Huntsville, Alabama April, 2009 -

Creating prototypes and services for a local start-up business and providing a hands-on education creates quality jobs for recent graduates.  This success story is the result of a cooperative partnership between Q-Track and J.F. Drake State Technical College. 

The founders of Q-Track patented the “near-field electromagnetic ranging” system which they call NFER® technology.  This technology creates a tracking system which can operate in the harshest of indoor environments by utilizing low frequency electromagnetic waves that diffract around or penetrate through large obstacles that would block traditional GPS-type frequencies.   By exploiting near-field properties of electric and magnetic waves, this breakthrough technology provides a unique combination of long range, high accuracy tracking at a low cost. The object or subject which has been equipped with a sensor or “tag” is monitored remotely by antennas throughout the covered area.  The “tag” can be tracked with accuracy up to one foot in such challenging environments as mine shafts and large urban buildings.

Thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation and an open house sponsored by the Drake State Amateur Radio club, students studying for their Associate’s Degree in Industrial Electronics from Drake State Technical College are gaining hands-on experience and providing valuable services to the local start up company.

Since nearly all of Q-Track’s employees are themselves licensed amateur radio operators, the partnership was easily initiated when Tim Williams, Q-Track’s IT manager, visited Drake State to check out the new Ham Club. There he met Karl Henry, the faculty trustee for the club, Chairman of the Business and Engineering Technologies Division, and electronics instructor.  The two men began discussing the possibility of Henry’s students assisting in the development and prototyping of the antenna systems used to detect the “tags” on the subjects being tracked.  While the technology sounds more like something from the space program, the applications are very down to earth. The measurement of electric and magnetic waves being processed in this application allows the military or firefighters to remotely track their counterparts in areas where traditional GPS would fail.  The process can also be applied to locating pallets of merchandise in large warehouse facilities much more effectively.

In the past, Q-Track utilized engineering students from area four-year colleges.  However, the company has found that Drake students can be utilized to prototype and test the circuitry and provide support without any real additional training. The students who work on the project are members of the Special Topics – Senior Design Class and are interviewed for selection by both Q-Track and Henry.  If selected, a student will receive course credit and payment for their services through a grant from the National Science Foundation.

“It enhances our already rigorous program with new challenges for the students,” adds Henry of Drake State. “My students are immediately put work in a small, dynamic and fast-paced engineering design company where the schematics and drawings can change instantly”.  While this type of technology is based upon the basic principals we teach in our Electronic Communications course, the refinements in application are amazing.  It really shows our students the broad spectrum of opportunities available to them once they graduate.”

DePierre, Q-Track’s Director of Engineering adds “Being a small company with limited resources, it is an exceptional opportunity for us to utilize these students to create prototypes and to provide service to our clients while we are out generating new business.  Our regular staff is so limited in size it’s helpful to have the students with high level technical abilities here to continue the development processes when we travel.”

While still in its infancy, the program has already helped Q-Track grow by one employee.  One of the program’s first interns will soon become a full-time permanent employee for Q-Track. “This type of partnership represents the commitment a technical college, like Drake State, has to our community” adds Helen McAlpine, President of Drake State.  “We are excited to work with Q-Track and to provide the type of cooperative training to our students that will ultimately allow both our graduates and the company to succeed.”

Marty Dubey, Public Relations Director

J.F. Drake State Technical College

3421 Meridian Street , North

Huntsville, AL  35811

256.551.3136 (voice)

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www.drakestate.edu