Quake Develops Communicator

Quake Wireless, San Diego, has developed a satellite communicator that monitors heavy equipment in remote locations.

The device, called the LEOlink 2500, is designed to track "mobile assets" anywhere around the globe. It transmits a piece of equipment’s location, functionality and potentially hazardous conditions back to its headquarters, Quake president Brian Niznik said.

The components — including a low-profile GPS antenna, interface card and modem — are housed in a "ruggedized" box about 17 inches long that is designed to hold up under adverse conditions such as high temperature, shock and high vibration levels, Niznik said.

The LEOlink is typically mounted on the top or back of a piece of equipment, and uses the Orbcomm satellite network to communicate.

Quake is targeting heavy mobile equipment such as rail cars, construction vehicles, trucks and marine vessels as potential users of the LEOlink.