Special Forces groups at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., needed a portable computer rugged enough to survive in extreme temperatures between -40 degrees and 180 degrees Fahrenheit. So they chose the Ultimax 2000 Ruggedized Palmtop from S.T. Research Corp. in Newington, Va.
"There were no other devices on the market that used COTS and provided the ruggedization," says Army Lt. Col. Steven Findlay, Special Operations.
Special Forces groups such as the Navy Seals, need computers capable of fitting in cargo pockets of members` uniforms and sending data from under water or in other adverse conditions, Findlay says.
The standard that Navy Seals leaders set for their extremely rugged computers is 3 feet underwater for 30 minutes, which the Ultimax 200 passes.
The Ultimax 2000 is a 386SX DOS-based computer that weighs 28 ounces. The hardened polypropylene glass-filled case can withstand drops of 30 inches in the closed or open position.
The palmtop computer, which operates on four standard AA batteries, can power down automatically to optimize battery life. Planned upgrades will posses greater memory, image transfer, and voice activation control, S.T. Research officials say. - J.M.
For more information, contact S.T. Research Corp. by phone at 703-550-7000, by fax at 703-541-1554, by email at [email protected], or on the World Wide Web at http://www.stresearch.com/.
The Ultimax 2000 Ruggedized Palmtop from S.T. Research Corp. in Newington, Va., fits in a uniform cargo pocket, can be submerged in three feet of water for 30 minutes, weighs 28 ounces, and operates on four standard AA batteries.
