ITAC Systems Introduces NEMA 4 / IP66 Precision Computer Input Devices for Extreme Environments

GARLAND, Texas, Feb. 16, 2005 -- ITAC Systems, Inc., today announced new HAND-TRAK(TM) input devices, which are compatible with PS/2 and Sun mouse interfaces and meet NEMA 4 and IP66 industrial standards. These devices are designed for accurate computer cursor control in harsh industrial or military environments that demand precision and reliability.

At the heart of the new HAND-TRAK devices is ITAC's Gestural Input Engine(TM) technology. It allows the HAND-TRAK to be a completely sealed product with no moving parts. Since it is a sealed device, the HAND-TRAK is not affected by external factors such as dust or debris, while the lack of moving parts means that there is nothing to wear-out or break.

The new HAND-TRAK devices are significantly more rugged than industrial- strength trackballs and offer better precision and control than sealed touchpads, encoder disks, or joysticks. The user simply moves a hand or finger over the surface of the HAND-TRAK to communicate the desired direction, speed, and distance of cursor movement.

Don Bynum, president of ITAC Systems, states, "These devices are suited for extremely dirty environments, such as a mine or a paper mill, as well as in-the-field military applications, where off-the-shelf input devices are prone to fail at critical moments. Unlike the competing sealed input devices we have analyzed, no compromises are made on the precision of control offered by HAND-TRAK."

In addition to being sealed against the dirt, dust, and most liquids typically found in many manufacturing environments, the new HAND-TRAK will successfully operate in situations where vibration or high G-forces may cause a cursor to wander off its placement. When a cursor is placed using the HAND- TRAK, it stays where placed despite external vibration or movement of the device itself.

The panel mount HAND-TRAK interfaces with the host computer like a commodity three-button mouse. A fourth button, opposite the middle button, provides a drag feature. And, like all of ITAC's products, these new devices offer easy installation -- simply plug them in. No special software drivers are required since they work with the drivers that come with standard operating systems.

Priced at $225 (end-user, quantity-one pricing), HAND-TRAKs are well below the cost of other (NEMA 4 / IP66) ruggedized input devices on the market, while offering more responsive and precise control. OEM pricing is available upon request.

The HAND-TRAK interoperates with the ITAC Systems MOUSE-TRAK(R) trackballs, but with a much smaller footprint.

Members of the media are invited to evaluate HAND-TRAK products by contacting Jim McKinney at 972-494-3073 or via e-mail at jim@itacsystems.com . Downloadable .tif images of these products are available at http://www.itacsystems.com/HTPMshots .

ITAC Systems, Inc. (http://www.itacsystems.com/ ), designs, manufactures, and markets high-reliability computer input devices for use in harsh environments with critical applications.