PDAs provide low cost, portable and mobile
platforms for HMI implementations. Companies such as Symbol,
Intermec Technologies, Psion Teklogix and Unitech provide PDAs that
trade off some compactness for ruggedness while incorporating
additional functionality such as barcode scanning. There are even
explosion proof and intrinsically safe versions of PDAs available (Ecom
Instruments). Some manufacturers provide built-in RFID reader.
Several manufacturers provide built-in WiFi.
Some concerns regarding PDAs are theft of the
units and wireless security.