Industrial Technology News

“This is the iPod of sensor networking,” said James F. Garrett, president of SENTEL. “It’s peace of mind and security in the palm of your hand.”

The MicroRDR is a compact smart networking tool designed and built by SENTEL that monitors and controls numerous sensors, including those that can detect radiological, biological, chemical and other toxic agents – simultaneously. The sensors can protect and warn the public in the event of a terrorist attack so anyone exposed to a toxic agent can receive immediate treatment.

The compact and lightweight MicroRDR can be deployed in stadiums, subway systems, airports, hotels, offices, shopping malls, theaters and wherever security is a priority. It’s just 3.1 inches wide and 6.7 to 12.5 inches long, depending on the model. It weighs as little as 10 ounces, so it can be deployed in innovative ways, including being mounted in security vehicles or strapped to personnel. Rugged enough for indoor, outdoor and mobile use, the MicroRDR unit has no moving parts and is weather resistant, operating in temperature extremes of minus-40°F to 130°F.

“The MicroRDR allows us to interconnect monitoring devices that detect physical security threats or chem/bio/rad hazards remotely,” said Ray Babineau, vice president of the Technology Integration Group at SENTEL, a division of Dimensions International Inc. “The MicroRDR speaks with all the disparate devices and then fuses their data, taking all that raw data from the various sensors and devices and turning it into actionable information – information that someone can do something with.”

In addition, the MicroRDR can be used with security cameras, motion detectors and any other kind of sensor. “With this technology, we can control camera positions remotely,” Babineau said.

Available in wireless and Ethernet models, the MicroRDR – and its big brother, the standard RDR – provide innovative, scalable and cost-effective solutions for connecting disparate, remotely located sensors and other electronic devices into one integrated network. Each sensor’s output can be monitored and controlled at a central location using SENTEL’s RDR Command Post (RDR-CP) software. More than 40 RDRs and MicroRDRs can be connected to just one RDR-CP, creating a network of hundreds of remote devices.

The RDR and MicroRDR are ideal for organizations, such as the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, and businesses because it’s incredibly flexible and adapts to changing technology. When an organization upgrades its technology, the RDR infrastructure remains and works with that technology. For example, if a new type of sensor is developed, it would still work with the RDR and the infrastructure already in place.

“It’s a win, win for everyone on all levels,” Garrett said. “SENTEL’s clients can still take advantage of changing technology without having to go back to the drawing board – a costly proposition – because our RDR’s system integration is innovative, flexible and scalable.”

SENTEL is a division of Dimensions International. SENTEL provides mission-critical support to the Department of Defense, DHS, FAA and other government agencies in the areas of chemical and biological agent defense, software development, electromagnetics engineering and test and evaluation. SENTEL’s innovative Remote Data Relay (RDR), a sensor networking system, is among its leading products. The RDR, with its new PDA capabilities, is a smart networking tool designed and built by SENTEL that can simultaneously monitor and control numerous, disparate sensors that detect, nuclear, biological, chemical and other toxic agents. Please call SENTEL at 703-739-0084 or visit http://www.sentel.com/

Dimensions International's core business areas include information technology, integrated logistic support and air traffic control systems providing advance technology in command and control systems, electronic commerce/electronic data interchange, radar global positioning systems, warehouse management and material distribution systems to government and commercial clients. Founded in 1985, DI continues to provide innovative solutions to its clients, which include the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and other Department of Defense agencies, FAA, USAID and the District of Columbia government. DI is an international company with staff offices in more than 50 cities in the United States and worldwide. For more information, call DI at 703-998-0098 or visit http://www.dimensionsinternational.com.