OpenBrolly has been researching practical use of mobile technologies in the field. While devices like the iPhone, iPad and Android technologies offer huge potential for new ways of accessing information, any solutions must be usable in the field taking into account real-world limitations. Many mobile solutions are tested on high-speed networks on in ideal city-network conditions. We’ve researched our solutions up a mountain in the Cairngorms!
Our research has focussed on two key areas:
- Dissemination of information to people on the move – for example tourists, shoppers or location scouts
- Collection of information from mobile employees – such as engineers or salespeople.
We have designed and built solutions to deliver a great user experience in the following real-world situations:
- Delivery of information in a poor network connection area – through a combination of data compression, only sending changed information, pre-loading and caching.
- Collection of information in an offline environment with delivery when signal is resumed.
- Creation of cross-platform applications reducing the maintenance for a specific device.
We are also working on secure data collection in a project to be used within the NHS where information needs to be collected in challenging environments but transferred securely, reliably and quickly.
OpenBrolly is an authorised Apple Developer, although we remain platform neutral.
Thumbnail image by Twicepic / Flickr under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.