The work of a land surveyor is versatile and demanding. It requires rugged equipment, such as a rugged tablet, that is reliable, long-lasting, and built to endure extreme working conditions. The Mesa® Rugged Tablet is designed and built to meet these requirements and give land surveyors a tool they can trust in the field and the office.
Certifications that matter
Juniper Systems designed the Mesa to operate in a variety of extreme environments, including wet conditions, high and low temperatures, the bright sun, and the long work days that land surveyors often face. That is why, the Mesa is IP68 and MIL-STD-810G certified to combat these inclement weather conditions. This durable IP68 rated tablet is protected against solids such as sand and dust as well as liquids, and can even withstand being submersed in 1.4 meters of water for up to two hours. Users can rest assured that a little, or a lot, of rain will not inhibit their work when using a Mesa.
“The MIL-STD-810G certification is a popular test used throughout the rugged device industry,” said Scott Thomas, a Mechanical Engineer at Juniper Systems.
This certification is outlined with 29 tests from an 800-page document including a vibrations test for shipboard devices, 26 4-foot drops onto plywood over concrete, and so much more. Juniper Systems’ mobile computers and tablets continue to meet or exceed the specifications of the MIL-STD-810G tests to provide land surveyors with confidence that if the device is dropped, exposed to extreme hot or cold temperatures, or other brutal conditions, the tablet and their data are protected. Other less-rugged tablets can overheat or experience rapid battery drain due to high and low operating temperatures. The Mesa is built to operate in temperatures ranging from -4 F to 122 F (-20 C to 50 C) without overheating or draining the battery.
“The MIL-STD-810G certification demonstrates that a device can stand up to extreme use and extreme environments,” said Tim Royer, a Product Manager at Juniper Systems.
A sun-light readable display with a long-lasting battery
Whether it is boundary surveying, construction layout, or any other job a land surveyor has, having a display that can be viewed on bright, sunny days and battery-life that lasts as long as you do is essential. There are many factors to consider when looking for a sun-light readable display. One feature on the Mesa is a transflective, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) touchscreen. It is optically bonded with a clear adhesive that minimizes light reflection between the touchscreen and display. This allows for better viewability, less glare, and requires less power from the device to achieve greater readability in direct sunlight. The transflective screen on the Mesa uses less power, it generates less heat, and extends battery performance.
“Our team is often working in the heat and brightness of the sun. We can collect and read data with the Mesa in the brightness of the sun without any strain. This supports our efforts to work efficiently and effectively,” said Russell Burton, Rangeland Wildlife Specialist at Y2 Consultants.
The battery of an ultra-rugged tablet used by land survey professionals has to last for a full day in the field. The Mesa has a robust battery to provide the time needed for long projects to be completed with just one charge. Equipped with a removable 43.2 watt-hour battery that provides 10 to 12 hours of operation, the Mesa is built for the extensive hours demanded from any job. The optional internal 21.6 watt-hour battery gives users an additional 4-5 hours of runtime. And since the internal battery allows hot-swapping of the removable battery land surveyors don’t skip a beat or lose their data if the battery needs to be changed in the field.
Compatibility and Versatility
Juniper’s Mesa is compatible with RTK GPS receivers, GPS receivers, robotic systems with long range Bluetooth® built in, and much more. With a built-in modem, class 1.5 Bluetooth® radio, and wireless network capability (Wi-Fi) for the ability to work with almost any software the Mesa is the preferred ultra-rugged tablet for land surveyors. Connected with a GPS receiver, the Mesa makes data collection easier and faster for projects to be completed. Users can easily connect to an RTK network and get corrections without having a separate base station. The Mesa is capable of communicating via Bluetooth® with robotics range. And since the Mesa is available with either a Windows 10 or Android™ operating system, it works with any of the software programs used by the land survey industry.
In addition to compatibility, the Mesa is versatile and can be your office, anywhere. The versatility saves land surveyors valuable time. For example, the optional Mesa Office Dock turns the tablet into a replacement for an office computer and field computer. The Office Dock eliminates the need to upload CAD (Computer Aided Drafting and Design) files at the beginning of the day, or to transfer data from tablet to a computer at the end of a long work day. Land surveyors with a full Windows operating system can install and run CAD directly on the Mesa to load information quickly and get to work. Another time saving feature is that the Mesa can be used to share information real-time from any place that Wi-Fi or cellular network coverage exists or can be created using a mobile access point. This feature is extremely valuable when field data needs to be communicated immediately back to the office or the customer.
Touchscreen profiles and details that make the Mesa superior
Anyone who has used a tablet or smartphone outdoors knows that getting a touchscreen to work well in cold or wet weather can be frustrating. Gloves often have to be removed to register finger presses or swipes, and rain-drop impact or water accumulating on the screen often cause false touches. The Mesa has touchscreen profiles that allow for accurate, dependable use with either gloves or a small tip stylus, and even in wet conditions. These profiles allow land surveyors to match the touchscreen sensitivity to their working conditions so they can continue to gather data comfortably and efficiently.
For land surveyors that repeatedly perform specific tasks (e.g. taking photos, initiating a new point, or performing other software functions), the Mesa comes with the option to program buttons to do these tasks with a single button press. Users continue to benefit from these “fast keys” and the ability to switch between desktop and tablet mode.
The Mesa Rugged Tablet for land surveyors
Each feature, design, or specification of the Mesa was included for the sole purpose of creating a reliable, ergonomic, and rugged tablet for a wide variety of users, and especially for land surveyors. That’s why it is the rugged tablet that land surveyors recommend whether they are mapping boundaries, getting the lay of the land, doing as-built surveys, or pairing it with other instruments to survey properties. To learn more about the features, specifications, and certifications of the Mesa contact our team via our website or give us a call at 435-753-1881.