uses aren't the only vehicles that stand to benefit from telematics technology. A new telecom-equipped monitor could lead to safer train travel. VEHICULAR TELEMATICS Developed by a U.K. father and son team working at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne's Stephenson Center, Microlog is an advanced minia- ture data logger. The device, which is installed on a train's wheel axles, is able detect any abnormal stresses that could be caused by problems on the track-buckling due to excessive heat, for example. Information collected by the unit can also help engineers better understand wheel-to-rail interaction and establish more reliable codes for future axle designs. Microlog gathers the relevant data via sensors and uses satellite technology to detect the exact location of problem spots. It then uses GSM phone technol- ogy to send a warning message to a computer miles away. The remote software analyzes the data and alerts the train's operator to any problem that requires urgent troubleshooting. Microlog can also be remotely accessed and repro- grammed using a short-range radio link, the Internet or via the GSM network. The monitor packs 4MB of memory, a 16-bit microprocessor, and GPS and GSM technology into a case only one-third of the size of a matchbox. "Although data loggers have been used for more than two decades, they have always been relatively big and their use has therefore been limited," says lead researcher Jarek Rosinski, who developed Microlog with his 18-year-old son, Martin, a University of Newcastle student. "Microlog is unique because of its miniature size, which allows us greater flexibility and means we can fit it to smaller components such as train axles," says Rosinski. "We have been working over several years to perfect the design and we are confident it has huge potential in a variety of applications, rail safety being just one of them." Other Microlog applications include troubleshooting power plants, automo- tive and marine transportation monitoring, and research and development data gatherin