Airfreight company DHL recently started using a real-time wireless locator device that can be affixed to boxes of mission-critical cargo shipped by medical and pharmaceutical companies, among others, that require urgent delivery around the globe.
The DHL Smart Sentry locator is the first such device to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for use on five commercial airlines, said Matt Groppe, DHL's director of global same-day sales.
The device is about the size of two cigarette packs - 5 by 4 by 1 in. - and it's rechargeable. DHL's shipping customers can order the locators to affix to packages. Customers also will be able to recharge the devices through a USB port or a wall charger, Groppe said.
The device is not intended for one-time users, but for companies that have regularly ship for urgent materials, he said. For example, a bio-pharmaceutical company could use the device to monitor the location of an antidote sent in an emergency. Sensors in the device will also track changes in temperature, humidity, pressure, shock and vibration.
