6. Menu Functions

The TrakStation is a menu-driven user interface.  The various available functions are described here.  The touchscreen interface may be navigated with fingers or stylus.  A stylus is included with the HP model tablet. A stylus is not included with any other model tablets.

stylus
Pictured: HP Stylus

  CAUTION: Screen burn can occur when the same image is displayed for a considerable amount of time on the TrakStation tablet.  There are several preventative measures that can prevent or minimizer screen burn-in.

HP tablet users should consider a software input change for a screen saver as a preventative measure.

ACER and Lenovo tablet users can use the volume buttons to dim and turn off the screen backlight.

Windows tablet users can set screen settings as desired.

Home Page

Access the home page by pressing the icon home icon.

Pictured: Home Page

On this page, the currently added pods are displayed with the most recently measured pH values. Pressing on the box around a Pod will bring you to a specific page for the pod.

Pod Page

Pictured: Pod Page

The Pod page shows a summary of the start time, remaining time and current pH.  A plot shows the pH history of readings that have been collected.

  • Start a new test by pressing the NEW TEST button (changes to END TEST when a test is running).
  • End the current test by pressing the END TEST button.  After seven (7) days of pH monitoring with the thirty (30) minute frequency, or three (3) days with one (1) minute frequency, the current test will automatically end and a new sensor can be started.
  • Do the QC test with the System Alignment tool by pressing RUN QC TEST.
  • Perform the initial Site Standardization readings for the pH meter with the SITE STANDARDIZATION button.
  • The FIND FIBER button causes the Pod LED to flash several times, allowing you to locate the fiber optic associated with the chosen Pod.
  • Download data from the device for this Pod or for all connected Pods with DOWNLOAD DATA.  In this function, you may also email the data if the Tablet is configured for network connectivity.
  • Adjust time displayed on plot using the buttons below the X-AXIS.  Time and pH ranges can be adjusted by placing two fingers on the display screen and either spreading or joining together the two to adjust zoom level.  Additional controls include:
    • Multi-Touch Controls (For Tablet users):
      Zoom In/Out:  Two-Finger Pinch Zoom
      Pan:  Single-Finger Drag
      Restore Autoscale:  Double-Tap
    • Mouse Controls (For Remote Browser users):
      Zoom In:  Click+Drag
      Pan:  Shift+Click+Drag
      Restore Autoscale:  Double-Click
      *Zoom out is not possible past the auto-scaled pH range when using mouse controls.

Settings

Access the settings page by pressing the icon settings icon. The settings page allows you to adjust commonly changed settings on the TrakStation.

Pictured: Settings Screen

From this page a number of different functions can be implemented.

  • RUN QC TEST: Perform QC test with the QC Alignment tool. This should be done once per week.  It can also be reached from the individual Pod page.
  • OFFSET VALUES: View and adjust offset values assigned to each Pod through the Site standardization protocol.
  • ADD/REMOVE PODS: Setup and remove TrakPods from the TrakStation interface.
  • ARRANGE PODS: Change the order in which the connected TrakPods are displayed on the TrakStation interface.

Supervisor Screen

Access the Supervisor page by pressing the icon supervisor icon.  Less common settings and those that only a supervisor should have access to changing are available on the supervisor screen.  The default PIN for accessing the Supervisor page is 12345.  You can change this PIN using the on-screen menus options.

Pictured: Supervisor Screen

From this page a variety of settings can be adjusted including:

  • INSTRUMENT NAMES:  Change the names displayed for Pods.  This can make referring to various TrakPods easier when using identifiers for what incubator they are in.
  • SET pH ALARM LIMITS: Set pH limits for each TrakPod with your own upper and lower acceptable values.
  • NETWORK SETTINGS: Connect the TrakStation to the local internet and specify IP address settings and wireless network keys if applicable.
  • TRAKSTATION® SOFTWARE UPDATE: When a new version of TrakStation software is available, use the SOFTWARE UPDATE and either download the software from the web (if the Tablet is configured to do so) or select the appropriate file from a connected USB drive and update the system
  • TRAKPOD® FIRMWARE UPDATE: When a new version of TrakPod firmware is available, use the FIRMWARE UPDATE and download the firmware from the web, load onto a USB drive, and select the appropriate file from the connected USB drive and update the connected pods.
  • SET QC ALIGNMENT ID: Enter a new QC alignment tool or update the values for the QC alignment tool when it is replaced.  On an annual basis the QC alignment tool is replaced with a new one and the fluorescent values for the new standard are programmed into the TrakStation using this menu.
  • pH ALARM NOTIFICATIONS: Configure an email address to send notifications when pH values are outside their intended limits.
  • DATA FORMAT: Change the format of downloaded data.  The downloaded CSV file can be separated by commas or semicolons, and additional items of data from each pH reading can be downloaded and queried.
  • DRIFT CORRECTION: For some media types, a small increase or decrease in pH over time is noticed.  This is an artifact of the fluorescent reading system.  Use the DRIFT CORRECTION button to make updates to the correction factors used by the system.  This should only be done at the advice and guidance from Blood Cell Storage, Inc. support.   Please contact support@safesens.com for assistance.
  • TIME/DATE: Reset the time on the TrakStation.  If an internet connection is available, the time and date can be automatically updated by the TrakStation.  The tablet must be rebooted for time/date changes to be made effectively in the TrakStation software
  • CHANGE MEASUREMENT FREQUENCY: Switch between a thirty (30) minute test frequency (seven (7) day sensor lifetime) and a one (1) minute test frequency (three (3) day sensor lifetime).
  • ACTIVATE ADD-ONS: Enable and configure additional features of the TrakStation, such as outputting pH data to a third-party lab monitoring platform.
  • MESSAGE SUPPORT: Message and send all pH and system data to our support team from an internet-connected TrakStation. Please include required information for the support team such as location information, issue category, and a description of your issue.

Help

Access the Help menu by pressing the icon help icon.  Here there are answers to some of the common issues encountered when using the TrakStation and TrakPods.

Pictured: Help Screen

Click an applicable question to get information about that particular question.

Additionally press the Mail Icon () to message Support using our Support Team form. Please include required information for the support team such as location information, issue category, and a description of your issue.

 

Pictured: Message Support Screen

Remote Access

If your TrakStation is network connected it is possible to access all the controls of the TrakStation from a separate computer that is on the same network.  Use a web browser and navigate to http://###.###.###.###:8080/hydra/ where ###.###.###.### is the IP address of the TrakStation which is network connected.  This IP address can be found in the lower left corner of the TrakStation page (10.1.1.201 in the example).

 

Pictured: Remote Access IP Address

If you find issues connecting from a separate computer check with your IT department and ensure that it is on the same network and that your network router’s settings are not blocking communication on port 8080.

It is also possible to access data files that have been downloaded to USB drives from a remote computer.  In windows explorer type in the address bar \\###.###.###.###\ where ###.###.###.### is the IP address of the TrakStation which is network connected.  If there are issues connecting to shared folders, check with IT department to ensure that ports 137, 138, 139 and 445 are not blocked.

 

Pictured: Windows Explorer View of TrakStation IP

Then navigate to the Logs folder where copies of all files saved to USB drives are located. These files will even be created when the download to USB button is pressed but no USB drive is connected to the TrakStation.

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