Leading infrastructure and support services provider Amey is pioneering the use of new ‘wearable’ mobile computers to help improve street lighting services.  The ground-breaking technology is part of a MAYRISE street lighting system being used by Amey to manage lighting stock under a £85 million PFI contract for Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council.

The wearable tablet-style PC’s, made by US technology firm Xybernaut, provide an ideal field computing platform for running MAYRISE.  Amey’s engineers are using the device to verify and update street lighting numbering, asset attributes and location, with an in-vehicle printer allowing column number stickers to be produced onsite.

The mobile PC also runs MapNow®, the MAYRISE mapping system.  This allows Amey’s engineers to update unit locations aided by on-screen street maps that are displayed together with lighting unit locations.  Following field survey work, the mobile PC synchronises with a central MAYRISE system, instantly updating records from the field survey.

Amey see the technology as a significant advance in street lighting management by providing a fast, efficient and fully electronic mechanism for keeping asset records accurate and fully up to date.  After winning the Walsall PFI in 2002, Amey replaced a staggering 18,211 lighting columns within 2 years; well ahead of the 5 year contract obligation.  The company has also won street lighting PFI contracts in Manchester and Wakefield, with Mayrise Systems providing the management software.

“With MAYRISE combined with Xybernaut’s wearable computer technology we can easily capture data and accurately map assets in the field.  Then with seamless updating of the central system, we gain a real edge in customer service, with accurate, up to date records always to hand” says Jonathan Bailey, Amey’s Network Manager.

Amey is a leading provider of integrated business and infrastructure services to the public and private sector and is working closely with central and local government to develop major projects, including PFI and PPP projects, in the education, health, transport and defence sectors. Services range from the management of large scale transportation infrastructure to the delivery of professional and back office services, all of which are underpinned by leading-edge technology and a genuine partnering philosophy.  Since 2003, Amey has been part of Grupo Ferrovial, one of the largest services and construction groups in Europe.

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