Environmental Services Ltd – Data Collection in Artic
Originally published in our application archives · Updated August 2026
Summary: Environmental Services Ltd., an Alaskan environmental engineering firm working in Arctic and Sub-Arctic regions for clients including Arco, Exxon, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, uses WinWedge with an RS232 barcode wand to append bar-coded sample container data directly to a database on a portable field computer — replacing all-manual data collection in some of the world’s harshest field conditions.
The Challenge
Environmental characterization studies generate large numbers of physical samples — soils, water, waste materials — plus associated field items like film, sketches, and forms, each needing accurate identification and tracking from remote sites in Alaska, Canada, and Russia. Before automating, the firm recorded everything by hand: pre-labeled sample containers, collection details (depth, location, material type, expected analysis), all transcribed manually, with every transcription a chance for error that could compromise an entire baseline study.
The Solution
The firm equipped field crews with portable pen-based computers running a database front end. An RS232 barcode wand reads each pre-labeled sample container, and WinWedge delivers the scanned ID via DDE directly into the active database record — the technician fills in collection details on screen, scans the container, and the barcode data appends itself to the record. WinWedge’s selectable configuration files proved especially useful, letting crews save and switch between setups for different serial devices and barcode wands.
At the time, WinWedge was the only product that could provide the DDE link between the RS232 wand and their database application — and it performed, in the field, from Alaska to Arkhangelsk.
The Results
- Real-time field data collection in remote Arctic locations
- Eliminated manual transcription of sample identifiers
- Saved configurations for different instruments and scanners, switchable in seconds
- Proven reliable in genuinely harsh field conditions
How You’d Set This Up Today
The pen computers of that era have become today’s rugged Windows tablets — and the architecture transfers directly: current WinWedge on a Windows 10/11 tablet, a USB or Bluetooth-serial (RS232) barcode scanner* and data delivered into Excel, Access, or a web-based sample tracking forms. Field teams in environmental, geotechnical, and agricultural work use exactly this setup now, often adding a GPS receiver as a second WinWedge input so location attaches to every sample automatically.
*New RS232 to USB converter cables, such as FTDI or Prolific, create virtual COM ports that WinWedge communicates with.
In Their Words
“I would very strongly recommend WinWedge for similar types of applications. Your product is helping us perform a very difficult job in environmental baseline data collection in Arkhangelsk, Russia. I also appreciate the very helpful technical support I received from TALtech.” — Mark Perry, Environmental Services Ltd.
Collecting Data from Your Own Instruments?
Collecting samples or readings in the field? Download a free WinWedge trial or call (800) 722-6004 — we’ll help you configure it for your barcode scanner, GPS, meters, gages, sensors, etc. directly into your favorite database before you ever leave the office.