Despite not being that well known outside the military and heavy industry, ruggedized devices have been in service for many years, allowing computers to operate in harsh conditions such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures and wet or dusty conditions.

Rugged devices have a history which stretches back around 20 years. The first devices, which were developed in the late eighties and early nineties, tended to be very simple; especially with regards to their operating systems.

“Some of the first devices which were used out in the field were made by a company called Husky who produced a device called a ‘walkabout’,” says Steve Reynolds, chairman of the Mobile Data Association.

 This device had a slight resemblance to Thor’s magic hammer, having a long display across the top of the device with a large ruggedized metal case below it, which encased an alphanumeric keyboard. These devices enjoyed a reasonable amount of success which led other companies to develop their own rugged devices after identifying a market for them.

“However when they were first developed, these devices were large and cumbersome and didn’t have an operating system like the ones that we are used to using today, such Windows or Apple’s OS X. This meant that the devices were limited with regards to the type of programmes which the operator could use on them. The operator would usually have to use a very simple, bespoke coded application, with limited functionality.

“Over the years, we have seen some quite dramatic changes in terms of the devices coming with commercial operating systems such as ruggedized laptops which use Windows as an operating system. More recently there have been ruggedized devices which operate with Windows Mobile on them.

“What these devices give to developers is effectively a whole new environment where these kind of devices can be used in a more flexible way. These devices also allowed for applications to be written more easily, which meant that the applications could become more sophisticated. Therefore, the devices would have more potential uses.

“Certainly with regards to rail related projects, such as construction, rugged devices have opened up a whole new range of activities which could be mobilised, even with something as simple as your attendance.”

One of the big problems with all devices of this kind has been, until recently, their cost to developers. When ruggedized devices were first developed, their cost was extremely high and could have been prohibitive for those with smaller budgets.

“When these devices first came out, they would have been a very expensive purchase, which meant that the business case for purchasing one would have had to have been rock solid,” says Steve.

The main arguments for procuring rugged devices have always been around the total cost of ownership throughout the entire life cycle of the device. This means that in comparison with other devices which are not ruggedized, a rugged device will break less and have a considerably longer service life, therefore costing less in repairs and replacements over a long period of time.

“If a group of engineers are working in harsh conditions whilst using a consumer type, shiny PDA device, then it would only last around two years, even if it was cared for to a high standard,” says Steve.

“Usually, in that environment there would be a huge attrition rate through things like breakage and water ingress. This means that the organisation will face two costs, one in that they will have pay to replace the equipment and then second, the cost to the company through not being able to use the devise until a replacement is procured. If you are dependent on this device to carry out your work, then the device breaking effectively takes you out of the field.

“If you are working in adverse conditions, which engineers in the rail industry often are, you will need equipment which is going to operate in those conditions reliably for a long period of time. Typically, you will get four to five years out of a rugged device.”

This means that a rugged device, on average will last at least twice as along as a normal shiny device.

“In the past, a lot of people have taken the cost angle and focused on the procurement price, without taking into account the whole life cost of the device,” continues Steve. “This may have led to them buying cheaper products which then break and mean even more expense.”

However, things have changed recently because the price of ruggedized equipment is beginning to come down.

“You can now buy a rugged device for less than one thousand pounds so we are now witnessing a larger uptake of these devices because the price delta has dropped considerably. People are no longer paying two to three thousand pounds for a rugged device, which means that there is now not that much of a difference, in terms of cost, between rugged and shiny devices.”

Along with reductions in cost and an increase in the sophistication of the operating systems available on them, the protective technology which is central to rugged devices has also moved on, meaning that the devices are now much smaller.

“In comparison with the first Husky rugged devices, today’s devices are considerably more compact,” says Steve. “This means that these devices have improved considerably from a usability perspective as well.”

Rugged devices can be used in far more situations and because their cost is coming down, people in the rail industry may begin to consider them for other applications other than in harsh conditions on site.

“Because these devices have now been developed to a point where they can perform to the same standard as standard shiny devices, along with being similar in terms of size and cost, commissioners could begin to consider them for procurement in other areas, because they will offer a reduced total life cost,” says Steve.

Considering the tough economic situation which the rail industry finds itself in at the moment and also a general the need for companies to take a longer term view in regards to their costs, rugged devices could certainly have a part to play in reducing costs to the industry.