Hardware Toughened Technology

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2009/05/05/toughened-technology/1

All it takes to disable most home computers and laptops is a spilled cup of coffee, a curious toddler or a build-up of dust. So how do computers manage when they need to function in hot, dusty or wet environments? Phil Hartup investigates the computers that go where angels fear to tread.

 

Nice article, but my much-hoped for photos of someone attempting to use computers in tough situations (like a Toughbook underwater, or a General Dynamics in a warzone, or a Gateway... in like a warm office or something) never materialised! Keep up the good work...

 

Very nice article. Although it might have been worthy to mention SSD's when talking about shock impact and disk drives?

 

I like innovations that packs more power in a smaller erea, like Amd's attemt at creating a cpu with integrated graphics-prosessing. Soon we all have good enough computers on the size of a card-reader, so ruggedness will sort-of not be needed anymore. LCD-screens are ok but E-paper and other sorts of bendable OLED technologies will take over so i don't think much of this will ever catch on in the consumer market. I mean the first mobile phones with dual-core cpus are allready in the shops...

Us in the future sitting on mount everest in a snow-storm:
P1:"hey wanna play some wc3 on the handheld?"
P2"oh I left my roll-up-screen back in camp 5"
P1: "No problem i have a pocket projector integrated in my 1080P videocam sunglasses".
P2: "cool. let me just check the weather reports on my i-pocket-pc-satelite-walkie-navigator-phone."

 

Something my gf helped program is up flying in eurofighters right now, she did it while she was an intern, kind of a scary thought but it's not a flight essential bit of program.

 

Loved the article. Would love to see a sequel with more pictures/videos/interviews. Hell, even a test of some of the computers would be great.

 

This is exactly the kind of article, that keeps me returning to bit-tech for staying on the edge of computering. Keep up the good work.

 

Enjoyed the article, but that picture of a F22 seems to have come from HAWX, rather than real life.

 

I can't wait for splash proof keyboards, I have just (as in ten minutes ago) replaced the keyboard in my laptop after an accident with water. That set me back nearly £50

 

I can vouch for the "double 'ard b'stard"ness of the Panasonic Toughbooks, I've seen one bounce down a flight of stairs, rebound off the wall and still power up with no problems

Rugged is good, hopefully it'll filter down to mobile phones as well, I find them flimsy and killing a phone by getting caught in a rain shower cheeses me off.

 

One of the key points mentioned in the article is the increased cost at point of purchase.
However, as noted, this is repaid several times by increased productivity (less time in the repair loop) and reduced replacement costs.
We recently (at work) more than tripled our spend on ruggedised handhelds due the cost of replacing consumer level products previously issued. The fact that they were in the repair loop for less time was a major contributor to the choice.

 

Just wait til they find the easter egg! (hint, to activate it, the pilot goes: pull up, pull up, nose down, nose down, roll left, roll right, roll left, roll right, missiles, afterburner, autopilot!)

More seriously though, I'd like to see some info on computer design for the rest of us, that can better withstand flying back and forth across the country, but doesn't need to survive in hardcore conditions. For example, someone once told me that laptop components are soldered on in a more robust way than on a desktop. Is this actually true / still true? Or more importantly, how much does this sort of thing make a difference?

Seeing an article on how to choose more durable components for an otherwise standard computuer, and how to add more durability through case design features, would be something I'd really appreciate.

Nice article, though!

 

I love articles like this.

 

long time back.. toshiba made some tank like laptops.. my dad used to work for at&t and they needed laptops early on- so they did trials on several different ones.. the test was- drop it from waist high on concrete.. toshibas were the only ones that didn't come apart into pieces- I dunno always thought that was interesting.. bought a toshiba when I got older because of it =]

 

The Toughbooks are just plain cool, not only do they look like a tank but can be dropped down stair and still boot


They're expensive (and cool) but I don't think I would ever need one

 

Hahah wow.. might want to mention that typing on those MIL keyboards are a PITA to type on.. Man i just hate typing on those things.

 

Thehippoz, while Toshibas may have exemplary build quality, they really fall behind in another area - I'm not sure why, but every one of them I've worked with - even on fresh installs of windows - are SLOW AS ****.

 

My Dad had a military Toshiba in the late eighties... Not toughened though, just one of the first portable computers.
486 with an amber lcd screen ;-)
About as big as an attache-case and a lot heavier

This incredibly expensive piece of kit was used heavily at home...by me playing lemmings

 

I think you'll find the Typhoon uses CPUs of the 1980s because, um, it was actually designed in the 1980s... it's just taken thirty years to get the damn thing together!

 

And the Easter egg is... eject seat!