Jun 1, 2005 12:00 PM

Ruan Transportation Management Systems has purchased Bulldog Tech-nologies Inc's sensor network system for monitoring and securing perishable dairy products in its refrigerated containers.

Bulldog has developed a sensor network system that measures and monitors the temperature of Ruan's containers with refrigerated perishables and delivers the data real-time to a PC-based monitoring application. This wireless sensor network consists of 2.45-GHz ZigBee-based RF tags and readers. Tags are designed to collect temperature data and transmit it in real-time to a network of readers deployed throughout the yard to the monitoring application. The application monitors predetermined thresholds, and if the load temperature rises to a dangerous level, an alarm is issued via an e-mail or a SMS text message.

Bulldog partnered with Lafayette CO-based Tendril Networks to develop the application layer for Ruan's temperature and security monitoring sensor network system.

Based in Des Moines IA, Ruan owns or operates 2,000 power units and 3,500 trailers.