IntelliStick highlighted in the July 2010 issue of Women In Trucking newsletter

Commentary by Steve Sturgess, Executive Editor

One of the more intriguing devices I have stumbled across at shows is the Intellistick. It is, as you may have already guessed from the name, an intelligent replacement for the humble dipstick.

It's an oil condition and temperature monitor, tracking additive depletion, increasing viscosity, but most importantly, instantly indicating the presence of water or coolant in the lube oil.

When I saw it I was impressed. After all, having the oil condition at your fingertips, so to speak, is a big plus for any machine, especially an internal combustion engine. But when I saw the price at around $500, I could see that the military-derived product would have some significant market objections. After all, you can get a lot of information from ongoing oil analysis at a fraction of the price.

Intrusion Detection & Oil Condition Monitoring

By Dan Edney, PhD & Sam Jones, IntelliStick Inc.

In early 2008, a paper industry technical group encountered a new product that appeared to hold potential benefit for industrial applications. The IntelliStick technology for real-time intrusion and oil condition monitoring in vehicles appeared to have potential use in stationary equipment. Although proven in development and vehicular applications, IntelliStick was new to the severe challenges of a paper mill environment.

Subsequently, the industry group and IntelliStick Inc. agreed to conduct a Pilot Program at three mill locations. The purpose of the program was to evaluate the technology in operating environments, using a real-time oil condition and intrusion monitor system to help protect critical equipment against failure (repair or replacement), and help assure maximum up-time. Further, the IntelliStick instrument design, features, capabilities and benefits would be evaluated with on-going feedback regarding performance and future design enhancements for this environment.

From: http://www.trucktrend.com/features/gear/163_0804_product_spotlight_intellistick 

Tired of changing your oil without really knowing if it needs it? Worried your truck might have a bad head gasket? Here's a high-tech yet simple way to be sure. The IntelliStick, which replaces the stock dipstick, electronically monitors the oil real time, 24/7, also scanning to make sure no coolant or fuel has mixed in. It performs laboratory-grade oil analysis, works with gas or diesel engines, and its results can be read on a smart phone, PDA, or laptop.