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Armory 20/20 Questions and Answers
  • What are the main components of a Weapons Visibility Network? How do they fit together?
    There are three main components: RuBee tags, RuBee appliances, and Systems Software. Tags are embedded in weapons, attached to assets, and carried by personnel. Those tags are read by RuBee network appliances such as Smart Racks, Smart Portals, pRaps (a pRap is a Portable RuBee Access Point) and gRaps (Issuance Station). The appliances are managed by a Oracle 11g Dot Tag Server, which also generates the system-level audit trails and organizes the real-world data into a virtualized database copy. Application software builds on-top using the information in the Dot Tag Server database.
  • What are the main features and functions of armory20/20 application software?
    Armory 20/20 provides automatic real-time, physical electronic inventory, automated check-in/ check-out, DoD 5015.2-compliant audit trails, enhanced maintenance, and weapons healthcare. Armory 20/20 manages essential records, and maintains highest level of security required for any privately owned or government armory. Key feature is full automation in any armory, especially one that requires check in/out with maximum security. It puts and end to unaccounted for weapons, with instant notification of any missing weapon. Armory 20/20 provides optimal maintenance and maintenance records of all owned weapons. With advance options, Armory 20/20 also provides state-of-the-art preventive healthcare, guaranteeing all weapons are action ready
  • How do you install the RuBee tags on our weapons?
    We provide retrofit tags for most pistols (e.g. Glock, Sig Sauer, Beretta), and we have tags that fit on any rifle or carbine (e.g. M4, M16, SCAR). We also have asset tags that can be attached to night-vision goggles or armored vests, or any item taken into evidence which can then be locked in a secure RuBee smart rack. Firearms manufactures will also supply RuBee tags in original new weapons.
  • What’s different about RuBee weapons tags?
    The biggest difference is that RuBee tags work with 100% reliability around and through metal, water, and people. This means they can be embedded in weapons with a high metal content, placed on a metal rack, and read with 100% reliability. It also means that RuBee appliances such as entry/ exit portals will read tagged weapons carried by people, regardless of how the weapon is held (or hidden). In fact, the RuBee GateGuard appliance reads tagged weapons inside moving vehicles, regardless of where they are placed inside the vehicle. This is very different from other wireless technologies such as RFID, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ZigBee, all of which have reliability problems around metal, water, and people.
  • Where are 20/20 armories in use, and can you provide me more information about your install base?
    RuBee 20/20 Armories are operational at the US Department of Energy (see Oak Ridge Armory Whitepaper) and several have been operational for over five years with no major technical problems. We have working demo armories at our corporate headquarters and Demo Center in New Hampshire, and in Canada. Most of our government installations are in high security, top secret facilities however we can provide user references.
  • What do you mean by Weapons Healthcare?
    The first level of RuBee Weapons Healthcare is obtained by shot counting. Armory 20/20 Weapons Healthcare means going beyond this basic measurement to also provide higher-level statistics such as MKS (a wear factor that incorporates barrel temperature and rate of fire), and waveform diagnostics. The waveform diagnostics analyze the mechanical functions of the weapon in real-time and identify problems, often before they are obvious to the operator.
  • Do the shot counting tags document when, where and how many times a weapon has been fired?
    No record is kept on the tag of date and time when rounds are, or how many shots at a given time have been fired. We count cumulative shots and do maintain summary statistics on the weapon, but only for maintenance purposes. We can document training and use on a range, by installing a special purpose range reader.
  • Can I detect and match room entry/exits with Personnel ID?
    Yes we have a standard system that will identify a person by a RuBee ID card and anything else they may have that has a RuBee tag (Weapon, laptop, cell phone).
  • Do we have to equip a full armory with new racks to use RuBee weapons tags?
    No, you can use a low cost personal RuBee Access Point (pRap) that uses an Apple iTouch to read, write, and track tags on weapons. From that foundation you can then add SmartRacks and Armory 20/20 system components over time as needed.
  • How long do the tags’ batteries last?
    Most tags are designed for a five to ten year battery life, others for up to 20 years (e.g. carbine shot counter tags). We have a field proven twenty year battery life. RuBee is an ultra-low power technology, enabling battery life that is orders of magnitude longer, at lower cost, and in a smaller package, than other active wireless tags.
  • Are the tags rugged enough to survive field use?
    RuBee weapons tags are MIL-STD-810G compliant, resistant to most solvents, and have survived 20,000 round live fire tests on .40 caliber pistols.
  • Can the enemy detect a RuBee Tag in the field?
    No, our own engineers are unable to access a RuBee Tag in the field if it has security options described below. RuBee without any special security options does not introduce Target, Tempest or Eavesdropping risks that are associated with high-frequency RF technologies such as RFID, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or ZigBee. That is because RuBee is magnetic the signal drops off 1/R3. It has a limited range and is virtually undetectable outside that range no matter how advanced the receiver.

    RuBee tags and systems operate in a controlled range that you define, from 5cm to 20m. Again, Beyond that range it is not possible to detect the signals. In contrast, RF signals drop off operates in an uncontrolled range, which presents security risks.

    For the most secure operations we provide the “Zero Field Detection (ZFD) option” – again not even our own engineers can break into or detect a tag on a weapon in the field, at any distance ZFD.

    Find more information on RuBee Security and ZFD at     Security Summary.