Rugged handheld terminal with 1D/2D scanner
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

The MARS-1030 is an rugged handheld terminal made by Advantech, a Taiwanese embedded and industrial computing conglomerate. Founded in 1983, Advantech provides web-based technology, computing platforms and customization services in three business groups (embedded & industrial computing, eServices & applied computing, and industrial automation). Advantech has almost 3,500 employees, and operates a sales, marketing and support network in 18 countries. The company sells directly or works with third parties to provide complete computing solutions for various industries. These include medical computing, vehicle mounts, panels, rugged handhelds, and the industrial Tablet PC shown here.

The MARS-1030 is a rugged handheld computer running Windows CE 4.2 on a 400MHz Marvell PXA255 processor. The device can be ordered in two different keyboard configurations version, one with 16 keys and one with a larger 44 alphanumeric key keypad. The 1030 comes with 128 or 256MB of RAM and 64 or 128MB of Flash memory. An 11.1 watt-hour Li-Ion battery pack provides full-shift (8 hours) operation under normal use.

Size of the unit depends on which of the two available keyboards is chosen. The MARS-1030N measures 7.6 x 3.6 inches, is under two inches thick. The MARS-1030F with its more comprehensive keypad is a bit longer (9.7 inches). Weight is 1.2 and 1.45 pounds, respectively. The 3.5-inch transflective LCD has a touchscreen interface and offers standard QVGA (240 x 320 pixel) resolution.

For connectivity, the MARS-1030 supports USB 1.1 client with an included cable, and USB 1.1 host and RS-232 serial via an optionally available cable. The device has a use-accessible CF Card Type II slot and a SD Card slot (storage only; not SDIO). An optional PC Card slot can take the place of the CF card slot. The 1030 can optionally be equipped with 802.11b WiFi, Bluetooth version 1.1, and also Tri-Band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) and GPRS.

For scanning applications, the 1030 can be ordered with an optional 1D laser or 1D/2D imager and is thus capable of reading UPC-E, UPC-A, EAN-13 / ISBN, EAN-8 / JAN-8, UPC-EAN add-ON 2/5, Interleaved 2 of 5, Industrial 2 of 5 / IATA, Plessey / MSI, Code 11, Codabar / NW7, Matrix 2 of 5, Code 39 / Code 32, Code 93, Code 128 / UCC EAN128, China Post, Code 4, GTIN, Korea Code 3 of 5, RSS, PDF417, DataMatrix, Aztec, Code 49, Postnet, and QR code.

A very rugged housing with rubber bumpers on all corners lets the MARS-1030 survive multiple 5-foot drops and pass a variety of MIL-STD-810F tests for vibration, shock, humidity, altitude and water/dust resistance. The operating temperature range is 14 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit and the unit is IP54 certified.

The 3100S is operated either via stylus, touch, a four-way navigation diamond or the keypad. There are four programmable application buttons, three scanner buttons, and an application hotkey.

As far as the two available keypads go, the 16-key version has a phone-style layout whereas the 44-key version has a standard numeric keypad and an alphabetically arranged alpha pad. Choosing one or the other depends on intended application. A pistol grip is available for ergonomic operation.

Overall, the MARS-1030 is a handy, fairly lightweight, and very rugged handheld based on field-proven hardware and software components. It can be used in a very wide range of commercial and industrial applications that require ruggedness and flexibility.