“VictorSystems has unveiled a hardened Mac mini computer [Apple Mac Mini 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo] designed to withstand hostile environments in the military and aerospace industries. The new mini features ‘ruggedized’ peripherals that enable users to access Mac OS X applications in locations that were not previously possible,” MacNN reports.
Full article here.
VictorSystems webpage states:
All the products pictured on this page, other than the Rugged Mouse, are packaged in enclosures manufactured from aircraft grade aluminum alloys.
The Mini Computer is supported by an aluminum space frame made from extruded rails and finned heat sinks. Covers are made from wrought plates. These parts are fastened and bonded using electrically conductive epoxy. For the purpose of creating a demonstrator, the space frame was simply designed and installed over the Mini enclosure. Uniquely designed systems can be sized-down to reduce package size to meet specific application requirments.
The speaker encloseures are made from aluminum castings. The power adapter is set into a deep-drawn enclosure with a tight fitting lid that is potted sealed with thermally conductive epoxy.
More info: http://www.victorsystems.biz/id2.html
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Another Irish Dude” for the heads up.]
Rommel: It doesn’t say. I would doubt it. Here are the specs:
http://www.victorsystems.biz/id7.html
Actually, those drones in Baghdad that we charge out at $1500/day only get to keep 10% of it, but like I tells ’em, its way better than what those army schleps get. It’s called power, folks! When you’re raping a sovereign country and Uncle Sam at the same time, can’t get hung up on idiot notions of fairness. Free market, woo-hoo!
So long as we keep things like this out of the mainstream press:
http://www.yuricareport.com/Corruption/HaliburtonsSecretBillingsExposed.html
we’ll be alright
This is just a concept right? Like all those concept cars and stuff.
Like the description says, once the spin has been taken out, “this is a few bits of metal offcuts glued together, if you really want to buy some we can make it a bit tidier.”
…. aluminum space frame made from extruded rails and finned heat sinks. Covers are made from wrought plates. These parts are fastened and bonded using electrically conductive epoxy. For the purpose of creating a demonstrator, the space frame was simply designed and installed over the Mini enclosure. Uniquely designed systems can be sized-down to reduce package size to meet specific application requirments (sic).
The guy who designed this must have been druggedized.
Had to comment: MDNMW = military
<sarcasm>
And people want to end the war? Don’t people realize that war drives innovation? It decreases the technology parity between nations, elevating the American dream. Keep it coming. For all of you appeasers, now you should see that war is America’s nursing Mother.
</sarcasm>
Put one in a drone and call it the “iMacDonald Douglas”.
Hey TT!
Maybe you could drop one of these from the top of a tower so we can see how it fares. I bet it’s eyeballs pop out for sure.
Newmanstein,
You should take a look at the FAA certified “black boxes” used in commercial aircraft. They cost about $10,000 to $15,000 apiece, but are built to take a serious beating.
Crash impact – Withstand 3,400 Gs impact after being shot out of an air cannon.
Pin drop – Resist penetration of a 1/4″ diameter pin protruding from the bottom of a 500 lb (1/4 ton) weight dropped from a height of 10 ft.
Static crush – 5,000 psi of crush force for five minutes in each of six major axis points.
Fire test – Cooked for one hour at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Deep-sea submersion – Immersion in pressurized sea water for 24 hours.
Salt-water submersion – Must survive in a salt water tank for 30 days.
Fluid immersion – Immersion in various aviation fluids, including jet fuel, lubricants and fire-extinguisher chemicals.
You are right about the limitations that humans have in surviving a crash, but throw enough effort (and cash) into it and you can get machines to survive quite a lot of punishment.
and then I see this…
http://news.com.com/2100-1008_3-6182320.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-5&subj=news
@BustingTheSkullsOfIdiots
FYI, I wasn’t hatin’ on Halliburton, I work for a defense contractor. I just know how convoluted the purchasing process can be for outfits like that. 20 man hours to get a lightbulb purchase approved, then the sourcing, bidding, and ordering begins. Hence, they will make it expensive.
Thorin
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I don’t think I could bring myself to throw a Mac off a tower.
First off, I would have to haul it up there…….
My mac mini ROCKS! I love that thing. It is about 2x faster than the DualG5 2Ghz/2GB machine I work on at the office.
The only thing wrong with the mac mini is that those PC geeks with tiny personal equipment won’t be able to stand for driving such a small computer!
Big tower=Small Peeny
Looks a bit like the original Mac Portable. Also, my TiPB is made of aircraft grade aluminum alloys. It’s the paint that is a a problem.
My paint is drying ever so nicely!!
you could take your most pecious loved ones and put them in a super Hummer with armor plating, etc, etc, etc, and when it hits a tree at 60mph, everyone is still going to die from the instantaneous forces of the impact. Dale Earnhart’s eyeballs popped out when he hit the wall, ok?
I beg to differ. I’ve hit a 8 inch tree at 60 mph plus, head on, in a Honda Accord and it litterally exploded and went completely over the hood in a flash. I was still able to keep going for several miles afterwards although eventually the leaking coolant overheated and eventually froze the engine. No damage to my person.
A suped up armour plated Hummer could certainly go through a much thicker tree and even some concrete walls with the occupants surviving quite nicely.
It all depends on the mass of the vehicle, the speed and the resistance of the object being hit.
Certainly a more heavily massive object can go through more objects on the normal roads than a lightly object.
After the ‘ruggedized’ Mac mini has been field tested by the military, it’ll be ready for more rigorous testing in America’s public school system. ;•)
Oooo, will this come with iDeath ’08???
The posts above commenting on H-burton, etc reminded me of a joke from a contractor back in the day…
Do you know what an elephant is?
A mouse built to government specs.
I’m a little late in getting here, but it’s McDonnell Douglas.