New Mobile Computing Software Streamlines Field Data Collection

June 13, 1994 — A family of software solutions designed to lighten the load and improve the efficiency of field data col-lectors was announced today by PenStuff Inc., a start-up software company based in Rochester.

The company’s GeoFirma family of software products allows field data collectors (inspectors, tax assessors, insurance adjusters, utility maintenance people, foresters, and other mobile professionals) to replace the bulky, conventional tools of the trade (instant cameras, paper forms, dedicated Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, pens and paper) with a single mobile computer — laptop, palmtop, or pen-based.
PenStuff conservatively estimates the size of the field-data-collection marketplace to exceed 10 million workers in the United States alone.

The two products announced today are the GeoFirma FieldPack Designer and GeoFirma FieldPack Mobile. “FieldPack contains all of the tools required for efficient field data collection,” said PenStuff President George Seff. “The Designer allows users to create sophisticated forms without any programming. The Mobile application’s database ‘understands’ digital photographs, GPS information, sketches, and handwriting and treats them like any other data. It’s the first product designed from the ground up to support the multiple requirements of field data collectors — portability, efficiency, and convenience.”

FieldPack Designer is a comprehensive forms-building tool that allows users to quickly create their own customized forms for data collection. The easy-to-use package features a graphical user interface that makes it easy for non-programmers to use simple “drag-and-drop” manipulation to automate their familiar papers forms or develop new forms containing customized labels, input fields for text and numbers, and automated time and date stamping. FieldPack De-signer’s screens can include fields for not only text, but also GPS data, ink sketches and digital images. Dropping a GPS or camera icon the form provides users complete control of the supported mobile peripheral devices. The software is designed for 386 or 486 computers with VGA/SVGA display, and Windows 3.1 or greater (Windows for Pen Computing for pen-based computers). Its $495 per share unit introductory price includes FieldPack Mobile for one user.

FieldPack Mobile runs the forms developed using the FieldPack Designer. It allows field data collectors to enter text, draw sketches, capture and annotate digital images, and collect GPS positional information (latitude, longitude, etc.) on a mobile computer. Once captured, all data is stored in a full-featured dBase IV-compatible database for storage and update. Because collecting the data only solves half of the problem, FieldPack Mobile will automatically export collected records in industry-standard formats for long-term storage or manipulation by desktop database, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), or other popular software programs. It is specifically designed for use with laptop or pen-based computers with VGA/SVGA display, and Windows 3.1 or greater (or Windows for Pen Computing). Its price is $295 per unit.

FieldPack Mobile and FieldPack Designer will begin shipping on July 15 and will be available directly from PenStuff and the company’s reseller organization. PenStuff will introduce additional products in the GeoFirma family in the coming year.

PenStuff Inc. is a Rochester-based, privately held company which started in 1991. Its mission is to revolutionize field data collection. The company can be reached at 716/461-3182.

CONTACT:
PenStuff
Bill Rigney, 716/461-3182, ext. 12
or
Robert J. DeRosa, 716/377-7510