Content provided by Motorola Solutions Inc.
Today, radio is an indispensable tool for public safety organizations and agencies – providing the fastest and most reliable means to communicate. Custom-designed to meet the unique needs of public safety, radio is what first responders use to get the job done right, when getting it done right the first time is critical. It is their lifeline.
At Motorola Solutions, we worked alongside responders, dispatchers and technicians to redesign this lifeline. The result is APX NEXT – a radio that enables public safety personnel to stay focused and safe when it matters most.
PURPOSE-BUILT FOR THE JOB AT HAND
On any given day, minutes or even seconds can be the difference between life and death for a first responder. Having the right device, tailor-designed to the job at hand is critical. That’s why purpose-built devices are the cornerstone of mission critical communications for public safety.
With APX NEXT, we built upon a proven foundation of development and user experience testing to provide the purpose-built features and hallmarked ruggedness that public safety personnel rely on. Ultra-rugged construction can withstand the most challenging conditions. Advanced noise cancellation enables officers to hear and be heard in any environment regardless of background noise. High-capacity batteries operate for an extended shift – so personnel aren’t faced with a battery warning during a potentially dangerous situation. Because when lives are on the line and every second matters, the critical communication lifeline must work – without pause, distraction or doubt.
RETHINKING DEVICE INTERACTIONS
Every day, the public interacts with and manages data using touchscreens and voice controls. They employ smartphones to send messages and navigate touchscreen laptops to surf the internet. They turn to virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa to gather information and order products.
APX NEXT integrates these interfaces with the rugged radio device that officers rely on – providing effortless usability when everything is on the line. The touchscreen is hardened and ultra-rugged to endure the unique situations first responders may find themselves in while remaining sensitive enough for use with gloves. The screen display is easy to read whether outside in the blazing sun or in a dark room. Custom and thoughtful ergonomics have resulted in dedicated push-to-talk buttons that are intuitively located and easily accessible so personnel can rely on “muscle memory” to communicate. ViQi™ voice control are understood the first time – without getting confused or muddled – enabling officers to work with their eyes on the scene and not on the screen.
Every interaction is designed to be simple, fast and logical without compromising durability. So first responders can stay focused on what matters – their mission and safety.
SIMPLIFYING THE RADIO OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE
In public safety – every second counts and time is a critical asset. Yet today, public safety agencies are spending valuable time and resources on managing their radio network– whether it’s provisioning, maintenance or updating. For a standard-sized fleet of 1,000 radios, initial device programming can take an entire month. For fleet software and security updates, that timeframe skyrockets to nearly six months. This can create a bottleneck within the agency – delaying delivery of new radios and increasing the time devices needing updates spend in the radio shop.
With APX NEXT, the time and resources needed for radio management and maintenance is reduced from months to minutes. RadioCentral™, our cloud-based radio management system, streamlines routine tasks while providing flexible and efficient control for the entire radio fleet. With initial programming, technicians can remotely prepare radios before they arrive – accelerating procurement and deployment and allowing new devices to be sent directly to officers. SmartProgramming enables remote updating over broadband LTE to keep devices in the field – with zero touch and zero downtime. And all of this is supported by three different service tiers that can be right-sized to each agency’s needs.
BRINGING INTELLIGENCE INTO THE FIELD
In public safety, access to real-time data in the field is critical. Imagine dispatchers being able to share a picture of a missing child, first responders having access to a map of an incident, or officers being armed with a detailed background before evening stepping onto the scene – and all in the palm of the hand.
With mission-critical applications built exclusively for public safety, APX NEXT brings new intelligence into the field and directly into the hands of first responders. ViQi enables officers to use voice commands to access critical information including database searches and license plate checks. SmartConnect seamlessly moves between P25and broadband networks for continued coverage without interruption – ensuring that first responders are never in a “dead zone.” SmartLocate utilizes broadband LTE connectivity to route device location data for increased accuracy and efficiency.
The first-of-its-kind platform enables curated applications to augment data from across the public safety landscape – including radio, broadband, video, public and private data sources – and delivers it directly to first responders. And the application platform is built upon a foundation of extensibility – enabling agencies to seamlessly add new capabilities and functionalities and grow their system along with their unique needs.
REDEFINING PUBLIC SAFETY’S FIRST-INSTINCT, END-TO-END SOLUTION
APX NEXT brings together the known usability of the radios responders have come to rely on with the new features, intelligence, extensibility and interactivity that will play a key role in the next generation of public safety – providing officers with the carefully curated technology they need to stay focused and safe when it matters most. Because when time is of the essence and failure is not an option – maintaining your focus is critical. Learn more about APX NEXT.
