Motorola Solutions is releasing a new version of its APX radio for first responders that adds a touch screen and voice control support to the device for the first time. The APX Next can connect over LTE in addition to offering a walkie-talkie’s standard LMR (land mobile radio) connectivity, and it can even transmit an officer’s location data directly to a dispatcher. While many of these features have been available on smartphones for years, they’re much more challenging to implement on a device meant for first responders, according to Fast Company.
The
touchscreen has to work in the rain or while using gloves, and Motorola
Solutions (which is distinct from the Motorola Mobility smartphone division
that’s now owned by Lenovo) had to be careful for the LTE connectivity not to
cause interference for the device’s LMR connection. LMR is a vital technology
during emergencies when typical cell phone networks can become disrupted or
overloaded.
The
APX Next’s voice control capabilities also have to work differently than they
do on smartphones. For starters, they rely on being activated by a button
rather than using a wake word. Officers will also have to press a button to
hear the result of their query to prevent the voice assistant from accidentally
blurting out sensitive information in public. It’s also optimized to work in
extremely loud environments, using four microphones to cancel out background
noise.
Motorola
says the ViQi voice control system will launch with the ability for officers to
search for license plate numbers, driver’s license information, and vehicle
identification numbers (VIN). In the future, it hopes ViQi will be able to call
for vehicle assistance, take statements, and translate languages. Motorola isn’t commenting publicly on how
much the APX Next costs — Fast Company notes that pricing varies too much
depending on how many devices are being bought — but the walkie-talkie is
available to order now.
Motorola
Talkabout T200TP Walkie Talkie 6 Pack Set Two Way Radio Package.T200TP 6-Pack
Includes: 6-Motorola T200 2-Way Radios, 6-NiMH Rechargeable Battery Packs,
2-Micro USB Wall Charging Cables, 6-Belt Clips, 2-User Guide.22 Channels Each
with 121 Privacy Codes, Compatible with Any FRS/GMRS Radio.20 Call Tones, Eco
Smart, Quickly Find a Channel.Low Battery Alert, Keypad Lock, Auto
Squelch.Battery Life Up to 12 hours with NiMH battery (included) Up to 29 hours
with 3 AA battery
A
group of people who are using walkie-talkies to talk to one another have to
tune in to the same frequency band, which is called a channel. Their radios are
all "receiving," so their microphone/loudspeaker units are working as
loudspeakers and probably hissing with static, a bit like a conventional radio
that's not tuned into any particular station. When someone wants to talk to the
others, they hold the push-to-talk button on their handset.
Unlike
a normal radio, which will only pick up broadcast voices or music from a radio
station, a Motorola Walkie-Talkie is a two-way radio: you can
both talk and listen (send and receive). The main drawback is that the same
frequency channel is used for both things, so only one person can talk at a
time. When communication devices work this way, they're described as
half-duplex (a single channel allows communication in only one direction at any
one time), as opposed to full-duplex (where you can talk and listen at the same
time, as on a telephone).
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