Tales from the Field: Durability
An average day for a mobile field worker will find him in any number of conditions, including extreme temperature changes, indoor and outdoor locations, low lighting, loud noise, tight quarters, roofs, and crawlspaces. They must climb ladders, negotiate catwalks, and navigate potentially hazardous areas tracing electrical lines and gathering data. They get their hands dirty with grease and particulate matter. The mobile computer that accompanies technicians must be able to withstand these conditions, as well as being bumped and dropped, and survive dirty fingers.
There are also locations in which electronic devices can cause explosions. Certain areas within oil rigs and refineries are examples of such, where flammable gasses and vapors are a concern. Equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres must meet intrinsic safety standards.
Furthermore, the field workers must dress for the environment. They may be wearing eye protection, ear protection, or heavy gloves. They may be carrying a lot of bulky, heavy equipment around with them. These are all important factors that play into the overall context that must be taken into account when designing a solution. They can have significant impact on the choice of hardware and the design of the software.
