EnviroMac Enables the Macintosh to Monitor and Control its Environment

Environmental Monitoring for All Mac Users

September 22, 1993 -- Seattle, WA -- Remote Measurement Systems, Inc.
officially announced the release of EnviroMac, an environmental monitoring
and control system for the Macintosh. The EnviroMac package makes data
acquisition and control so easy and cost effective that every Macintosh
owner can now take advantage of the benefits of automating monitoring and
control activities. EnviroMac can be used with any Mac- older Pluses and
SEs, Classics, Performas, the Mac II and Centris lines, Quadras and
PowerBooks.

Who Benefits 

EnviroMac is ideally suited for applications such as:

* Energy management and indoor climate control in offices,
  greenhouses, labs, small businesses and homes.
* Industrial and university research.
* Environmental monitoring and data collection.
* Product testing and small scale process control in
  manufacturing.

Turns Mac into a Green Machine 

The EnviroMac package turns an existing Macintosh computer into a "green
machine", providing it with the capability to monitor such factors as
temperature, air quality and energy use. With advanced control
capabilities, EnviroMac continuously evaluates external conditions and
automatically issues commands to control electrical devices (e.g.
appliances, machinery, or electronic equipment). Not only does EnviroMac
provide precise measurements and reliable control, but in many situations
it can save money by reducing energy consumption.

Bundled Package Gets Users Started

The EnviroMac package includes all the pieces that are needed to begin
collecting environmental measurements using a Macintosh -hardware,
software, two sensors, an X-10 control module, cables for connecting to
the Mac, and complete documentation. The EnviroMac package price is $899.

EnviroMac Hardware

The EnviroMac hardware serves as the interface between the Macintosh and
sensors or instruments. Easy to set up and install, the sensor interface
is a hardware peripheral that plugs into the modem port of any Mac via a
serial port cable. The interface includes 16 analog inputs for connection
of sensors, and 4 digital inputs. A controller for the X-10 system of
power line control modules, plus 6 digital outputs enable the Macintosh to
control up to 38 separate external devices. Built using low power CMOS
technology, EnviroMac is ideal for field applications in conjunction with
a PowerBook.

EnviroMac Software

The software offers the point and click ease of a standard Macintosh
application. The EnviroMac software allows users to collect, display,
record and graph data obtained from sensors, and to store measurements at
periodic intervals for future analysis by graphing or spreadsheet
programs. The software operates in background under System 7 or
MultiFinder so the Macintosh may be used for other tasks while monitoring
continues.

No Programming Required to Implement Control

Absolutely no knowledge of programming is required for users to get started
controlling their environments. EnviroMac has an innovative rule
interpreter that allows for as many as 40 IF... THEN... ELSE...
conditions, all with the ease of pointing and clicking on buttons and menu
choices. Users can easily begin controlling their environments with simple
rules such as: "IF the temperature is greater than 82 THEN turn on the
cooling system".

Sensors 

EnviroMac includes a temperature and a light level sensor. Sensors are used
to convert physical changes in the environment into electrical signals.
Additional sensors beyond those included in the EnviroMac package can also
be used effectively with the EnviroMac hardware. Remote Measurement
Systems offers sensors for temperature, electrical energy consumption,
rainfall, wind speed, wind direction, soil moisture, relative humidity and
CO2 levels.


Cost Effective Desktop Measurements'

"Our goal is to provide people with cost effective and time saving
solutions to their data acquisition and control needs, whatever they are",
says Remote Measurement Systems' president Keith Ronnholm. "One of the
most exciting aspects of this business is the wide variety of applications
possible for the EnviroMac package. I am constantly amazed at the new,
creative uses for Desktop Measurements."

Data Acquisition Made Accessible 

By combining standard personal computers with affordable and easy-to-use
hardware and software, Remote Measurement Systems brings data acquisition
and control to the desktop pioneering the concept of 'Desktop
Measurements'. Desktop Measurements makes data acquisition and control (a
term much more familiar to researchers and engineers than to building
managers and home owners) accessible to average computer users. With
powerful yet simple software, and versatile data collection/control
hardware, users can gather the information they need easily, accurately,
and inexpensively, then make informed decisions about their environment,
process, or product.

More Users Can Benefit 

With EnviroMac and the concept of desktop measurements, Remote Measurement
Systems has done for data acquisition, what Aldus and Pagemaker did for
typesetting - made it accessible and usable for a broad spectrum of tasks,
projects and users.

New Uses for Old Macs 

EnviroMac occupies only 800K of disk space and uses 900K of RAM. These
small memory requirements enable older model Macintosh computers (Plus,
SE) to fulfill a productive role controlling a greenhouse, or managing
energy usage in a business, well after the end of their effective life as
the primary business computer. Since the EnviroMac hardware connects to
the Mac via the serial port, it can easily be moved from one location or
workstation to another. One can imagine EnviroMac as a tool - to be used
for project after project in various locations by multiple people.

Remote Access 

The EnviroMac system can also be used for remote data collection. With the
aid of a remote access software, one can gain access to recorded
measurements of environmental conditions, and even take control of the
remote system in order to change control parameters. In this manner, an
operations manager with multiple buildings to monitor, or a researcher
with experiments running in several locations, can "be" in more than one
place at a time.

Remote Measurement Systems, Inc. is a privately held company that
manufactures moderately priced hardware, software, and sensors for
low-speed, environmental monitoring applications. It was founded in 1983,
and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Remote Measurement Systems Inc
2633 Eastlake Ave East, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98102-3231
206-328-2255,  fax 206-328-1787

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