What is FIELDS Rapid Assessment Tools Software?
Software developed by EPA Region 5 FIELDS Team that enables users to:
- Collect data in real-time from GPS and environmental monitoring devices using their digital data outputs
- Integrate device data with descriptive data in a Microsoft Access Database.
- Generate polygons, lines, and point sample designs
- View collected data with reference datasets (e.g. aerials, roads, and facilities)
- Perform simple interpolations and view statistics, histograms, and trend plots
- Export data as ESRI Shapefile, SCRIBE, and Comma Separated Value file (CSV).
Software Brochure
Learn general information and see screenshots from the software in a PDF document suitable for printing on 8.5" x 14" paper. Download Brochure PDF from the documents section of the site.
Overview
Rapid Assessment Tools, or R.A.T., is a standalone Windows application that combines global positioning information from a GPS device with single point or continuous field sample data. R.A.T. stores the sample data with its GPS location in a Microsoft Access Database and plots these results in a dynamic, two-dimensional display in real-time. In the software, data can be viewed with aerial photography, polygon boundaries, and sample designs to allow for immediate data availability, analysis, and use in the field. The collected data can also be exported using standard U.S. EPA data formats such as SCRIBE and ESRI Shapefile.
R.A.T. is developed internally by the FIELDS group in the Superfund Division of the U.S. EPA. The application does not require any licensing or other software to perform data collection. You can download R.A.T. for free from this Web site.
A typical hardware setup for using R.A.T. to collect data consists of a laptop computer with multiple serial port connections. Use a serial port adapter to connect a GPS unit and one or more environmental monitoring devices to the same laptop. The GPS device must be capable of transmitting NMEA output. For more information about the NMEA output format, please visit the NMEA Web site or go to the Related Links section.
Monitoring data from any device can be combined with GPS output in R.A.T. using manual data entry. However, some monitoring devices have been fully integrated into the R.A.T. system and their data can be input continuously without manual data entry. At this time, the following monitoring devices have digital output streams that can be automatically identified and read by R.A.T. software:
Please note that any device with RS-232 digital output could potentially communicate with R.A.T. for data collection. If there is a device not on this list that has a digital output stream that you would like to use with R.A.T., please contact ERT Software Support.
Once the GPS device and automated monitoring device data streams have been recognized by R.A.T., data can be collected and stored in data tables for all devices simultaneously. Data can be output from devices continuously, as with air monitoring devices, or as single point values, as with radiation detection and soil sampling. As stated above, users can create custom data tables and enter data manually for any device. This is especially useful with devices that are not currently supported by R.A.T. or do not have a digital output stream.
Sample Designs
R.A.T. offers four different ways to create a sample design. Users can specify point locations, generate random points within a polygon area, or create aligned or unaligned grids of point locations within a polygon area. Also, polygons and lines can be drawn on-the-fly with R.A.T. These may be used to define boundaries for a sample design or to highlight areas of interest within a study site.
Data Import and Export
R.A.T. can import and export several useful data types. Background images, such as TIFFs and JPGs with associated world files (.jgw or .tfw), can be imported into projects for better visualization of the study site, defining boundaries, or creating a sample design. AutoCAD files and ESRI Shapefiles can also be loaded into projects. A Microsoft Access Database is created for storing data from GPS and monitoring devices. In addition, maps can be quickly saved as JPGs and exported for printing or transmission. Users can export data collected with R.A.T. to the EPA emergency response standard SCRIBE database. SCRIBE is database software developed by the U.S. EPA's Environmental Response Team to assist in the process of managing environmental data. For more information or to download SCRIBE software, please visit the Environmental Response Team Software Web site or go to the Related Links section. The exported SCRIBE data can also be viewed using an Excel spreadsheet.
We recommend obtaining background images and other reference GIS data for projects from the USGS Seamless Data Web site, which allows users to query and download GIS data from across the United States. Please visit the USGS Seamless Data Distribution System Web site or go to the Related Links section for more information.
Data Analysis
During and after data collection, users can run analysis and statistics on the data for further investigation. Thresholds can be set for classifying and symbolizing data, and default thresholds are provided with the software for compatible monitoring devices. Summary statistics can be viewed for point and grid files. Raster contour grids can be created using natural neighbor interpolation algorithms. These mathematical estimations can help in the identification of contaminant plumes and data patterns. Trend analysis windows show changes in collected data values over time for different measurements and devices using a dynamic time to value data plot.
With the proper hardware, such as a cellular air-card, R.A.T. is capable of transferring data wirelessly to an email account or remote FTP site. This data can then be distributed for download by multiple users quickly and efficiently.
R.A.T. Minimum System Requirements
- Microsoft Windows XP (will not work with Vista)
- Pentium III 733 Mhz CPU or equivalent
- 512 MB RAM
- 90 MB available hard disk space
- One 9-pin RS-232 serial port
- PCMCIA slot and/or Universal Serial Bus port recommended
Obtaining the R.A.T. Software
Download from the ERT Software Support web site.
R.A.T. is available for free and does not require any licensing. In order to download the software, we only require that you fill out a short online form and provide your email address. The download will begin after the form has been submitted.
