Bryan Anderson Mr. Anderson resides in the Chicago area nearby his parents, identical twin brother, and teenage sister. In addition to academic excellence, he excelled in sports during his high school years and competed as an accomplished gymnast in state level competitions. Following graduation, he worked for American Airlines as a Ground Crew Chief at O’Hare airport.

He enlisted in the Army in April 2001 and had a ‘ship out’ date of September 11, 2001. He served two tours of duty in Iraq and was stationed in the Baghdad area. He attained the rank of Sergeant in the Military Police (MP), conducted police training courses in Iraq and gained additional law enforcement experience at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary as a prison guard.

In October 2005, Mr. Anderson was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that resulted in the loss of both legs and his left hand. As a result of his injuries, he was awarded a Purple Heart. Bryan received rehabilitation for a period of 13 months at Walter Reed Army Hospital. He is one of the few triple amputees to have survived his injuries in Iraq.

Mr. Anderson’s story has received extensive media coverage including two feature articles in Esquire Magazine (one a cover shot in January 2007), as well as numerous articles in major newspapers and publications, from his hometown Chicago Sun Times to the LA Times and NY Times.

He has appeared in the HBO Documentary, Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq, and in a CSI:NY episode titled, DOA for a DAY. He appeared in the Golden Globe Award winning film, The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei, which was released in December 2008. He was interviewed by MTV News, ‘Choose or Lose Street Team and has appeared on the daytime drama, ‘All My Children.’ Most recently, he was the subject of the Captain America comic, ‘Theater of War – to soldier on’ released in August 2009.

Mr. Anderson travels the country making numerous personal appearances while delivering his message of perseverance and determination in major rehab facilities. In addition, he is a spokesman for USA Cares, a non-profit organization based in Radcliff, KY that is focused on assisting post 911 veterans in times of need. Mr. Anderson is an energetic and enthusiastic individual who enjoys challenging his limits. He snowboards, wake boards, white water rafts and rock climbs. He loves to travel and enjoys meeting new people.

For additional background information: www.andersonactive.com

Curtis Advances EV Battery State-of-Charge Monitoring

Feb. 2, 2010, Mount Kisco, NY — Curtis Instruments, a 50 year old world leading provider of electric vehicle instrumentation and controls, announces an unprecedented new advancement in EV battery state-of-charge monitoring. Curtis introduces a significant new Charge Tracking Reset (CTR) feature, which overcomes one of the biggest obstacles in EV battery monitoring: the ability to receive accurate readings of battery state-of-charge during Opportunity Charging, such as short charges during breaks.

CTR is now available in Curtis “Battery Fuel Gauge” state-of-charge monitors, and provides the most accurate method of measuring battery state-of-charge during long or short charging periods (Opportunity/Fast Charging) of the battery. Curtis models 906, 803, and enGage® now offer this embedded feature without additional cost to the customer.

CTR tracks incremental gains in battery state-of-charge. Once removed from the charger, the display will remain at the new level. With the battery connected to vehicle while charging, the state-of-charge is accurately monitored and displayed throughout out all periods of battery charging and discharging. This leads to increased battery life, greater efficiency and lower operating costs for Curtis customers. The CTR is specified per model encodement at the factory.

 

Curtis Introduces New Integrated AC Traction & Hydraulic System Controller

Dec. 12, 2008, Mount Kisco, NY — Curtis Instruments introduces the Curtis Model 1298 Integrated AC traction & hydraulic system controller. This advanced new controller combines advanced AC traction motor control together with variable speed DC hydraulic pump and proportional valve control into a compact, cost effective integrated package. The Curtis Model 1298 is designed primarily for Class III material handling vehicles requiring AC traction control, with variable speed or soft start and soft stop control of the hydraulic lift and lower functions. The model 1298 utilizes the popular CANopen CANbus communication protocol to allow easy systems integration, and communication with other CANopen devices. It comes with fully-featured generic software for Walkie and Walkie-Stacker applications.. Other OEM specific requirements can be easily supported and programmed with Curtis’ unique VCL- vehicle control language. VCL can be used by OEMs themselves, or Curtis can provide assistance as required with VCL programming and CANbus configuration to implement the required functionality. The Curtis field-oriented vector AC control algorithm provides peak torque and optimal efficiency across the entire operating range. The Model 1298 also features full regenerative braking and precise zero speed control. It is field programmable and easily tuned with in-vehicle motor characterization which allows easy tuning of the controller to any AC motor. Half-bridge pump output allows superior regulation of pump motor speed and current demand. Curtis controllers are designed for maximum flexibility and Model 1298 is no exception. Special features and I/O for electromagnetic brake, DC Pump motor, and hydraulic valve control allow for economical control of the entire vehicle system. It also includes software selectable options for variable speed lift and lower or single-speed lift and lower. Additionally, the 1298 controller is designed for safe operation in rugged environments and it meets or complies with all relevant US and international regulations. Its Insulated Metal Substrate (IMS) power base provides superior heat transfer for increased performance and reliability, while the controller’s sealed housing and connectors meet the IP65 environmental rating. Full power operation is over -40º C to 85º C heatsink temperature range.

 

Curtis Introduces High-Power Hydraulic Pump Controller

Dec. 12, 2008, Mount Kisco, NY — Curtis Instruments introduces the Curtis Model 1253, a high-power hydraulic pump controller which provides both digital input and analog throttle based control of DC series wound motors. It features microprocessor based logic with programmable parameters and offers maximum flexibility for minimum cost. The Curtis 1253 Series Motor Speed Controller is designed as a highly affordable solution for solid-state control of DC motor driven hydraulic pumps on Class I and Class II material handling vehicles. This new controller features advanced functionality, offering programmable acceleration rates and delivering smooth application and release of pump motor torque. At 15.6 kHz PWM frequency it operates at near silent operation. The controller is easily programmable and includes four Speed Select inputs with individually programmable fixed speeds. A programmable analog throttle input assures proportional speed control with a variety of signal sources. An off-delay timer is provided for power steering. An adjustable minimum speed setting maintains steering system pressure and pump lubrication. Lift lockout input disables the controller at low battery state of charge. This controller seamlessly integrates with Curtis model 803, 906, 841, and enGage® IV displays for lift lockout functions, and features a separate interlock input to disable the controller when the operator is not present. Like all Curtis controllers, it is designed for robust safety and reliability. Its rugged housing meets IP54 environmental ratings. Full power operation is over -40 ªC to 80 ºC heatsink temperature range.

 

Curtis Instruments Introduces New Series of Foot Pedals

Mt. Kisco, NY. Dec. 2008. Curtis Instruments, a world leading developer of advanced instrumentation and control systems for electric vehicles of all types, introduces a new series of foot pedals designed and manufactured to the exacting requirements of TS16949 to achieve unprecedented reliability. Curtis Model FP foot pedals are ideal for use with electronic vehicle controllers in material handling, construction, airport, golf, sweeper/scrubber, utility, Light-On-Road and general industrial vehicles. The modular design of these pedals combines standard sensors (resistive or Hall Effect) with flexible mechanical designs to provide solutions for every application. They can be used in a wide temperature range and IP66 environmental protection allows reliable use of electronic control in harsh industrial vehicle applications. Metal and rugged thermoplastic composite versions are available to meet the specific cost and performance requirements of every application. Multiple pedal angles and mounting configurations (floor, suspended, flush) allow use in wide range of vehicle cab styles and sizes. The 0 - 5 Volt operation allows easy integration with existing Curtis and other vehicle controllers. Integrated Packard connector eases installation, eliminates historical wiring problems and lowers production costs. A Packard-to-Deutsch adaptor is also available. These pedals meet SAE J1113 Category 4 compliance for EMI allows safe and reliable use in applications with severe electrical noise and comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 124 (return-to-idle) and 302 (flammability).

 

Curtis Instruments Introduces New Expansion Module for Hydraulic Controls

Mount Kisco, NY, Dec. 2008: Curtis Instruments, a world leader in advanced instrumentation and control systems for vehicles of all types, introduces the Model 1352 eXM Hydraulic I/O Expansion Module. This new module provides a flexible, affordable means for integrating additional hydraulic I/O to any CANopen control system. The module is designed for use on equipment such as materials handling vehicles, aerial lifts,ground support equipment, sweeper scrubbers and construction vehicles. It is especially beneficial to engineers looking to add proportional control of hydraulic functions to new or existing system architectures. Proportional control of hydraulic functions considerably enhances the safety, productivity and efficiency of the application vehicle. This innovative new product offers nine multipurpose I/O pins, in a rugged IP65 sealed enclosure.It allows fully configurable control of up to six proportional hydraulic valves, and provides three high-resolution analog inputs. All I/O pins can also be used as basic digital I/O, providing highly flexible functionality. Model 1352 utilizes a CANbus interface to allow connection to any centralized or distributed vehicle control system that uses the popular CANopen protocol, such as Curtis AC motor controllers and Curtis Vehicle System controllers. All output drivers feature short circuit protection with independent hardware and software watchdog circuits for safe, reliable operation. Flashing LED’s provide fast and easy fault identification.