Guardian24 & DevelopIQ Partner to Launch First Integrated Lone Worker and Digital Pen solution for

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Guardian24, a leading provider of lone worker personal safety solutions, and DevelopIQ, the recognised leader in delivering data capture solutions on the BlackBerry® smartphone using Anoto digital pen technology, today announced the launch of their exclusive partnership which will see these two market leading applications create a dynamic and cost saving BlackBerry® smartphone  solution.  Under this partnership, DevelopIQ will integrate its award-winning digital pen solution, branded “PaperIQ”, with the Guardian24 Lone Worker Support application for the BlackBerry® smartphone.

For the first time, any mobile worker will be able to trigger a lone worker alert by ticking the Guardian24 ‘alert box’ printed on a paper form with their PaperIQ digital pen, rather than reaching for their mobile device - which could arouse suspicion when in a vulnerable situation.  The Anoto digital pen technology allows a user to write information on a paper form and have it subsequently recognised and converted into electronic data.

Should the lone worker’s safety be compromised they can easily summon emergency help by the discreet use of the digital pen, without alerting the source of the threat. Once triggered by the digital pen, the Guardian24 application on the BlackBerry® smartphone opens a communications channel with security services or nominated respondents, relaying live audio and providing up-to-date details about the user and their GPS location so that appropriate assistance can be sent. This information is invaluable if emergency services need to be notified.

The Guardian24 and PaperIQ solution has been developed in close partnership with the ICT team at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, where it was deployed to their midwifery team.  Richard Sargent, Digital Pen Project Lead at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said “This discrete solution has been extremely well received by our community midwives who often have their BlackBerry® smartphones in their bag and not readily to hand. The fact that they can now trigger a lone worker alert with two strokes of their digital pen gives them much greater comfort for their community visits”.

Geoff Hayter, Strategic Channel Partner Director for Guardian24 said “This is a very significant partnership that will enable organisations to use leading technology, providing not only reassurance about the safety of employees but which can also lead to significant savings, rather than cost. The application Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust has already deployed has demonstrated efficiency savings of £220,000 over a 9-month period.”

He continues: “The addition of the Guardian24 Lone worker application enhances the present DevelopIQ application and provides a British Standard 8484 compliant covert solution that is easy to use, all from one device.”      

Speaking on completion of the partnership agreement with Guardian24, Robert Bakewell, Commercial Director for DevelopIQ, said “This integration of two separate BlackBerry® smartphone applications is a great demonstration of the synergies that are possible when BlackBerry® partners work closely together. It is a significant step in our aim to offer the healthcare sector compelling mobile applications which enable productivity and security”.

The Guardian24 & PaperIQ solution will be available at the end of July on the BlackBerry® smartphone.  Both DevelopIQ and Guardian24 plan to offer support for other mobile platforms in the near future.

Guardian24 is a UK-based, BlackBerry® Select Alliance Partner which has specialised in delivering complete solutions and services to the ‘lone worker’ market since 2005.  Recognised as the UK and Ireland’s leading supplier of Lone Worker Personal Security solutions, Guardian24 has a track record of providing new capabilities widely adopted by others.  Since its introduction Guardian24 has grown a very large client base which is today rapidly approaching 30,000 users.  
Guardian24 is headquarted in Belfast, UK and is privately funded.

DevelopIQ is one of only two Anoto Platinum Partners in the UK, a BlackBerry® Elite Partner and the recognised leader in delivering data capture solutions that use Anoto digital pen technology on the BlackBerry® smartphone. Its “PaperIQ” product is a proven enterprise-class platform for digital pen and paper and has been selected for the largest digital pen contracts to date in Europe. The business has particular sales focus in the health sector and it is the leading provider of digital pen technology to the UK’s National Health Service.

The company was awarded Anoto’s Golden Pen award in 2006 & 2009 and is the only UK-based partner to have won this prestigious award twice.
DevelopIQ is headquartered in Winchester, UK and is privately funded.
For more information on the company’s digital pen solutions please visit www.PaperIQ.com

Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust recently won the BlackBerry® Global Wireless Leadership Award for the PaperIQ digital pen solution deployed to their midwifery team. For the case study: www.PaperIQ.com/freeingtimetocare