Flatvision Industry News

What is IFSEC?

Taking place on the 13-16 May 2013 at the NEC Birmingham, IFSEC International is the largest event for the security industry, bringing together the entire security buying chain in one place.

IFSEC International is the biggest marketplace of its kind, attracting more than 650 leading solution providers, from 100 countries.

The UK Army has deployed a new handheld surveillance helicopter, known as the Black Hornet Nano Unmanned Air Vehicle, in support of British troops serving in Afghanistan.

Measuring around 4inx1in (10cmx2.5cm), the small helicopter has been designed to deliver crucial situational awareness capabilities to soldiers operating on the ground.

UK Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Minister Philip Dunne said: “Black Hornet gives our troops the benefits of surveillance in the palm of their hands. It is extremely light and portable whilst out on patrol.

“Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems are a key component in our ten-year equipment plan and now that we have balanced the defence budget we are able to confidently invest in these kinds of cutting-edge technologies.”

(For full article please see: http://www.army-technology.com)

Eurotunnel and Siemens have tested the Vectron locomotive in the Channel Tunnel as part of an effort to increase cross-Channel rail freight.

The tests were intended to assess the locomotive’s compatibility with Channel Tunnel systems and safety rules, as Eurotunnel expects that open-access freight operators will be able to use TSI-compliant four-axle locomotives as well as six-axle models.

The Vectron locomotive, in standard configuration and hauling wagons with a total weight of 1,350t, entered the tunnel via the French portal and completed a series of traction, braking and pantograph tests.

The Vectron exited the tunnel at Folkestone before returning to France for a second phase of tests.

The test runs confirmed that the standard four-axle locomotives can operate without any problems in the Channel Tunnel and will be capable of hauling rail freight between the continent and the UK.

Groupe Eurotunnel deputy chief executive Michel Boudoussier said that the company’s cooperation with Siemens will open the way to new international rail freight flows, which will in turn reduce CO2 emissions.

(For full article please see: http://www.railway-technology.com)

The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has said that it is on track to deliver its badly needed new A400M transport plane to the French air force in the second quarter of this year, after its latest problems with engines were resolved.

“We have overcome this engine problem, which had delayed certification” of a cutting-edge plane that could mark a big step forward in logistics capacity for the eight countries that have bought it, Airbus Chief Executive Fabrice Bregier told a news conference in Toulouse, southern France.

Test flights that had been suspended for several months were “resumed in November, and we totaled 300 test hours in 26 days,” Bregier noted. “The first delivery to France was pushed back slightly from the first quarter to the second quarter of 2013,” he said.

France in particular needs to get the A400M into service, as its limited airlift capacity was demonstrated again by the conflict in Mali, where Belgium, Britain, Denmark and Germany have extended help delivering material and troops from France and contributing African countries.

The four-engine aircraft was designed to replace C-130 Hercules and C-160 Transall cargo planes and can perform three major roles, according to Airbus, including tactical missions that require the ability to land at “austere airfields,” such as soft or rough strips as short as 750 meters (2,500 feet) with a payload of up to 25 tons (55,000 pounds). That makes the plane suited for direct deployment on humanitarian aid missions to disaster-hit regions.

In a strategic role, the plane can fly up to 8,700 kilometers (5,400 miles) with a payload of up to 37 tons (81,600 pounds), including disassembled helicopters or two heavy armored vehicles, and reach altitudes of up to 40,000 feet (12,000 meters).

Finally, the A400M can be adapted in two hours for use as an air refueling tanker able to serve two planes or helicopters at a time. In an airdrop capacity, the transport plane can operate from as high as 40,000 feet for special operations purposes to as low as 15 feet for low-level load deliveries, Airbus said, and “can carry more paratroopers than any other Western-built military aircraft,” with 116 fully equipped soldiers.

A total of 174 of the planes have been ordered to date, with four currently in the final assembly stage and scheduled for delivery this year.

(For full article please see: http://www.defensenews.com)

For the past few years, DSE has polled exhibitors on the digital signage technology trends attendees can expect to see at the show and in the near future. The responses we received this year include a number of notable departures from our DSE 2012 Top 10 Trends list.

For example, no one mentioned “transparent LCD displays,” for which we expect to see further adoption in retail, grocery, convenience store, drugstore and vending machine applications. Nor did anyone mention “large format video walls,” though we continue to see significant growth in this area with applications to almost every type of venue. Also not appearing on the 2013 list are “all-in-one-displays” and “cloud technology,” though we know that adoption of these technologies remains robust.

So, what is new? Though we won’t pretend that this is a definitive list, here’s what some future-thinking exhibitors had to say:

1. LCD EXPANSION INTO OUTDOOR MARKETS

2. 4K DIGITAL SIGNAGE

3. ANALYTICS-DRIVEN DIGITAL SIGNAGE

4. AUGMENTED REALITY TECHNOLOGY

5. HTML5 FOR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

6. LIVE VIDEO FEEDS

7. TABLET TECH: First iPads and now Android-based tablets are finding a place in the digital signage industry and generating a variety of accessories and applications.

8. CONNECTED CONSUMER

9. INTERACTIVE DIGITAL SIGNAGE:

10. AUTOMATED RETAILING/INTELLIGENT VENDING: As vending machines become smarter, the self-service “little box” is taking on more of the work of the traditional “big box” in the retail segment. The new generation of high-tech vending systems features such innovations as digital signage, interactive touchscreens, cashless payment systems, mobile interaction, telemetry for remote data collection, etc.

Among the other new trends DSE exhibitors say attendees should watch for are content management system advancements, display image quality improvement, intelligent signage, solid state digital signage players, real-time social media integration and RF/coax distribution.

(For full article please see: http://www.digitalsignageconnection.com)

The UK Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth-class (QE) aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has been fitted with the first Rolls-Royce marine gas turbine, MT30, at Babcock’s Rosyth shipyard in Scotland.

Rolls-Royce Marine president Tony Wood said the installation of the first MT30 engine marked a significant milestone in the Queen Elizabeth-class construction programme.

Each of the two Queen Elizabeth-class frigates, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, will be equipped with two 36MW MT30s to provide power equal to two thirds of the 109MW.

Designed to provide cost-effective propulsion, the compact, lightweight MT30 is a twin-spool, engine based on the Rolls-Royce Trent 800 aero engine technology.

Currently undergoing construction at shipyards around the country, the two aircraft carriers are scheduled to enter service in 2016 and 2018 respectively.

(For full article please see: http://www.naval-technology.com)

Here at Flatvision we have the ability to offer a comprehensive range of wall-mountable and freestanding multi-touch displays solutions suitable for all environments.

Within this range we can provide a variety of different format multi-touch displays ranging in size from 32″ up to 82″, which include wall-mountable options and free-standing podium units.  Benefitting from Infrared touch-screen technoloy these displays are ideal for public location applications where a finger, gloved hand, pen or even stylus can be used to operate the screen.

Wall-Mountable Multi-Touch Units:

These interactive displays are simple to use and are ideal for a wide variety of applications.  For locations where space may be restricted these wall-mountable displays provide a flexible solution that can be mounted in either landscape or portrait mode.

40″ Multi-Touch Infrared Touch-Screen Demo

Housed within a black metal-cased enclosure with protective glass (Mohs hardness rating of 7), these displays are suitably robust for use within public location environments, whilst still providing a professional looking solution.

 Key Features Available Include: 

Free-Standing Podium Units:

Available in sizes 40″, 46″ and 55″ we have engineered a range of free-standing touch-screen displays ideal for applications where wall-mounting is not an option.

Our ‘Multi-Touch Podium’ unit’s contemporary design is specifically designed for maximum impact, providing an elegant and professional looking solution that incorporates a touch-sensitive display to enable users to find information in an intuitive and user-friendly way.

The free-standing design enables the positioning of kiosks in any location in order for people to use.

Our touch-screen podiums are used in shopping centres, museums and libraries where people can find out what they want to know easily and efficiently.

Key Features Available Include: 

* Metal-Cased Enclosure with Protective Glass 

* Multiple input configurations including VGA, Video, HDMI, YPbPr & DVI  

* Infrared Touch-Screen technology 

* Ability to display images, videos and music

* Windows OS Compatible

* 24/7 Operation Capability

* Remote Control  

Target Applications:

* Gaming/Entertainment/Multimedia

* Industrial and Medical Instrumentation

* ATMs and Banks

* Automobile Industry Market Research

For more information on our ‘Multi-Touch’ Series please refer to our  website, give us a call on: (01782) 567979 or send us an email to discuss any potentional questions or enquiries you may need our help with.

Are you looking for high performance passenger information displays for platform or general trackside applications such as waiting rooms, cafe´s etc?

The European Union (EU) is planning to release a roadmap for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) air traffic by the end of 2012, which will enable UAVs to fly in the same airspace as general air traffic by 2016.

European Defence Agency research and technology director Christian Breant was quoted by Defense News as saying that the officials preparing future technologies and those devising future regulations have been working since early September 2012 to rapidly develop the roadmap.

The officials are expected to determine the cost of putting the roadmap into practice in early 2013, Breant added.

The project is expected to achieve initial capability with some restrictions in 2016, followed by full operational capability by 2020.

Pursued as part of a European Framework Cooperation agreement, which was signed between the European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Commission, the project is an effort to further improve civil-military cooperation in research and technology domains.

Other programme partners include the European Commission (EC), Eurocontrol and the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Funding for the project is expected to be provided through the EU’s civilian Horizon 2020 programme and the EDA’s joint investment programme.

(For full article please see: http://www.airforce-technology.com)

While the Army All-American Bowl showcased the talents of top-ranked high school football players from across the nation, the Army displayed its top technologies and innovations in the Army Strong Zone just outside the Alamodome.

One of those innovations is the FED, which stands for fuel efficient demonstrator.

“We are proudly supporting the Army’s All-American Bowl efforts again this year,” said Derhun Sanders, communications and outreach director at the Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, known as TARDEC. “It is an honor to show off the art of the possible with our demonstrator vehicle.”

TARDEC has two versions of the vehicle, known as FED Alpha and FED Bravo. The Alpha version was on display in the Army Strong Zone.

“The FED does the same mission as an up-armored Humvee,” said Rachel Agusti, lead project engineer. “It’s a little more current because it has v-body hulls, underbody shaping for blasts as well as export power and it does that mission 70 percent more fuel efficient.”

The vehicle features a number of fuel-saving technologies including:

— Goodyear low-rolling-resistance tires which minimize the energy wasted as heat between the tire and the road

— optimized Cummins super/turbocharged 200-horsepower, 4.5-liter, inline 4-cylinder diesel engine

— Alcoa Defense lightweight aluminum monocoque armored cab with underbody blast shield

— performance friction low-drag aluminum brake calipers

— REM Chemical Isotropic Superfinishing gears — a finishing process often used in racing vehicles to reduce friction and vibration and improve shifting

— Continental Teves accelerator force feedback pedal, which cues the drive to accelerate the vehicle for optimal efficiency

— carbon fiber body panels, which reduce weight and increase rigidity

“Those technologies can be used on current platforms and future platforms to help increase their fuel efficiency,” Agusti said. “So this [demonstrator vehicle] isn’t something that will go into production, it’s something that is furthering technology.”

One of the goals of the Army All-American Bowl is encourage students to consider studying the science, technology, engineering or mathematics fields, known as STEM.

The FED concept vehicle was just one of several technology demonstrations provided by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command in the Army Strong Zone.

(For full article please see: http://www.army.mil)