (HB-LED) industry is searching for dramatic cost savings to reduce the price of solid state lighting to enable mass adoption by the general lighting market. A key component to reduce costs is widely identified as moving to large diameter substrates, similar to the move the silicon industry made over 20 years ago. "Sapphire That Scales" explains the significant advantages of moving to 150mm (6-inch) and 200mm (8-inch) substrates. A single MOCVD run simulated using 150mm wafers results in 55% more LED chips. With 200mm wafers the improvement increases to 77% more LED chips over using standard 50mm wafers.Although large diameter substrates have significant benefits, older sapphire growth technology has very low material utilization when growing these substrates. In addition, due to a non-uniform growth time signature, older sapphire growth technologies result in larger and uneven bowing (warp) during epitaxy process in a MOCVD reactor. This reduces LED chip yield and requires expensive workarounds.CHES technology was designed to overcome the drawbacks of older sapphire technologies at large diameters. CHES provides a high material utilization on c-axis and with low defect levels. In addition, growing along the c-axis produces wafers with a single time signature which can result in less bow and warp during epitaxy in the MOCVD reactor. CHES furnaces grow near net shape c-axis boules for 150mm and 200mm cores in production today. This makes CHES furnaces the leading choice for the future of HB-LED production on large diameter sapphire substrates."CHES Foundations Series Part 2: Sapphire That Scales" is available now at http://www.arc-energy.com/.

Phoenix Technologies Ltd., the global leader in UEFI firmware technology, products and tools, announced the release of its flagship UEFI BIOS product, Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0. The third generation of Phoenix SecureCore Technology UEFI BIOS features cross-device, cross-codebase compatibility with native EDK II and EDK 1117 support for both x86 and ARM based systems, saving customization and maintenance efforts while reducing time to market for PC and mobile device builders."We have redefined Phoenix SecureCore Technology to maximize BIOS reusability and portability," said Steve Chan, Phoenix's Chief Technical Officer. "Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 inherits its popular clean code tree with fully modularized design from previous generations; in addition, we re-architected the core for a universal build system which will help firmware developers in transitioning to EDK II, the next generation foundation for the latest UEFI and PI specifications."Seamless Transition to EDK IIStarting with the Intel Z2760 Atom processor (codenamed Clover Trail), EDK II is the new standard for UEFI firmware development on Intel based platforms. The core of Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3 is based on native EDK II foundation support as well as extending the driver package inherited from EDK1117. With SecureCore Technology 3, Phoenix has created a genuine dual-build system UEFI BIOS that fulfills the needs of all developers.Ultimately, a full transition to EDK II is necessary, and prioritizing engineering efficiency during the transition period remains vital. In 2013, support for platforms with EDK 1117 based drivers and OEM Identity Library (OIL) assets must continue alongside development of native EDK II based platforms. Doing so without any significant increase of BIOS engineering resources is a critical challenge. Phoenix's answer to this challenge is SecureCore Technology 3.0, a hybrid solution built with an EDK II core and EDK 1117 backward compatibility."Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 enters the market at a time when it's needed most, a time of booming platforms and diversified devices," said David Everett, Senior VP of Field Operations at Phoenix Technologies. "Multi-platform and multi-OS firmware development with the same engineering resource has proved to be a real challenge for our OEM/ODM partners. With the universal build system of Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 and our experienced customer engineering teams, we can help our clients transition to the new UEFI specification efficiently."Windows 8 Touch Support ReadyWith Windows 8 comes a new category of touch-enabled hardware. Bringing together the best of the PC and the tablet, new designs are available for touch-enabled desktops, AIO PCs, Ultrabooks, and embedded systems.Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 is optimized for touch-enabled devices. The new Windows 8 style GUI BIOS Setup not only provides a seamless user experience that bridges Windows 8 and Phoenix BIOS, it also comes with a customizable GUI core engine, Phoenix Desktop Manager (PDM). PDM is a graphic framework for the BIOS menu in Visual Forms Representation (VFR) that is ideal for OEM branding."Available with a full feature set designed for touch-enabled devices, such as programmable touch hot zone and BitLocker unlock by virtual keyboard, Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 offers OEM/ODM partners the best UEFI firmware solution to accelerate product launches and produce differentiated products," said Terry Chen, Phoenix VP of Development Engineering.Phoenix will host a series of launch events and training sessions for Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0 starting Tuesday, November 27, 2012 in Taipei, Taiwan. Contact Phoenix's regional offices for more information about Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0.For more information, visit http://www.phoenix.com/Phoenix Technologies launches EDK II compatible UEFI BIOS: Phoenix SecureCore Technology 3.0

The Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan was founded by missionaries in 1954. It has 539 beds, 990 employees, and offers a full-range of services to the community. The hospital is bordered by the Pacific on one side and mountains on the other, and its reputation spans the entire east coast. It is a premier healthcare provider for Taiwan's eastern communities with patients coming from the city, from far away villages, and from other more distant cities in the region.The reason for this is due in part to the hospital's core ethics: it values community and providing caring service more than profit and turnover rates. People often travel a great distance to get to the hospital and cannot return for a second visit. So, the hospital goes out of its way to serve those patients on the spot in a single visit. For the hospital, efficiency and quality are key concerns, and medical personnel were looking for a way to improve response while enhancing accuracy for patients in the hospital's blood laboratories.SolutionA software integrator has developed an intuitive, touch-based laboratory information system for the blood lab that works flawlessly with Advantech's HIT-W151 healthcare terminal. Five of the touch-based systems have been installed in the lab. They are equipped with barcode scanner, IC card reader and camera. A staff member can access the system after positive identification is confirmed with a swipe of an ID card. The patient uses a check-in slip issued by the doctor which is scanned with the barcode reader. This gives lab personnel access to the patient's record, blood work ordered, doctor's instructions, and other vital data. HIT-W151 was chosen because it offers an all-in-one solution; it has a slim profile with cable management system that minimizes its space on the desk; and the touchscreen and software application are easy for lab technicians to use. What's more, HIT-W151 is UL60601-1/EN60601-1 and IP65-certified; it is easy to clean, dust and water-resistant, and conforms to medical standards.SystemHIT-W151 is a fanless all-in-one system powered by an IntelR Atom D510 processor that uses low-power while delivering high performance. The full-flat 15.6" touchscreen offers a 16:9 natural viewing area. HIT-W151 was attached to a desktop stand at the Mennonite Christian Hospital using standard VESA mounts; both 75x75mm and 100x100mm are available. The cables, conveniently tucked away, kept the desktops clean, and connected the systems via Ethernet to the hospital's LAN network & HIS system. Options available for HIT-W151 include an RFID reader, a Smart card reader, a barcode scanner, camera, and magnetic stripe reader. The system is used to access patient information, blood testing data, and also has access to the queuing system at the lab's entrance to keep track of patients in the hospital waiting area.The hospital is happy with HIT-W151 in their blood lab. In the near future they will begin using the integrated camera to create a video record of patient/staff interactions to assist in dispute resolution or insurance claim requests. In addition, the hospital is looking at other Advantech digital healthcare solutions for the future, including computerized mobile nursing carts and digital signage systems.A software integrator has developed an intuitive, touch-based laboratory information system for the blood lab that works flawlessly with Advantech's HIT-W151 healthcare terminalFinding more case study articles

Shimane University Hospital is a large, teaching hospital in Japan with a school of medicine, school of nursing, and a medical university. During surgical procedures, the hospital must keep track of its surgical instruments, counting everything from pins to scalpels. The hospital outlined a project to use advanced technology to build a system that would assist in instrument management.The goals were to prevent accidents like leaving an instrument in a patient, eliminate lost or misplaced instruments, increase safety and efficiency, prevent hospital infection and reduce work and medical instrument costs. These important safety issues have already led to legislation in Europe and the United States, and over time will likely become mandatory in medical care facilities worldwide.SolutionThe hospital implemented a solution using RFID technology and medical-grade terminals to trace and manage medical instruments. KRD Corporation Ltd, a technical solution provider founded in Yamato, Japan in 1991, created SIMSAFE, a surgical instruments safety system which uses RFID tags to individually manage surgical instruments. Advantech's POC-C177 Point-of-Care terminal was chosen as the platform for the system. Using SIMSAFE provides the hospital with the ability to trace instruments from start to finish of a procedure. Advantech's POC-C177 is an easy-to-use multimedia computer which can recognize and record individual RFID tags using its RFID reader and antenna. It is installed on mobile medical carts and used for registration of instruments prior to commencement of surgery. The cart can then be moved out of the way during an operation. Shimane's use of the system saves in labor, and more importantly, prevents accidents and increases safety with its sure-fire management control, done right at the "front-line" of medical treatment.SystemShimane University Hospital installed Advantech's POC-C177 Point-of-Care terminals. The terminals have 17" TFT-LCD displays, and an IntelR Atom processor with 1GB of SDRAM. They support a wide range of peripherals, 100 Mbps Ethernet, and touchscreen control, making them extremely flexible. The RFID controller and antenna are attached to a COM port, and the system uses Bluetooth to communicate with a PDA barcode/RFID reader. The system is attached to the hospital's information systems, and the SIMSAFE application software handles the instrument management, recording and storing of RFID tag information, and keeping tabs on where the instruments are located. Pre-op registration and post-op verification ensures nothing is misplaced.Shimane University Hospital installed Advantech's POC-C177 Point-of-Care terminalsFinding more case study articles

Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is a premier, non-profit healthcare provider established in 1979 in Doha, Qatar. Their mission is to provide the best quality patient care -"Health for All" - irrespective of nationality. In addition, HMC is the only institute outside of the United States where all of its five facilities and twenty-three primary health centers are JCI-accredited. HMC has developed highly-specialized medical facilities and equipment with a continual upgrade plan to ensure the highest quality of care possible.The HMC facilities are equipped with more than 1,700 beds and annually provide care for more than 1.25 million patients on an outpatient basis. Currently HMC is undergoing a major transition to digitize its medical diagnostic and treatment equipment and to implement an academic healthcare system. The requirements call for a solution which uses medically-certified equipment that is both rugged and mobile. System stability is a must, as is easy integration into existing hospital infrastructure. Efficient data collection and minimization of human errors are two primary factors in the system, and will lead to higher adoption rates Advantech's POC-S197F Slim Point-of-Care terminals were selected to handle the hospital's needs. The all-in-one throughout HMC's network of health care facilities.SolutionsAdvantech's POC-227G Point-of-Care terminal was chosen to meet the needs of HMC. POC-227G is a medically-certified, point-of-care terminal which is fanless and rugged. Its design ensures quiet operation and reduces the potential spread of airborne bacteria. Equipped with surface acoustic wave (SAW) touch technology, the terminal is simple and intuitive to use - even with latex gloves. The display is DICOM Part 14 compatible, meaning it handles high-definition grayscale viewing, and POC-227G delivers up to 92% light transmittance for crystal clear viewing.SystemHMC has deployed Advantech's POC-227G terminals to enhance mobility at the point-of care. Clinical decision support, patient consultation, and other strategic deliverables are being met. POC-227G improves workflow by connecting to existing hospital information systems (HIS, PACS, radiology), and is aesthetically and ergonomically designed, from adjustable swing arm VESA mounts, to space-conscious table-top placement. Medically-certified POC-227G terminals meet regulatory guidelines; they are durable, reliable and easy to keep clean.Finding more case study articles