Sandpiper Expands 2006 Grants to Include New Equipment

August 9, 2005 -- Sandpiper Technologies has expanded its grant/rental fleet to include new wireless, digital and fuel cell technology.

The new Sandpiper tools for wildlife research include:
* Sentinel Fuel Cell Remote Power System provides greater access to remote locations.
* Sentinel ELF 24 Digital Video Recorder replaces old analog recorders
* Wireless TreeTop Peeper Telescoping Video Inspection System replaces cabled units
* Peeper Burrow Video Probe includes longer video probe extensions

STI replaced all of the analog video recorders in the rental/grant fleet with new, lightweight ELF DVRs. Previous Sentinel Systems weighed 30 pounds and required a 70-pound battery. The new Sentinel ELF weighs 28 pounds, and includes the battery needed to run the system. Two DVR units are included in the grant, one for field use and the other for lab viewing. The image files download directly into a PC or Macintosh computer, eliminating the need for storage cassettes or tapes. The ELF color/IR camera captures color images during daylight conditions and monochrome at night.

Sandpiper introduced the Sentinel Fuel Cell Remote Power System earlier this year and has added several units to its grant fleet. The 50 watt methanol fuel cell makes research in remote areas more accessible by replacing heavy lead acid batteries with a system that can be placed in a backpack. The new fuel cell reduces the environmental impact of battery disposal. When incorporated with the Sentinel ELF 24 Digital Video Recorder the fuel cell can operate for more than two weeks without requiring additional fuel. The system can also be used to charge 12 volt equipment such as laptops and cell phones.

Sandpiper has upgraded all of its cabled TreeTops to the new wireless configuration. This tangle-free telescoping nest inpection system transmits color images from the camera at the top of the 50-foot pole to the LCD monitor located at the pole’s base.

The Peeper Video Burrow Probes now has a greater variety of gooseneck video extensions, including a 7 meter probe for exploring gopher tortoises borrows.

Sandpiper Technologies, Inc. (STI) loans its rental fleet of video research equipment to approximately 15 biology students each field season. The company has offered single-season grants since 1988 to further the educational goals of students studying wildlife biology and ecology.

The application deadline for the STI Equipment Grant Program 2006 field season is December 1, 2005.

Application requirements, equipment list and grant criteria are posted on the web site at: www.sandpipertech.com.