Surviving hell and high water: electronic equipment can often be rehabilitated after a fire or flood, but it helps to design it to minimize damage in the first place

Article Abstract:

Damage to electrical and electronic equipment, from smoky dirt and soot or from water, need not result in the equipment's destruction. Corrosion is often the biggest problem, and corrosion can be stopped during the first 24 to 72 hours after an accident or a disaster. The importance of acting quickly to salvage equipment will be understood if it is realized that reclaimed equipment typically costs only 15 percent as much as replacement equipment. To stop corrosion, the first thing to do is to disconnect equipment from power supplies. Next, reduce humidity. The best thing to do is to transport the equipment to an air-conditioned and humidity-controlled environment. Laboratories of damage-management and reclamation companies usually maintain such conditions. If equipment is moved, trained personnel should move it because personal injuries, further damage to the equipment or invalidation of service contracts can otherwise result. Businesses that implement good design principles can avoid some kinds of problems by arranging equipment ahead of time so that it is less likely to be damaged or is reclaimable. Several design principles are enumerated. A list of damage-management companies is provided.

Individual and family services, Methods, Fires, Emergency management, Emergency preparedness, Floods, Hardware Maintenance, Repair, Disaster Recovery/Prevention Software, Disaster Management, Disaster recovery software, Preventive Maintenance

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Electronic Traffic Cops Patrol the Highways

Article Abstract:

A microprocessor-based system in California monitors traffic on the freeways to control the flow and send messages to flashing warning signs to inform travellers. A British system uses inductor coils to detect buses approaching traffic lights, so that the lights can be changed to green. Another experimental British system uses infrared video cameras to record license-plate numbers of passing cars to check against a computer list of stolen vehicle.

Automobiles, Motor vehicles, Transportation, Law enforcement, Applications

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