Life EMS Ambulance Implements State-Of-The-Art Data Communication System

In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field, announced today that Life EMS Ambulance is the first emergency response company in West Michigan to use the onBoard™ Mobile Gateway to improve emergency operations, communications and response times across the communities it serves. The purchase of this equipment was partially funded through a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in cooperation with Michigan Department of Community Health, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Region 6 Hospital Pre-Hospital Preparedness Coalition.

The onBoard™ Mobile Gateway, designed by In Motion Technology, is installed in emergency vehicles to create a “vehicle area network” that provides connectivity for all on-board data communications, including patient tracking, medical monitoring devices, patient care records, GPS ambulance tracking and Control Center systems. The Gateway enables the transmission of information with high levels of security and reliability among these systems in the field as well as operations command and hospitals. The benefits include improved communications, real-time information management, reduced operating costs, including lower fuel consumption and shorter response times.

“With this state-of-the-art communications technology, we are able to incorporate a number of critical operations into one system,” said Mark Meijer, president of Life EMS. “We can monitor the progress of an ambulance to an accident site, upload patient information to communicate with hospitals and even access emergency preparedness plans, all with this system.”

Life EMS Control Center staff can access real-time fleet information, including the location and status of ambulances, pending and in-progress calls and driver safety information. Crews will be able to send and receive e-mail and perform online training between calls from laptops in their vehicles without returning to a station.

“This will increase our efficiency, reduce costs and, most importantly, improve service to the community,” said Kevin Walk, Director of Information Technology for Life EMS. “Because we provide primary paramedic ambulance service to communities throughout 3,000 square miles of Western Michigan, it's important that our crews in the field are able to access information as simply and reliably as if they were in our own Control Center. The onBoard™ Mobile Gateway allows them to do that.”

Life EMS will continue to use technologies available as add-ons to the Gateway in order to improve patient care, such as patient tracking during disasters using bar-coded wristbands that allow hospitals and operations command to track patients at all times while in Life EMS’ care. Life EMS expects that all aspects of the new communications system should be operational by the end of the year.

“Emergency organizations such as Life EMS are seeing real results with In Motion Technology solutions, including improved communications, real time management information, reduced operating costs and shorter response times,” said Kirk Moir, CEO of In Motion Technology. “Our products have been proven in the field by more than 130 public safety organizations, including by some of the most demanding agencies in North America.”

In Motion Technology Launches Unified Fleet and Mobile IT Management Platform

In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field, today announced the launch of its next-generation onBoard Mobility Manager – a scalable management platform that allows organizations to coordinate, track and troubleshoot vehicles, devices, and mobile networks remotely and in real time.

The onBoard Mobility Manager continuously collects and analyzes information from vehicles equipped with In Motion’s onBoard Mobile Gateway. The platform provides headquarters staff with a virtual dashboard of information from the field and sends alerts based on pre-set thresholds. The Mobility Manager works with standard web-browsers and displays detailed information about vehicles, networks and devices on a three dimensional map.

“This is an indispensible tool for organizations with vehicles and personnel on the road,” said In Motion Technology CEO Kirk Moir. “Our new, enhanced Mobility Manager suite provides organizations with information to coordinate operations for peak efficiency, and frees them to be more effective anywhere, any time.”

The enhanced onBoard Mobility Manager includes the following new management modules:

• onBoard Total Reach allows IT staff to remotely and securely "reach through" and administer communications devices connected to onBoard Mobile Gateways without taking vehicles or personnel off the road.

• onBoard Telemetry provides headquarters staff with real time information from the field about vehicle operations. It enables fleet managers to monitor and receive alerts triggered by pre-set thresholds for gas mileage, operating hours, engine temperature, fuel and coolant levels, idle times, speed and other functions. It enables organizations to effectively schedule maintenance, reduce breakdowns and save money by monitoring and improving vehicle and driver efficiency.

• onBoard Tracker enables organizations to track the position, direction and speed of fleet vehicles in real time. Headquarters staff can zoom in on road or bird's eye views, and obtain detailed information about access routes, incident scenes and structures.

Coverage and Performance Reports provide a detailed analysis of historical data that empowers organizations to efficiently budget and deploy resources. Wireless coverage reports allow organizations to isolate dead cells and identify the cellular provider with the best coverage. Reports on route and dispatch data can help identify trends and preposition vehicles to achieve the fastest response times and most efficient operations.

“In today’s fast-paced world, people and organizations are constantly on the move. They need access to instantaneous information, and communications tools that are reliable, cost effective and easy to use,” said In Motion Technology CEO Kirk Moir. “The Mobility Manager gives organizations the real-time knowledge they need to manage their fleets as extensions of their business, and operate at peak efficiency.”

More than 150 public organizations in North America are using In Motion Technology wireless mobile communications systems to achieve better communications, more efficient operations, and control costs.

In Motion Technology Partners with Vizu Online Research Firm to Study Demand for Internet on Public Transit

In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field, today announced the results of a survey reflecting consumer demand for Internet access on public transportation. The online survey conducted in partnership with Vizu, found that commuters want Internet access and they are willing to pay for it. The survey was conducted in September utilizing Vizu’s unique online market polling system, Vizu Answers.

When asked how often customers would utilize on-board wireless connectivity, more than 52% of respondents indicated that they would use the service often or very often. Additionally, when asked whether or not riders would be willing to pay a nominal fee – equivalent to $.50 a day – for reliable Internet access, more than 50% of customers responded yes. Overall, customers indicated that they would use wireless service during their commutes.

In Motion Technology’s onBoard Mobile Gateway turns public transit vehicles into reliable, easy-to-use mobile hotspots, providing connectivity for all on-board data communications, including passenger devices such as laptops and personal digital assistants. Additionally, In Motion Technology solutions provide transit operators with powerful management tools that improve customer satisfaction and reduce communications costs.

“In today’s fast-paced world, consumers demand instantaneous access to information,” said Kirk Moir, President of In Motion Technology. “By enabling on-board Internet access, the Gateway provides commuters with the freedom to be connected -- for business or entertainment -- from virtually anywhere on the road.”

In Motion Technology Awarded U.S. Patent for Mobile Hotspot

In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field, today announced it has been awarded patent number 7,382,771 by the United States Patent Office. This patent provides important intellectual property protections for the company’s award-winning vehicle area networking solution as it gains momentum worldwide.

The patented technology turns vehicles into wireless hotspots enabling one or more devices -- such as laptops, PDAs, inventory control, video, voice over IP, specialized medical and other devices – to access the Internet simply and effectively. Because In Motion’s patented technology can use a variety of wireless networks, it is flexible and future-proof.

“The vehicle is a new frontier for networking,” said Kirk Moir, President and CEO of In Motion Technology. “Our solutions have been deployed by more than 175 organizations across North America and around the world. As information technology becomes increasingly mobile, we are excited about the market potential for this transformational technology.”