Applications
   
- Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV)
Bluefin Robotics Corp. have integrated the Trident Sensors Deep-sea Helix units into their range of AUVs. The units communicate with the AUV control system to send and receive data. The Beacon mode back-up battery function enables transmission of the AUV GPS position in the event of system power failure.
- Remotely Operated Vehicles
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have purchased two Helix Deep-sea units for integration on the 6000 m ROVs JASON and ISIS, the former run by WHOI and the latter purchased from WHOI by the National Oceanographic Centre, Southampton, U.K. These units are designed to transmit the ROV position in the event of system power failure. They have built-in pressure switches to ensure that the ROVs are at the surface before transmission commences.
- Drifting Buoys
The University of Vigo have a drifting buoy fitted with the Helix Ver.1 OEM board-set. This buoy is designed to collect and report the buoy's GPS position as it drifts on the ocean currents.
- Met Office Data Buoys
The UK Met Office is now using Trident Sensors' Helix systems for transmitting data from their ocean buoy network, with the housing and interfaces made to their specification. The Helix systems have been configured to transmit the buoy's observation data and GPS position by SBD message every hour. Software provided by Trident Sensors extracts the data from the SBD message attachment and forwards this in the correct format to the Met Office email server.
   
- Deserts
Systems are designed for tracking personnel/vehicles and data transfer to and from such remote regions.
- Mountains
In 1999 Mexican mountaineer Karla Wheelock became the first person in the world to make a mobile phone call from the top of Everest.
- Icebergs
Trident supplies Iridium L-band transceivers and Trident's Helix board set for tracking and monitoring icebergs.
- Hurricanes, Tsunami and Earthquakes.
As Hurricane Katrina began raking
the U.S. Gulf Coast, Iridium Satellite LLC had already begun ensuring end
users and service providers would be able to fully respond to the looming
disaster. Iridium quickly moved mobile satellite communications equipment into the hands of first responders at the Federal, State and Local levels.
Iridium's largest customer, the U.S. Government, already had thousands of
satellite phones available for deployment into the disaster area.
In just the first 72 hours of the disaster, Iridium traffic in the region
increased by more than 3000 percent, while the number of subscribers increased
more than 500 percent. Likewise Iridium systems proved invaluable to emergency services in the 2004 Tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean and are supplied to the Earthquake response teams in San Fransisco. Trident has supplied deep-sea antenna for pop-up seismometers deployed off Thailand.
   
The new Helix Ver 2 unit is ideally suited to asset tracking applications. The unit can be supplied with back-up batteries, internal or external antennae and/or sealed waterproof enclosures. The data output and transmission interval is user- programmed, either directly via USB or RS232 port or by sending an email to the unit. The power interupt feature combined with the back-up batteries enables transmissions to be initiated by main power failure. Spare I/Os to the system can be used to monitor and control sensors, switches, motors, latches etc.
   
For information on the Trident Sensors tracking unit on Dame Ellen MacArthurs 'B&Q' click here.
The low power Helix Ver. 2 unit is small enough and light enough to be fitted in a pocket for personnel tracking or on radio collars for animal tracking. Waterproof and pressure-proof enclosures can be supplied for marine animal tracking.
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