GPS Bracelets for Alzheimer’s Sufferers

Without effective equipment, searching for Alzheimer's disease sufferers who have wandered off can be inefficient. Because time is critical in such situations, every minute lost increases the risk of a tragic outcome.

To help reduce potential injury to adults who wander due to Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia among older adults, a program called Project S.O.F.T. Ware has provided GPS bracelets to a group of people with a history of wandering sue to Alzheimer’s or dementia. S.O.F.T. stands for “Satellite Option Finding Technology,” and the bracelet works like a smartphone.

According to a recent report by Global News, the device sends a message to a secure tracking website that police can log on to. Police can call program participants on their bracelet to ensure that they are OK and know where they are. “The device has a speed sensor to detect unusual behaviour (like getting in a car for those who don’t drive) and also sends a notification if the person falls down and hits the bracelet,” the report says.

The technology isn’t perfect. For example, detection is difficult if the battery dies, if the device is submerged in water or if the wearer removes the bracelet. The GPS bracelet also relies on satellite signals and cellular service, neither of which is always accessible in certain locations or areas.

Nevertheless, after field-testing, GPS was found to be the most accurate technology available. It also requires fewer resources compared with radio signal tracking equipment such as RFID, which requires sending officers out searching with antennae and activating ground search and rescue.

With GPS, police can use a smartphone, locate the person and call them – all within 10 minutes. 

Reinventing the Microwave

Holiday time generally means cooking time, and lots of it. That’s why we’re highlighting this microwave that’s been on the market for just a couple of months. Except it’s more than a microwave, more than an oven, and more than a grill, although it can play each of those roles. The LG Lightwave has some additional features that take it above your standard “microwave-oven-grill” combo, a pretty non-standard offering itself.

For faster cooking without a microwave, the oven function uses halogen heaters. The major feature, though, and the reason this appliance has been so talked-about, is the addition of wireless access. That’s right, you can control your oven through your phone. When you just can’t tear yourself away from your favorite TV show, even with a minute of two of pausing the DVR, now you can just adjust the oven temperature from the comfort of the couch. Across the street talking to your neighbor and going a little longer than expected? Set the timer to shut off at the right time. And if you happen to be out at the movies and remember that you never cleaned up after your latest cooking experiment gone wrong, just log in and activate the oven’s self-cleaner from afar.

Of course, with the mix of cooking methods combined with wireless access, the electronic backbone of the Lightwave is complex and intricate. The electronic controls involved in hardware like this are a model for the type of work that Etratech excels at. Do you have the next big kitchen breakthrough? Get in touch to work with our engineers and bring it to fruition.

New Video Showcases Etratech’s Range and Capabilities

“Show, don’t tell” is one of the best-known methods of telling a story, and with the release of our first set of videos showcasing our capabilities, Etratech is fully embracing the philosophy. As part of our continued effort to reach out and share the full range of services that we offer, we’ve invited you for a look at our facilities – both in North America, and our fully Etratech owned-and –operated facility in Asia.

In the video below, you’ll see our machinery at work, as well as the expert operators without whom our equipment would be useless. This initial introductory video covers everything we do, including turnkey electronic solutions, prototyping, MRP software, SMT and dip-through PCB design and manufacture – including box build assemblies – and our signature Total Acquisition Management (T.A.M.) program that allows smaller and mid-size businesses access to the our extensive network of suppliers. We’d tell you more, but the video does a great job of covering everything.

As the first in a series of several looks inside our business, we’d like to take this opportunity to welcome you to our facility. Stay tuned for more on this blog, and be sure to visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The Quality Imperative in the Mobile Age

Smartphones, PDAs and tablets have made mobile connectivity a necessary component of everyday life in the 21st century. Mobile devices have changed the way people interact, do business and even do chores.

Last year, LG Electronics introduced a robotic vacuum cleaner that connects via Wi-Fi to stream live images with sound, which users can view and control over their smartphone. More recently, LG announced an update to its Lightwave Oven, which is fused with a microwave, grill, fermenter and toaster – and enables users to cook on the go using a smartphone with wireless connection. With the press of a button, the user can set cooking times and control temperature even when away from home.

Using just one of any number of mobile devices and the right app, we can control an ever-increasing number of machines, whether they are household appliances, home security systems or manufacturing facilities. Yet even as mobile tech adoption for remote-access applications rises, the internal controls of the machinery we’re accessing, e.g., a vacuum cleaner or an oven, still remain largely the same – and need to be well engineered for quality and reliability.

As an industry leader in the design and manufacture of electronic controls, Etratech ensures the highest standards of product quality and conformance to customer specifications. Our complete in-house product design includes full prototyping, testing and validation; agency approvals and product compliance; and extensive internal/external testing. We achieve total customer satisfaction through measurable continual improvement of our internal processes and systems. Quality is always a journey, and our goal with all of our customers is to exceed their expectations.

Younger buyers driving demand for more electronics and connectivity in today’s cars

Most Gen Y drivers want to stay
connected to their smartphones while driving.

Are today’s new cars “becoming smartphones”? A recent report in the Chicago Tribune says, “No connectivity, no deal for young buyers.”

The report cites a 2011 study that revealed that more than two-thirds of the youngest respondents (Gen Y – up to age 30) want to be able to connect smartphones in their cars, and they also want the convenience of being able to access applications from a dashboard interface.

"For Generations X and Y, technology is a must-have. They take it for granted; they have to stay connected," says Craig Giffi, Deloitte vice chairman and automotive practice leader.

Older generations aren’t as demanding when it comes to getting electronics and connectivity in their cars, according to the study. "The youngest buyers are looking for electronics that are innovative and have a high 'cool' factor while those over the age of 50 lean toward safety, comfort and control features," says Lara Koslow, a partner in BCG's Los Angeles office. “Young buyers want to be able to Twitter and send instant messages while older buyers view that as unsafe," Koslow adds.

With our commitment to safety and quality, Etratech’s electronics and controls are used by manufacturers in the automotive industry. We've developed and produced advanced electronic controls for leading OEMs around the world since 1989. We have the expertise and resources to compete globally, meeting strict standards of quality. Contact us for more information.

Responsible Recycling

At Etratech, we know the importance of environmentally conscious business, and how crucial recycling is to our planet.  We place great value on being RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) compliant.

WEEE is an EU directive that, in conjunction with RoHS, sets collection, recycling, and recovery targets for all types of electronic goods. The RoHs Directive set restrictions upon European manufacturers as to the material content of new electronic equipment placed on the market.   They both became European law in 2003.

We at Etratech believe it is important for manufacturers to research who their recycler is, as an excess of WEEE products has caused capacity issues for many recycling firms, leading to some sending their waste overseas, rather than properly handling it. 

Recently, it was reported that several WEEE recyclers, including those dealing in television sets, have seen an increase of up to 30%, leading to the need for temporary storage when they couldn’t handle the drastic increases.  This is just one example of WEEE increases, and that excess trickles down to all electronics, creating capacity problems across the board. 

We believe in the importance of proper recycling, and encourage manufacturers to do the necessary research, ensuring that they choose a recycler who follows the correct procedures and can handle the increases, dealing with excess in responsible ways.  We are all responsible for our planet.

Here’s a link to the aforementioned article on increases in excess televisions.

Cooler Controls

The dog days of summer mean the constant need for air conditioning; imagine those long hot days without a properly working AC.  If your AC unit is not functioning as it should be, it could mean costly repairs, higher electric bills, and overall discomfort on those brutally hot days.  

An AC that is working properly requires a number of standard features: well functioning safety controls, correct refrigerant levels, clean and maintained compressor and electrical components, checked and routinely changed filters, calibrated thermostats, and cleaned outdoor coils.  Correctly functioning AC controls are crucial to the life of your machine, and to the comfort of you and your family.  

At Etratech, we design and manufacture quality control components for HVAC systems, with maximum performance and efficiency in mind.  We develop and install these components to function at superior levels, ensuring that the machines in which they are placed function as best as possible.  

We’ll continue to produce the highest-quality components that will in turn create the highest-quality air conditioners, so that you and your loved ones can enjoy a cool, worry-free summer. 

Total Acquisition Management Keeps Your Supply Chain Intact

Of the many reasons why Etratech is an industry leader, one is our Total Acquisition Management program, our supply chain management service that allows our customers access to the best prices, lead times, and logistics – regardless of their size.   The T.A.M. program provides for convenience and reliability. 

Why is a program like T.A.M. so invaluable to our customers? Beyond the convenience, there’s the important factor of reliability.  Supply chains have proven, for many companies, to be quite shaky, and when they fail, so too can a business.  Recently, Qualcomm, a worldwide provider of wireless technology and services, reported shares falling close to 15% in less than a month, all due to supply chain problems.  Their supply chain issues cost this leading company a great deal of business and money. 

Unreliable supply chain factors can drastically affect your business, and the best way to prevent this is by trusting Etratech, and our T.A.M program.  We can take away the fears of lost business due to supply chain troubles by handling everything with our dedicated supply chain and facilities. 

After all, isn’t your business too important to trust to anything less than reliable?

Etratech and the Housing Market Recovery

The housing market is finally recovering, and with it is the growing demand for in-home consumer electronics.  In fact, The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) just released a report that stated that installed home technology, including entertainment and automation control solutions, are becoming a crucial part of home development and sales.

 

Steve Koenig, CEA's director of industry analysis, stated that "This year's study confirms CEA's long-held belief and prediction that home technology would make a positive contribution to the inevitable housing market recovery as home buyers' digital lifestyles and desires for energy efficiency factor into purchasing decisions."

Lighting controls, structured wiring, entertainment, and home automation are features that are quickly becoming more and more important to home builders and buyers, and are therefore contributing to the growth of the housing market.  Etratech’s electronics are used in a wide variety of these types of controls, making them necessary to the market’s continued upswing.  In this way, Etratech’s quality products have a role in this exciting—and long awaited—recovery, and we’re proud to be providing the manufacturers of these products with the best electronics and controls available. 

Etratech Unveils Our New Website!

PCB manufacturing, global supply chain management, electronic control engineering and design: Etratech certainly does not deal in stagnant industries. The nature of our business involves managing changes in technology and in markets, both domestic and international, and staying up-to-date with our customers and our suppliers. The Etratech of today retains the same manufacturing expertise, worldwide asset management services, and premium customer service as yesterday’s Etratech, but we are also an evolving company.

For that reason, we’re proud to introduce our brand new website , highlighting and detailing our quality services everywhere from engineering and design to our renowned Total Asset Management program, which lets you focus on manufacturing, while we utilize our full global resources to take care of your supply chain needs. You can read all about pastprojects we’ve completed, learn about the benefits of a manufacturing career at Etratech, and watch our design and manufacturing information video. We’re pleased to have you as a visitor to our blog, and look forward to hearing your thoughts on our new site!

Leading the way in PCBs

2011 was a good year for the PCB materials industry despite troubles and uncertainty throughout the global economy. PCBs were buoyed by the growth in mobile electronics, which has raised the demand for thinner, lighter, and more capable materials.  Two obstacles have hampered this build up in the need for more components and parts made from PCBs. The first problem is the need for more rapid prototyping despite the increase in the complexity of the designs. The second, and perhaps even more pressing issue, has been the major global supply issues created by both increased demand and the tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan. When combined with the shaky economy it is no wonder companies are reevaluating both the PCB suppliers and their supply chains.

At Etratech, we have the answers people are looking for. Thanks to our experienced engineers and technologists, we can offer our global customers from both North America and Asia Pacific expert and leading edge PCB assembly and manufacturing services. Our PCB build capabilities include all component sourcing, installation, and assembly. Therefore, we are ready to handle even your most complex and time constrained PCB projects. On top of our outstanding manufacturing capabilities, we also feature a Total Acquisition Management™ system (T.A.M.). This unique system, which we’ve discussed in past blogs allows Etratech to avoid the supply chain problems that have plagued almost every industry over the past few years. T.A.M lets you leave any and all necessary material and component sourcing and production to Etratech, and we’ll leverage our global buying power to offer you the most competitive prices available.  It is this combination of quality and efficiency that has allowed Etratech to become an industry leader in PCB assembly and manufacturing services.

To learn more about our all-inclusive PCB build capabilities visit our website, or contact one of our experts today.

“Cool” New Refrigerators

The lettuce is soggy, the tomatoes moldy, and the onion even more pungent than usual. Yes, that produce that set visions of salads and sauces dancing in your head has gone bad again, victims of an improperly regulated crisper drawer. Crispers are nothing new, but the ability to keep relative humidity at a higher level than in the rest of the refrigerator is a development that’s saved many an apple. Unfortunately, keeping that humidity set at the wrong level can lead to some ugly outcomes. 

At Etratech, our controls are used to enable some of the most forward-looking new features of traditional technologies, like boats  and RVs. Our specialties stretch beyond recreational and transportation applications, though: many of our controls are used in the displays of appliances, including refrigerators. And controls for the crisper are just the beginning for some of the refrigerators on the market today.

A far cry from the one-door models you may have once seen, the latest refrigerators can have up to four doors, and a multitude of compartments, each with varying temperature and humidity capabilities. This article talks about a fridge with an outer drawer with a wide range of temperature settings – want easy access to your Diet Cokes? Keep it around 40 degrees. Need to store some extra chicken that was on sale? Go below freezing, into the 20s. That’s an exciting development, but it’s got nothing on the wifi-enabled refrigerators that Samsung and LG have out now. Of course, all of these features need exacting controls, chips, and displays to make them operate, and that’s where Etratech comes in. We can’t make you eat your veggies, but we can make sure they stick around in the fridge for as long as possible.