The CheckPoint system developed by TempSys, Inc. now puts the FDA and USDA on the cutting edge of technology utilizing the latest in wireless technology to meet their needs.

A wireless temperature monitoring system to monitor and record the temperature of laboratory equipment has been adopted by the FDA Laboratories on the West Coast (Irvine, CA, Alameda, CA and Bothell WA). The West Coast USDA Laborartory has also installed a wireless temperature system. An automated system to monitor and document the laboratory equipment temperature was a requirement for the FDA and USDA Laboratories to qualify for ISO 17025 accreditation.

The FDA chose wireless over a hard-wired system due to the high cost and complexity of hard-wiring close to a hundred laboratory equipment consisting mostly of refrigerators, incubators and freezers. Moreover, a hard-wired system lacked the flexibility to monitor portable equipment that were frequently moved, or water baths, which were also moved to different locations. If any equipment should be added, replaced or moved at any time in the future, the re-wiring would have been costly, time consuming and disruptive.

The system needed to be simple, able to meet the future expansion of the laboratory, and have the ease and flexibility to adapt to their constantly changing needs. Wireless technology was the perfect solution. Small wireless temperature sensors easily sticks by tape or magnetic inside any walk-in or reach-in refrigerator, freezer, or incubator, and even with the door tightly shut, the temperature data regularly transmits every fifteen minutes to a computer. Since the sensor is completely wireless, portable equipment can be moved anywhere, anytime, and the temperature data continues to be recorded. Various types of sensors are available for ultra low (-80 deg C) freezers, heating blocks, and even for rotating N-Vap water baths. An unlimited number of sensors can be installed, and sensors can be added to new equipment simply by putting a sensor inside.

The IT department of the FDA initially had a concern about the security aspect and interference with other wireless systems, but determined that no such issues existed. 900 MHz frequency hopping technology is the most suitable for a wireless temperature system due to the further distances that the signals can travel, as compared to 2.4 GHz frequency. There are also less devices using 900MHz as compared to 2.4 GHz, ensuring a more reliable system performance and non-interference with other wireless devices.

The software program presents the temperature data as a chart and other formats most useful for laboratory management, and historical equipment performance and trending analysis can be done easily.

In the past, the FDA has incurred costly and irreplaceable product losses, so that an important need for the FDA was the immediate and 24/7 alert capability in case of temperature deviations, whether the cause may be from an equipment failure on a weekend or simply from someone forgetting to close the door. Time and temperature alert parameters can be set up by individual equipment and as soon a temperature deviation is detected, the system sends an email, pops up an alert on any computer screen, or triggers a red lamp to start flashing anywhere in the lab. The email can be text messaged to a cell phone or pager.

The USDA Laboratory has also installed a wireless temperature monitoring system. Approximately 100 equipment are now wirelessly monitored, and the lab technicians can monitor the temperature of every equipment in their department from their desk computer.

The CheckPoint system developed by TempSys, Inc., (www.tempsys.net) now puts the FDA and USDA on the cutting edge of technology utilizing the latest in wireless technology to meet their needs.