USDA Monitoring Mad Cow Disease with Mi-Co Technology

Research Triangle Park, NC. September 10, 2004. Mi-Co announced today that Mi-Forms software for mobile data capture is currently being implemented by the United States Department of Agriculture to assist in monitoring to assist in monitoring the potential spread of mad cow disease (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE),

Even before Dec. 23, 2003 when the USDA was alerted to the first case of mad cow disease in the United States, extensive precautions have been implemented to ensure that this disease does not affect our food supply. One of the USDA initiatives is to collect data on the livestock and send that data immediately to the agency's databases for analysis. Mi-Forms software has been a key component of this effort to allow the USDA to increase their efficiency and effectiveness of the data capture process.

The project has four key goals:

• Gather more information in a mobile setting that would aid in monitoring the disease
• Reduce the time required to get that data in useable form for analysis
• Ensure the highest quality of data
• Provide a data capture process that was efficient and would be embraced by the individuals that needed to conduct the work

Kevin Burden, IDC Program Manager-Mobile Devices stated, "These applications are the types that turn a general hardware device, in this case a Tablet PC, into a vertical or specific solution device. Digital ink applications on Tablet PCs can be an excellent fit for organizations needing to capture data while in a true mobile state. There are devices that are smaller, and more easily carried than tablets, but the devices with a smaller form factor can make ink input quite cumbersome.'

"Working with the USDA has been a rewarding experience because of the importance of this work to all of us,' said Carolee Nail, Vice President of Operations at Mi-Co. "The USDA was looking for ways to increase the quality of the data that was collected and after using the Mi-Forms system on 25 Tablet PCs and doing a thorough evaluation, they are ready to roll out 100 more.'

"I have been on site working with the USDA people and they are truly committed to making our food supply safe,' said Chris DiPierro, Mi-Co Senior Software Engineer. "Implementing a digital writing and mobile data capture solution that integrates with the National Animal Health Level Network has provided a solid technological foundation for the agency to easily add more forms and more applications in the future.

To learn the latest in the fight against Mad Cow Disease please see
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bse.html and http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bse.html

To learn the latest on mobile data capture with digital writing please see http://www.mi-corporation.com/

About Mi-Co

Mi-Co, the mobile data capture company, provides enterprise software to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the process of collection and using data. Mi-Co's end-to-end Mi-Forms Software System enables the capture, handwriting verification and communication of forms based data for enterprise users. The system supports data capture using Tablet PCs, Digital Pens, Pocket PCs and signature capture devices. Mi-Co's vertical markets include healthcare and pharmaceuticals, public safety, and governmental services, and Mi-Co has a growing number of customers in these segments. Mi-Co is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. For more information on Mi-Co, visit www.mi-corporation.com.