Contec Computers Power the Robust “Mimamorume” Child Tracking System
- Customer
- Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
- Industry
- Education
- Contec products
- BOX Computer BX-955S
- Goals
- Enhanced customer service, Space saving
Hanshin Electric Railway’s Mimamorume service emails parents when children arrive at school. Contec’s fanless BX-955S embedded computers run reliably outdoors at more than 450 schools.
Overview
Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., which runs a railway between Osaka and Kobe and works in real estate and entertainment, offers “Mimamorume,” a service that tells parents when their children arrive at and leave school. Katsuma Nishioka, Section Manager of the New Business Promotion Office, explained that the company’s philosophy is to provide the community with peace of mind.
Mimamorume grew from “Anshin Gupas,” which emails parents when a child scans a commuter IC card at a station. In Mimamorume, an antenna at the school entrance reads a tag in the child’s backpack and sends an email automatically; schools can also send group emails to parents. Launched as a paid service in April 2011, it is used at more than 450 schools with over 250,000 users.
Challenge
The equipment at each school entrance sits in an outdoor housing through hot summers and cold winters. “The important thing when providing this type of service is reliability,” Nishioka said. Notifications had to arrive accurately and without delay, since parents share news quickly and even a small problem could stall growth. Group company ITEC Hankyu Hanshin Co., Ltd. evaluated several industrial computers.
Solution
After strict evaluation, the company chose Contec’s embedded BOX computer, which Nishioka said stood out for reliability. The BX-955S has a fanless, slitless design that keeps out dust, and its slim 35 mm body fits in tight spaces. Its rich standard expansion interfaces mean no customization per school, which reduces installation work.
Results
The computers have run without issues through extremely hot summers and winters with record snowfall, with few malfunctions and less maintenance. Nishioka also valued Contec’s after-sales support as a Japanese manufacturer, and hopes to expand Mimamorume nationwide.
Contec products used
Originally published by Contec Co., Ltd. at contec.com.