GeoPad(TM)

Information Technology for Field Science Education and Research

 

Introduction

What's New?

Presentations and Publications

Use Cases

Hardware

Software

Data

FAQ

Participants

Contacts

Acknowledgements

IT Hardware and Other Supporting Equipment

GeoPad and GeoPocket are generic concepts, easily assembled from readily-available, off-the-shelf hardware and software.  We do not explicitly endorse any particular manufacturer or supplier; a key point of the generic concepts here is that the technology has evolved to a point where anyone can put together a GeoPad or GeoPocket using equipment from their own preferred vendors to address their own specific needs.  Below we provide some suggested criteria for you should consider when selecting hardware and software components to  assemble into your own GeoPads and GeoPockets.  We also provide some example configurations that we have purchased for use with our own classes and research projects, and comments on other equipment configurations we have evaluated.

In general, when deciding between the GeoPad versus GeoPocket approaches, it really comes down to the specific details of how you plan to use it.  We believe that if you are working with students who are still learning the science concepts, developing spatial reasoning skills, and developing their own field skills, then the GeoPad is the most appropriate choice.  Its crucial features being a large screen, which provides important context, and superior computational horsepower, which is required for visualizing and manipulating data in multiple representations.  If you are working with researchers or graduate students, who generally already are well versed in the science, its field practices, and generally have well-practiced spatial reasoning skills, then a GeoPocket is often sufficient for data-collection an and basic point-oriented activities.

Suggested Criteria

The basic design requirements of the GeoPad and GeoPocket are derived from the needs of students, instructors and researchers for field-based access to information technology.  These requirements lead to two basic overall goals:

  • to augment the time spent in the field and not detract from educational or research activities
  • to maximize usability while minimizing the need for information technology know-how

To meet these goals and and satisfy an appropriate set of requirements, we suggest considering the following key characteristics in selecting hardware and software for GeoPads and GeoPockets. They are based on experience over the last five years with a wide variety of equipment and some typical use cases. Cost itself is certainly a key criteria as well, though it can be highly variable depending on what trade-offs you are prepared to make.  (Follow the links for detailed discussion of the listed criteria.)

  • Ruggedized – The unit has to functional under typical field conditions, so it should be water-, dust- and drop- resistant.
  • Outdoor-viewable screen – Readability of the display in full daylight is a must; low-contrast images, such as aerial photos present a much greater challenge then black-and-white text or USGS topographic maps.
  • Intuitive, pen-based user interfaces – Making maps and sketches are inherently drawing process and much easier to accomplish with a pen than a mouse; keyboards were rarely desired in the use cases we've explored, as data collection and general operations are well-supported using pen-based input.
  • Integrated or wireless connectivity for peripherals (e.g., GPS, headset, camera) – Avoid the clumsiness of a tangle of cables, and ensure the unit is easy and safe to operate and take on and off.
  • Ergonomic design – Comfort, safety, and mobility are key requirements for carrying a unit around in the field for extended periods of time; we strongly recommend a hands-free harness.
  • Screen Resolution – Sufficient viewing area to provide an appropriate level of contextual information; we suggest a minimum of 1024x768 for students still developing their spatial reasoning skills.
  • Performance – Ample computational resources for visualization, data analysis and rapid-switching between multiple applications; we suggest a minimum of 1GB RAM and a processor equivalent to a 1GHz Pentium III M or better.
  • Customizable GIS – Simplifying user-interfaces and stream-lining the mapping process is important for non-GIS-savvy users.

Other considerations:

  • Familiar vendor – Using standard, readily-available, off-the-shelf components from a vendor whose equipment and service you are already familiar with helps ensure an easy fit into your existing IT-support infrastructure.
  • Minimize customization – For non-computer savvy audiences this enables rapid adoption and integration into existing education and research programs by supporting a low IT-knowledge entry threshold.
  • Power – generator, gas can, external chargers, power strips, extension cords; We wanted users to be able to work in the field all day without carrying around a heavy unit or a stack of spare batteries.  We also didn't want to be running a generator all night charging batteries.  So its a trade-off between battery -weight and -life here.  A handy feature offered with some units is a separate, external battery charger that handles two batteries at once, which allows a user to keep working elsewhere, while two spare batteries are being charged. Also, set the power schemes; field-use shouldn't need wireless; base-camp might need wireless; and, disable resume passwords to save time and frustration (unless you really have critical info on-board)
  • Hardware upgrades – Cost represents a significant constraint on large-scale adoption of IT in field-sciences, therefore, purchasing equipment with a history of upgradeability and a clearly defined path for doing so is important.  Being able to purchase incremental upgrades, when significant advances in technology become available, rather than replacing entire units, is an important mechanism for minimizing the long-term costs of IT-enabling field science.
  • Warranty duration – Outdoor-usable computer equipment comes at a premium price, and budgets for field courses are generally tight.  You want to maximize the usable life-time of the equipment you purchase, so you may want to consider extended warranties.  We hope to get a minimum of four to five usable years out of our equipment, and have settled on three-year warranties as our target.
  • Repair policy – Some units do not have any user-accessible components (e.g., Xplore's iX104) and must be sent in for repairs or even upgrades.  Some manufacturers, such as Panasonic, will immediately ship new equipment out, rather than have you wait for you own to be repaired; for example, if you break your screen, you can hang onto your hard drive, send the broken body in, and stick your hard-drive in the new unit when it arrives, thereby, minimizing your down-time.
  • Additional, non-IT equipment – Deploying information technology in the field can require additional support equipment, such as generators (and fuel), external battery chargers, extension cords, power strips, printers (and related supplies), spares, etc.

Ruggedized

Ruggedized Tablet PCs are generally significantly more expensive then typical consumer-grade models.  They are mainly targeted at the Military, Public Safety, and Utility sector, and are generally very durable.  Ruggedizing a typical Tablet PC can be achieved to some degree with customized plastic cases, etc.; however, the hassle is generally more than it is worth in terms of both building the cases and interacting with the unit.  Additionally, many non-ruggedized units do not have sufficiently bright displays for use in broad daylight.  So unless cost is an extreme constraint, we believe it is generally worth purchasing ruggedized Tablet PCs for GeoPads.

In the case of Pocket PCs, however, home-made customizations are generally more successful.  It is also possible to acquire commercial field-durable cases for Pocket PCs at fairly reasonable prices, as compared to to purchasing a ruggedized Pocket PC.  For example, we had great success with iPAQ 5550's and their hard cases, which we combined with a gallon zip-loc bag in wet conditions (with a big enough zip-loc, you can still manipulate the case and operate the unit all without opening zip-loc bag; the stylus works through the bag.)

Outdoor-viewable screen

Examples of iX104C2 AllVue display under various conditions outdoors.  Left-hand view shows display from the best viewing angle on a sunny day in light forest cover.  Middle view shows display in direct, noon-time sunlight, as viewed from side, which illustrates the difficulty of looking over someone' shoulder as they work or having multiple students view a single unit at once.  Right-hand photo is in heavy forest cover on a sunny day and illustrates the readability of the screen by the entire class during a discussion outdoors.

The most common difficulty experienced with initial incarnations of the GeoPad, based on consumer laptops and tablets, was viewing the screen outdoors.  Early ruggedized Tablet PCs also had displays which worked best when not in direct sunlight, i.e., under foliage, in a vehicle.  If you are going to work outdoors, however, then you really need to be able to see the display under all lighting conditions.  Current state-of-the-art transmissive display technologies in TabletPCs are coming fairly close to completely satisfying this requirement.  Transreflective dispalys, which are much less commonly available on Tablet PCs than Pocket PCs, work better in direct sunlight, however, they are not as good in less-bright conditions, such as indoors.

In general, the most challenging lighting condition is direct sunlight and the most difficult data to view are low-contrast imagery, such as aerial photos.  The current display technologies do fairly well at meeting this requirements, such as Xplore's AllVue screen and the current model of the Panasonic Toughbook 18.  Working with low-contrast aerial photos in direct sunlight is still a bit challenging, however, by adjusting the image's contrast and brightness you can overcome the problem to significant degree.  The screen shots below illustrate how viewability can be enhanced by adjusting the contrast of an aerial photo in ArcMap.

Example of increasing the displayed contrast of an aerial photo in ArcMap to enhance its viewability in direct sunlight.

Intuitive, pen-based user interfaces

  • Students are quick to adopt the Tablet PC stylus as a substitute for the mouse.
  • The most common issue is helping students remember that the screen is not pressure sensitive, in the sense that they can rest their hand on the screen as they write and draw as they naturally would.  (In most digital ink software, you can use pressure variation with the tip of the stylus to control the boldness of the line you are writing or sketching, just as you would with a real pencil or pen.)

Integrated or wireless connectivity for peripherals

  • can use to create a camp wireless network too for backups, downloading new data, sharing collaborative data (e.g., magnetic survey data)
  • integrated GPS -- The more equipment integrated into the unit itself, then the less one has to worry about carrying around.  It's also one less power source to worry about supplying and keeping charged. External USB GPS receivers add to the equipment problem, but can still be powered from the unit.  Bluetooth GPS receivers solve the equipment problem to some degree by eliminating a cable, but they require maintenance of a separate power source.

Ergonomic design

  • ergonomic design -- The unit needs to be well suited to use both in the field and in field vehicles.  If you're going to be using the unit in the field all day, then it needs to be easy to access, handle, and carry; hands-free carrying harnesses appear to be the best solution for this.  In the vehicle, docks can be nice, however, the units are often out loose and being passed around.
  • weight -- We decided on a maximum target weight of six pounds for a useful GeoPad, including the TabletPC itself, a GPS (case and any cables too), and hands-free carrying harness.  Extra items, such as spare batteries, spare TabletPC pen, etc., are not included in this total, but also should not total to an excessive weight.  (The choice of six pounds is based on our groups personal experience carrying around early GeoPad prototypes; some upwards of ten pounds were clearly too much to carry around all day in the field.)

Screen Resolution

We consider 1024x768 to be the minimum acceptable display resolution for providing sufficient contextual data in educational settings with a GeoPad.  It is also nice to have relatively low high pixel ration, i.e., dots-per-inch specification.  For instance, a typical ~10" Tablet PC display which is 1024x768, as opposed to 800x600, will make for significantly more readable maps and images due to decreased pixilation.  It is easier to think about an image as an image when you are not distracted by the dots making up the image.

For users with poor eye-sight, however, then high dpi can make working with the unit difficult in general.  For truly sight-impaired users, however, viewing maps on the computer with the aid of the sight-assist features of Windows can significantly enhance a student's ability to interact with the data over traditional paper maps.

Screen resolution is less of a concern for GeoPockets, as we do not encourage their use in situations where context is a primary concern.  The latest Pocket PCs are now shipping with VGA (640x480) screens packed into ~3.5", which provides a very high dpi, producing extremely crisp maps and images.  The overall context-displaying abilities are not increased in most situations though, as users have to zoom in further to be able to "read" the data.

Performance

We found a minimum of 1GB RAM was necessary to accommodate easy, intuitive interaction with the GeoPad.easy and rapid manipulation of reasonable sized datasets (e.g., topographic maps, digital elevation models, aerial photos, and geology data for a four-day student mapping project).  It is also important As the complexity and power of the visualization and analysis software brought into the field becomes more complex, however, we are likely to see this minimum requirement grow; most ruggedized Tablet PCs are currently physically limited to 1GB of RAM.

Customizable GIS

We have found we no longer any need to produce any custom code to support our current, standard suite activities with ArcMap and ArcScene.  The only remaining customization we do is to provide students with a single toolbar in ArcMap that brings together the features and functionality they need in one place.  This sort of customization is easily achieved via drag-and-drop using the standard Windows' capabilities for toolbar and menu customization available from within ArcMap.

Example Configurations

We do not advocate specific vendors for equipment.  We provide the following configurations as examples of successful combinations of hardware and software that we found useful and cost effective for our particular applications.   For GeoPads, we have found the Xplore iX104 line best suited our specific needs and have purchased quantities of their Tablet PCs for the last several years.  For GeoPockets, we have not purchased equipment explicitly, but rather we're recipients of an HP grant which provided the equipment configuration described below.

GeoPad (April 2007 ~$4800)

The basic configuration we use in our field camp is similar to the following:

  • Xplore Techologies iX104C2 AllVue
    • Windows XP Tablet PC (Service Pack 2) Operating System
    • 1 GB RAM
    • 80 GB Hard Drive
    • 802.11b/g WiFi
    • Integrated GPS
  • Accessories
    • Hands-free harness
    • Spare tablet stylus
    • Two spare batteries
    • External battery charger
    • USB Flash Drive (512MB)
    • USB Keyboard and Mouse
  • Software (not included in cost):
    • ArcGIS 9.1
    • Microsoft Office 2003
    • Microsoft OneNote 2003
    • Adobe Reader
    • Pokescope
    • Students were also allowed to install their own software, which meant that most units also ended up with iTunes, Instant Messaging, digital camera software, etc.

Other ruggedized Tablet PCs worth considering include:

  • Xplore iX104C3 (http://xploretech.com)
    • Added to product line in early 2007.
    • An incremental improvement over the iX104C2 in most specifications, more user-accessible hardware; no improvement in display technology.
  • Panasonic Toughbook CF-19 (http://www.panasonic.com)
    • An incremental improvement over the CF-18, which a number of schools have used as GeoPads.
  • Fujitsu Stylistic ST5111 (http://www.fujitsu.com)
    • Not a ruggedized.  Otter Box (http://www.otterbox.com) provides a "water-resistant" and "drop-protection" case for it, however, this does not bring it up to the same level of military "toughness" specifications that ruggeded Tablet PCs generally meet.
    • Offers a Transreflective display option, which is better in direct sunlight than either the Xplore or Panasonic Transmissive display technologies.
    • No long-term experience with this solution yet.
  • Walkabout (http://www.drs-ts.com)
    • A couple options that are probably suitable for GeoPads, however, we have not had the opportunity to evaluate a current model, nor have we heard from any group using them.

GeoPocket

The basic configuration we used in our field camp courses for Summer 2006 was as follows (note that you don't need this fancy of a model of a Windows PDA, unless you really have a need for the cell phone capabilities):

  • HP h6315
    • Pocket PC 2003 Second Edition
    • 128MB
    • 802.11b WiFi
    • Bluetooth
    • Camera
  • Accessories
    • Protective case (hard to find for many Pocket PC models; ziploc bags are a good solution for keeping them dry in the rain while still being fully accessible)
    • DeLorme Bluetooth GPS
    • Spare stylus
  • Software (not included in cost)
    • ArcPad 7.0
    • Pocket Excel
    • Pocket Word
    • Notes
    • etc.

There are many other Pocket PC models worth considering, which are $100 less or so.  The particular model above also serves as a cell phone, however, that technology was not used as part of this project; it was an artifact of these devices being borrowed from a different project in which we were involved

Other Hardware Options

Additional features we have evaluated (not included in above cost):

  • Bluetooth
    • An option for GPS connectivity.
    • Audio headset for audio notes, voice command, etc.
    • Digital camera with wireless image transfer and direct capture; there are also 802.11 cameras now, such as the Nikon s7c.
  • GPRS modem
    • Internet connectivity in the field, where available (real-time stream gauge data, Google, reference sources, weather forecasts, access to remote resources, etc.)

Other Equipment and Accessories

Generators

All of this electronic equipment needs to be powered, so if you're not lucky enough to have a base-camp with power nearby,  then you need a portable power source: generators, solar panels, vehicle power adapters, etc. 

We considered two key criteria when selecting a generator:

  • designed for sensitive electronic and computer equipment  -- It is very important when recharging battery-operated equipment to have a smooth, clean, uniform power signal; otherwise, you run the risk of damaging your chargers, shortening the life of the batteries, etc.  "Contractor-Grade" generators used with power tools often produce too dirty of a signal to be reliably safe.
  • ultra-quiet -- We had a strong desire to preserve the peaceful experience of the outdoors; at least as far as one can when surrounded in campgrounds by noisy RV generators. 

Our choice, the Honda EU2000i, fit both of these criteria extremely well.

Some "best-practices" to keep in mind when relying on a generator include:

  • campground quiet hours -- Make sure to leave enough time in the evening before quiet hours start (or in the morning after quiet hours end) to fully recharge equipment
  • have enough outlets  -- If you only have a limited timeframe during which to charge equipment, make sure you have enough plug strips and extension cords to cover your needs
  • working on equipment while charging -- A few long extension cords, with which to bring the power to a nearby campsite, rather than sitting next to the generator, make for a much pleasanter experience.
  • gasoline supply -- When you are camped away from civilization, make sure to bring enough gasoline with you to power your generator

Stereoscopic Viewing

Providing access to true, stereoscopic 3-D visualization and manipulation of data in the field is of great benefit in developing spatial reasoning skills.  Many of the applications used on the GeoPad for this purpose (e.g., ArcScene) can take advantage of special glasses, though most also provide non-stereo 3-D options as well -- sometimes known as 2.5-D -- which do not require glasses. 

  • Two-color (Red-Green/Red-Blue)
  • Pokescopes - An ideal, rugged pocket-sized solution (works great with ArcScene)

 WiFi (802.11) Networking

A WiFi network, even an ah-hoc one (not connected to the Internet), can support a number of important education opportunities.  We've experimented with such networks in two basic settings:

  • inter-vehicle -- An inter-vehicle network allows you to easily discuss, lecture, or collaborate with the entire class while traveling.  This approach helps utilize the traditional education down-time between stops, which can often be a significant component of geology field trips.  Its important to remember, however, that you do not want to fill all the time, as students still need time off.
  • outdoor -- A field-based network allows to easily provide remote assistance to students spread over a field area, as well as monitor activities at an appropriate level for safety.
Inter-Vehicle

Regular consumer grade hardware is minimally sufficient to support inter-vehicle activities, however, in order to maximize network robustness one should consider using a high-power router and external, roof-mount antennas.  Metal car bodies and the vehicle's own electronic emissions are very detrimental to the network signal.  For example, placing the wireless routers (e.g., Linksys 54G) on the inside ceiling of the vehicle (mini-van, near the back window), with the antennas pointing vertically down generally allowed us 100-200 feet of vehicle separation before the network became unstable.  This configuration sought to maximize line-of-sight between vehicles, while minimizing the inconvenience of the router hanging in the way, such placing it near the front or in the middle of the van.  The routers were also configured each to their own subnet and with a static routing table (which meant the vehicles had stay in the same order while traveling).

We are currently evaluating a ~$180 per vehicle configuration, from RadioLabs, which includes:

  • 12-inch, magnetic base, roof-mount, 7.8dB antennae
  • Buffalo AirStation High Power Smart Router
  • 5-foot extension cable
Outdoor

The typical WiFi equipment you purchase off-the-shelf doesn't have a sufficient range to support outdoor usage, particular if there is any topography or vegetation in the way, nor is it generally weather-proof on its own.   For outdoor WiFi configurations, here are two possible sources of equipment:

Mark Manone (Northern Arizona University) has been experimenting with an outdoor set-up from RadioLabs that covers several square miles of non-vegetated terrain in a student mapping area.

Harnesses and Cases

A comfortable hands-free carrying harness is essential for both safety and convenience when working in the field.  Some of our key criteria for hands-free harnesses and GeoPads are:

  • No wires or cables -- GPS is integrated in unit, other peripherals, such as camera or headset/microphone use wireless technologies
  • Screen protection -- a flap or something that covers the screen of the unit when not in use
  • Flip-up/Lock-down -- ability to flip unit up vertically and have it held against the body so it is not banging around loose when climbing about
  • Comfort -- comfortable enough to wear the harness in the field all day

Companies with interesting products or the ability to custom items to meet your specific needs include:

  [geopad@umich.edu] [updated 27-Jan-2010 ]
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