CSA Releases PDA-Friendly Standards to Industry
February 19, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) released its new mobile device format (MDF) for standards at the recent Standards Publishing Advisory Board (SPAB) annual conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The custom-designed document reader allows content-heavy publications to be easily read on a mobile and handheld computing device, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), full-size smartphones and pocket PCs.
A 2007 survey sampling of 32,000 CSA customers showed that more than half of the respondents owned a PDA, smartphone or pocket PC and that 75% were interested in viewing CSA standards on mobile devices.
"Mobile devices are gaining popularity across a wide range of vertical markets in North America and are increasingly seen as a convenient way to access and share information," said Suzanne Kiraly, president of standards at CSA.
"As the first known standard development organization [SDO] to offer standards and related products in an interactive mobile device format [MDF], CSA is leading the way in promoting new, innovative technologies with advanced features and capabilities that deliver the best, most efficient products and services to our clients, members and end-users."
MDF was developed in cooperation with Alcaeus Innovations of Nova Scotia, which creates high-end mobile software and web application tools for companies throughout North America and Europe.
The Alcaeus Mobile Editions Software (AMES) is a custom-designed document reader that reads the converted CSA PDF publication files. It is specifically designed to function on the Microsoft Windows mobile operating system (OS) and will soon be available for Blackberry devices.
MDF standards are "Internet free" and once downloaded, the standards reside on the mobile device where they can be instantly accessed in the office, on a job site or in the field.
MDF standards also include:
- A dynamic search function allowing for input key terms, clauses or phrases for quick searching.
- An easy-to-read display with tables and diagrams automatically adjusted for landscape or portrait mode.
- Interactive features, such as dynamic equations in the standard, so that users can enter variables and calculate answers electronically.
- Easy and quick retrieval of searched items.
CSA will offer the new MDF standards in spring 2008, beginning with the C22.1 Canadian Electrical Code. Additional standards in the areas of oil and gas, occupational health and safety, health care and construction and engineering will follow as they are converted to the new format.
Source: Canadian Standards Association (CSA).