Ubiqconn Technology: Rugged Mobile Systems for Off-road Vehicles

Jan Wang, CTO & Begonia Tsui, CEO

Heavy duty off-road vehicles that work in severe conditions have to often withstand dust, rain, shocks, vibrations, and even extreme temperatures. In order to function smoothly in spite of such harsh environments, not only must a vehicle be well built but also its digital systems need to be robust. Offering rugged hardware and applications for these vehicles is Ubiqconn Technology, where Ubiqconn is an abbreviation for “ubiquitous connectivity.” The company’s embedded solutions are primarily centered on impact-resistant mobile computers that offer connectivity and real-time communication with a vehicle even from a remote location.

Shocks and vibrations delivered by a rough terrain demand high durability of devices. In addition to ensuring durability, designing systems that can operate in water and sustain exceedingly high or low temperatures remains a challenge. Ubiqconn Technology provides systems with an IP rating of up to 67, facilitating functioning across temperatures ranging from minus 30 to 70 degree Celsius. “We provide software that updates you about any changes in the vehicle remotely, thus taking care of the systems’ serviceability needs,” adds Begonia Tsui, CEO of Ubiqconn Technology.

While Ubiqconn Technology mainly focuses on rugged mobile systems, it offers its standard products under the RuggON brand name. These products include rugged tablet and rugged Vehicle Mount Computer (VMC) and are equipped with rugged sunlight-readable displays and long-lasting batteries.

Ubiqconn Technology’s embedded solutions are primarily centered on impact-resistant mobile computers that offer connectivity and real-time communication with a vehicle even from a remote location

Power is a critical factor in the fabrication of these products as they remain switched on for most of the time. The company ensures high performance with power-saving designs and at the same time provides power backup options to deal with power fluctuations if any. Furthermore, Ubiqconn Technology—a subsidiary of First International Computer (FIC)— benefits from the extensive experience of its parent company in Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) space, thus providing customization options to its clients.

The company has solved its clients’ issues with regard to quality, sustainability, and serviceability. The rugged tablet has simplified servicing of automobiles for clients whereas VMCs have replaced normal industrial PCs that couldn’t sustain shocks and vibrations. Also, clients have welcomed the low downtime of Ubiqconn Technology’s products. Intra-vehicular, as well as vehicle-to-device communication, is another area that the company focuses on, forming links, gathering data, and analyzing it. For instance, the positioning data of a vehicle is sent to a contact center along with the details of the vehicle’s status, which also allows clients to monitor the driver’s condition using a camera.

“The ability to dispense precise navigation data to the vehicle applications is a winning factor,” adds Jan Wang, CTO of the company. With multiple certifications, Ubiqconn Technology’s products comply with the international quality and environmental standards. Additionally, a collective emphasis on power, vehicle design, communication technologies and quality is what sets the company apart. Unlike its competitors in the embedded market, Ubiqconn Technology revolves around broader hardware platforms instead of limiting itself to x86. Nevertheless, it focuses equally on the software aspect of its products.

The company looks forward to providing better mobility solutions with increased battery capacities in the next six months. Ubiqconn Technology is also developing a portable product—a tablet for school bus management—intended for the safety of students. The tablet will provide real-time information about the bus’ condition. Providing digital IDs to students will help keep a track of who boards the bus. “The application is scheduled to be launched by the end of this year and will also connect the tablet to a camera for parents to monitor their children and ensure that they have boarded the bus,” concludes Begonia.