Top 5 Mobility Features to Keep Electric Linemen Productive in the Field

Top 5 Mobility Features to Keep Electric Linemen Productive in the Field

Jim Dempsey

Electric linemen work in hazardous conditions on a regular basis. The high voltage lines they service are located in difficult to reach areas, and combined with inhospitable terrain, variations in weather conditions, and the need to access areas far from population centers make their choices of equipment critical. With so much depending on the lineman’s ability to perform their duties safely and reliably in all locations and conditions these five features are the most important criteria for selecting mobile devices for use in the field.

1. Visibility
The majority of the work a lineman does is outdoors and needs to be accomplished regardless of the weather conditions. Bad weather can interfere with the use of handheld and laptop computers because consumer grade equipment is not designed to withstand contact with water and dirt. Rain often keeps linemen from even using their tablets, and dirt can make screens unreadable until the dirt is washed away. But bright sunlight on a beautiful day can be the most common deterrent to readability because consumer oriented tablets are simply unviewable. Linemen must have tablets and laptops they can see and use in all kinds of weather.

2. Shock and drop durability
Anyone working outdoors is likely to encounter rough work conditions, but electric linemen have an additional set of hazards to consider. They often work high above the ground and in close proximity to electric towers and live power lines. There is always a possibility they may drop equipment, and if they drop their tablet and it is damaged they face the possibility of having to interrupt their work day to get a replacement. Consumer grade tablets encased in ruggedized housings are only partial answers to drop survival because the device’s internal components have not been ruggedized. Linemen need to have tablets and laptops that have been fully ruggedized internally to prevent damage and ensure there's no downtime for improved productivity.

3. Long battery life
Electric linemen don’t always have time to recharge their tablet’s battery when they are working in the field for long hours. Consumer oriented tablets and notebooks are optimized to deliver acceptable battery life in favor of other design considerations like battery capacity. Rugged portables are powered for long work hours by providing longer battery life, swappable batteries, and quick charge capabilities so that linemen can do their work without interruption.

4. Integrated mounts
Electric line maintenance can require both hands in order to safely work with live power lines. Mounting their tablet securely so it can be seen while they use both hands requires more than simply leaning the tablet against a rail and hoping it doesn’t get bumped and fall to the ground. While there are lots of options for third-party mounting systems, they are not always secure in rugged work environments. Linemen need to be able to count on mounting systems that have been designed by the tablet manufacturer and provide secure mounting.

5. Robust communication ability
Electric lines can interfere with radio signals that linemen rely on to connect their tablets to remote resources like documentation and scheduling services. That communication is critical to completing their work because it allows them to access equipment history, real time status updates, and remote expertise when necessary. Consumer grade tablets created for non-industrial environments are not designed to avoid radio frequency interference (RFI) and may lose connectivity when working in close proximity to high voltage lines. Linemen need to be able to count on connectivity at all times and in all locations by having tablets designed with specialized antennae that can cope with interference for streamlined efficiency.

Each of these factors is important to effective and continuous use and keeping linemen productive and able to complete their work on time while keeping them out of potentially dangerous situations.

For more information on Panasonic mobility solutions for Utilities, visit us online. 

Disruption coming to our cities, roads and skies

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Disruption coming to our cities, roads and skies

5 minutes

 

Download the study now

 

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In a Connected World, life revolves around getting to our destinations as quickly, safely and comfortably as possible. That’s the daily challenge facing organizations in the automotive and aviation sectors, as well as government agencies that build, operate and patrol our transportation infrastructure.

In this fourth article from the Moving Forward research series, Panasonic Corporation of North America assesses how senior technology decision makers in these industries view our Connected World, the technologies they see driving us forward, and the impact these technologies will have on their future plans.

By 2025, 10 disruptive technologies are expected to generate trillions of dollars of economic impact. Our new study reveals that Connected World industries – aviation, automotive, and government agencies involved in transportation infrastructure – have already adopted five of these technologies on average. And four have risen to the top of their innovation agendas – energy storage, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence and sustainable energy. Panasonic is deeply engaged in all of them.

How tech decision makers view our fast-changing world

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Energy storage: the biggest opportunity gap

As one automaker remarked, the coming transition from internal combustion to electric vehicles (EV) will be “the biggest revolution in transportation this millennium.” And clearly, when it comes to widespread use of energy storage, the automotive sector is a pioneering leader. Overall, among Connected World industries, some 37% have adopted energy storage technologies. Another 48% are planning to invest in or adopt it soon.

Panasonic is seeing soaring demand for this technology in our own business. As a market leader in lithium ion batteries, we’ve invested heavily with global automotive partners to propel the growth of this disruptive technology.

Autonomous vehicles: strong growth in adoption expected

Connected vehicles with advanced driver-assistance systems are already entering our roadways. Built with equipment such as top view camera systems that provide a 360-degree bird’s eye view – plus sensors that detect airbag deployment, windshield wiper operation, engagement of brakes, etc. – these vehicles can transmit data about their status to other connected vehicles on the roadways and emerging intelligent roadway infrastructure.

Technology decision makers in Connected World industries (automotive, aviation, government transportation agencies) expect connected vehicles to deliver a whole host of important benefits: fewer collisions, reduced congestion, less pollution, and more connected and informed driving (and riding) experiences.

Autonomous vehicle technology builds on this connected vehicle foundation. Many tech decision makers in our Connected World industries think riding in an autonomous vehicle will be exciting, while a few admit it might terrify them. Still, two in three tech decision makers expressed an intent to adopt autonomous vehicle technology. This represents a 54% increase over current adoption of autonomous vehicle technologies.

Artificial intelligence: personalizing the mobile experience

After the cloud and mobile devices/apps/commerce, artificial intelligence is seen as the disruptive technology most critical to the future success of organizations. In fact, nine of 10 decision makers see AI as a way to personalize how they engage with their customers and predict future needs. The number one obstacle? Finding a strategic partner to develop a roadmap for integrating it.

In Colorado, Panasonic is creating a pioneering intelligent roadway system, designed to ingest two billion data points from connected vehicles each hour. Applying machine learning and predictive analytics to this massive data set, the system will enable the Colorado DOT to send personalized alerts and optimal routing suggestions to each connected vehicle on the road.

Sustainable energy: five in six have plans to invest

Two-thirds of Connected World organizations have either adopted sustainable energy or plan to do so in the near future. Only one in six has no plans to invest. Many decision makers view adopting sustainable energy, such as solar and EV, as a no-brainer: “It saves us money and is good for the earth.”

Three emerging technologies

In addition to the 10 disruptive technologies that were the primary focus of this survey, Panasonic also identified three emerging technologies that appear to hold great promise in Connected World industries:

  • Biometric: four in five organizations say they’re likely to adopt these technologies in the next three to five years, with features such as authentication enabling them to enhance security and create more personalized experiences
  • Next-generation communications: almost half believe that technologies like 5G and high-speed satellite will transform their industries by 2022
  • Advanced displays: seven in 10 plan to invest in technologies like mobile screen sharing, augmented/virtual reality and head-up displays

We’ll be exploring these emerging technologies in future trend articles.

The price of staying in business – Panasonic’s perspective

Finally, we found that five in six Connected World organizations agree that embracing disruptive technologies is essential to remaining competitive today.

Many of these organizations realize they need a strategic partner to get the most out of disruptive technologies. With experience incorporating them all into integrated business solutions, Panasonic may be the ideal partner in helping you embed these technologies in ways that can move your organization forward.

About the research

This research was commissioned by Panasonic Corporation of North America and fielded in the U.S. and Canada. The survey included 100 CTOs and other senior technology decision makers in organizations with at least 200 employees. It was completed July 2018.

Authors
Scott Kirchner - President, Panasonic Automotive Systems

 

Public safety adoption of FirstNet rises—learn to make the most of it at IACP 2018

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Public safety adoption of FirstNet rises—learn to make the most of it at IACP 2018

4 minutes

The recent devastation of Hurricane Florence is just the latest of what is turning out to be a terrible year for natural disasters. Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions—we’ve seen them all. Natural disasters and even large events with big crowds require a large-scale emergency response and coordination of multiple first responders and other organizations for rescue, recovery and security.

Keeping people safe and saving lives requires coordination and collaboration. That’s why all 50 states and the District of Columbia have opted into FirstNet, an AT&T operated nationwide broadband network that ensures quick and effective communication, no matter where emergency responders are located. With this network, emergency communications in the form of video, data, images and text messages take priority over commercial users on the network with full reliability and security. The result is better situational awareness and higher degrees of collaboration.

Finding hardware to support FirstNet

Making the most of FirstNet requires three types of technology in addition to the broadband network itself:

  1. Secure and reliable connectivity via wireless routers for in-vehicle
  2. IoT and station connections, which consist of applications that enable everything from live-streaming video to geo-fencing, GPS positional awareness and advanced analytics
  3. The right rugged mobile computing devices

Most first responders and law enforcement personnel rely on rugged devices in the form of notebooks, tablets or handhelds because of their reliability, long battery life, resistance to extreme temperatures, dirt and moisture, and shock resistance.

Panasonic rugged devices can be a perfect fit for FirstNet. With an AT&T SIM card on a FirstNet rate plan or a FirstNet SIM card, users can get the security, priority and pre-emption features necessary for effective emergency communications. This includes:

  •  First-in-line network access during times of network congestion
  •  Auto-provisioning of the proper IMS services after SIM install
  •  Support for High Priority Access, which provides three levels of priority based on user roles
  •  National Institute of Standards and Technology compliance 

Is your Panasonic device FirstNet ready?

Panasonic's team is available to help you determine whether your Toughbook devices are FirstNet capable or FirstNet ready. Panasonic hardware is aligned with the FirstNet rollout: we integrate wireless modules in Toughbook products, submit them for carrier certification and use only approved FirstNet firmware.

In addition to the AT&T commercial LTE band, the new FirstNet-exclusive Band 14 is a high-performing spectrum the FCC has allocated to AT&T to enhance its FirstNet services and provide first responders with additional capacity. During an emergency, the Band 14 spectrum becomes available exclusively to first responders.

Panasonic is partnering with Sierra Wireless to integrate a Band 14 module into Toughbook models. And as part of the FirstNet Dealer program, Panasonic is dedicated to providing public safety personnel with the most up-to-date FirstNet capable tools and technologies.

Learn how to make the most of FirstNet at IACP 2018

Find out more about FirstNet and why Panasonic rugged mobile devices are ideal for first responders leveraging FirstNet. Stop by booths #1521 and #327 at International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference from October 7-9 to chat with our experts.

Authors
Dominick Passanante - VP of Sales, Panasonic Mobility Systems