Steadlands Offer SpacePole to complement the ePad Ink

October 2007

Steadlands now offer SpacePole for their Interlink ePad-Ink range.

More details to follow soon.

Steadlands introduce Thermal Transfer Compound to

their growing heat management range.

August 2007

Steadlands International have extended their thermal management range, which already includes heatsinks, power resistors, thermoelectric coolers and thermo generating modules, with the addition of a new thermal transfer compound.

TCG is formulated with selected polydimethyl siloxane fluid and metallic oxide fillers resulting in a paste which has extremely high levels of thermal conductivity. This along with its high dielectric constant and high dissipation factors, makes it particularly suited to many electrical and electronic applications.

Conforming to the MIL C-47113B guidelines, TCG has a thermal conductivity of 0.9W/mK, a dielectric constant of 4.81 and a dielectric strength of 22kV/mm. Volume resistivity is 1.2x10-15 ohm/cm and 60X worked penetration is 240-320.

TCG has a shelf life of 12 months at 25 degC and can be used in ambient operating temperatures of -55 to +220 degC. The compound is available in 30cc barrels to fit the dispensing gun or EFD type timed dispensers. It can also be supplied in 1, 5 or 25 kilo pails.

ePads from Steadlands make property returns a lot easier for Cleveland Police

June 2007

Returning property to their rightful owners in the Cleveland police district used to mean a lot of paperwork, administration and storage. Today, the use of an ePad Ink digital signature capture device, makes life a lot quicker and easier for all concerned.

Whether the items are lost and found, the results of crime, goods seized during an investigation for forensic examination or exhibits used at trial, they all eventually end up at the force’s Central Property Store where the owners can collect them from Reliant, the civilian contractors who run the store for the police force.

Cleveland Police chose the ePad Ink, supplied by Steadlands International, in an effort to reduce the amount of paperwork which required storage for two years after goods had been collected. Now the owners simply sign on the ePad and the electronic signature is retained in a digital format. The ePads are used in conjunction with a law enforcement software system designed by Niche and tailored to suit Cleveland’s requirements.

A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: “We were looking for a system which enabled us to capture a signature electronically. It was important that the user could actually see their signature appearing quite clearly in the screen.”

Because the Cleveland force covers a wide area, there are situations where members of the public aren’t able to travel to the Central Property Store and so the goods are despatched to district offices for local collection. The use of the ePads at these sites means that signatures can be captured remotely and then sent to a central computer for storage.

Interlink’s ePads have been used in other police forces for applications including custody suite control and property management. The ePad Ink captures the handwritten signature on it’s integrated LCD signature pad, converting it to a biometrically-secure e-signature for use in electronic forms and transactions. By providing user-intuitive electronic signatures, ePad-ink enables enhanced security, improved workflow, reduced operations costs and faster document processing times.

Force sensing resistors offer a range of advantages for prosthesis

March 2007

When Touch Bionics, the UK-based award winning designer and supplier of electrically powered Upper Limb Prostheses, embarked on the design of its acclaimed success, the i-LIMB Hand, it was essential that the supply of components was established in order to ensure that the benefits of the prosthetic were future-proof.

Being a standard off-the-shelf parts, force sensing resistors (FSRs), supplied by Tyneside's Steadlands International and manufactured by California-based Interlink Electronics, have become an important part of Touch Bionics' signal collection strategy. Although not suitable for use on all prosthetics, the FSR is ideal for use when patients do not have the ability to activate electrodes. In this situation, an FSR can detect the change in muscular force and allow the opening and closing of the hand with high proportional levels, says the company.

The FSR will enable the user to grip tighter, or faster even around contoured, delicate surfaces such as a wine glass. The use of force sensing resistors also enables Touch Bionics to enhance the anatomical movement of a prosthetic hand and offer users a step-change in functionality and performance, enabling patients to do more with their prosthetic hand.

It has been developed in such a way as to provide 'lighter weight' functionality for patients. In addition, the modularity approach to developing the system components makes it viable to develop components for all patient types at a low cost.

The i-LIMB Hand is a true next generation bionic product - it has five individually powered digits which provide the end-user with completely new grip options to enhance dexterity and the activities of daily living. The i-LIMB Hand is a terminal device that actually looks and acts like a real human hand - a goal that has never been a commercial reality, until now, says the company.

Using a traditional myoelectric two-signal input sourced from analogue electrodes (sensors placed closed to the skin to collect muscle-generated signals), the i-LIMB Hand's 5 powered motors operate using Touch Bionics' unique control system. This approach to control is very familiar to myoelectric users and has the benefit of allowing patients to quickly start implementing proportional control (slower / faster) and 'power grip' pulsing to increase a firmer grip of objects.

Again using a traditional two myoelectric signal input, Touch Bionics' enhanced control system will shortly offer patients and end-users the opportunity to run sub-routines and functions specific to activities of daily living such as pointing the index finger only (to operate a PC or telephone) or bringing together only the thumb and index finger (to pick-up small/delicate objects).

Unlike a traditional 3-jaw-chuck or similar terminal device, the i-LIMB Hand's five individually powered digits grip around objects and then lock when sufficient grip force has been applied - just like a real hand. The excessive tip-force grip of more traditional devices is no longer required to maintain sufficient grip on heavier or more difficult-shaped objects. The addition of the i-LIMB Hand's cosmesis provides extra grip capability. The new production techniques developed in-house by Touch Bionics has resulted in a cosmesis that is highly realistic in terms of skin tone, skin surface and overall accuracy to a real hand.

"Our unique combination of mechanics, controls and cosmesis re-writes the rulebook on prosthetic grip force and device functionality," said Touch Bionics' Phil Newman. "And, FSR's are becoming a key component in developing products such as our i-LIMB range. The proportionality of the output signal from the FSR enables certain users to achieve much more control."

"Although Steadlands enjoy working with FSR technology in all sectors of the electronics industry, everyone within the company get's an extra kick out of working on a project which involves a higher level of human interest such as the Touch Bionics i-LIMB and Salisbury District Hospital's Dropped Foot Stimulator to enhance mobility for stroke sufferers. We wish Touch Bionics great success with i-LIMB," said Steadlands' MD Peter Craik.

Force Sensing Resistors (FSRs) are robust, polymer thick film (PTF) devices that exhibit a decrease in resistance when increased pressure is applied to the surface of the sensor. This force sensitivity is optimized for use in human touch control of electronic devices such as automotive electronics, medical systems and industrial PCs. FSRs are not a load cell or strain gauge devices though they have many similar properties.

Established technology - they have been in use for more than 25 years - FSRs do not incorporate any moving parts, so their life is almost constant. Used widely in automotive, medical, consumer electronics such as MP3 players, mobile phones and games consoles the FSR also has many industrial applications, says the company.

Steadlands starts representing Techsource International

February 2007

Requests from customers using Ohmite resistors for thermal management components to suit their application, been satisfied by Steadlands International who can now supply a range of high quality heatsinks.

The board level power semiconductor heatsink selection manufactured by Techsource Thermal Solutions has solderable pins to enable vertical mounting without stress on the device leads and all of the eight designs have four heights to suit a variety of TO and multiwatt devices. Similarly, the board level stamped heatsinks are designed for TO and SMT applications.In addition to a range of standard products which includes heatsinks for BGA as well as bonded fin and skived heatsinks, Steadlands can also supply custom built solutions.

Click here to see what they have to offer.

News Archives

Nationwide Selects ePad-ink - December 2003