Mr. Freddy Martens at ATS, Cogent's sales partner in the Netherlands, has found an easy, Java-based solution for putting real-time data from industrial processes into a mobile phone or other Android-based device, using the OPC DataHub. He has posted his story on the ATS TechLab blog with instructions for other Android developers to follow and links to download the software he used.

"This was surprisingly easy," said Freddy. "It just took a few hours of coding and editing XML files. I used the OPC DataHub and its Java API for the data connection, and the Android SDK examples to develop the front-end. A beginner Java programmer could also do this within half a day."

The resulting application lets a user enter the name of any process variable in his system into an Android cell phone and receive a live value that updates in real time. "On the ATS TechLab blog we have written the necessary steps, followed by a few examples," said Freddy. "The example code is easy to read and well documented. That should be enough to get started on this and similar Android development projects."

Cogent Real-Time Systems announces that EngVirtual will be distributing the OPC DataHub in Portugal to complement their product line of hardware and software for systems control, automation, and the management, measurement, and analysis of electrical power usage.

"Our customers are looking for the most cost-effective solution for integrating real-time data," said Jose Valente, Manager of EngVirtual. "With the OPC DataHub, they can connect their monitoring equipment, analyze output in Excel, and log the data to their existing databases, all with a single product."

It's not too late to register for the OPC Xi web demo--it has been rescheduled for Wednesday, July 14. It will now be offered at two different times:

• 10:00 a.m. EDT (New York), 4:00 p.m. WEDT (Paris, Berlin)
• 10:00 p.m. EDT (New York), 10:00 a.m. (Singapore), 11:00 a.m. (Tokyo)

Join us to see some of the new features of the OPC DataHub, including native OPC Xi support, a new Quick Trend tool, a data Historian, and a new Web-based drag-and-drop editor for creating real-time HMI displays.

You can click here to register. For those not able to attend, a recording of the session will be made available to all registrants.