Athens Technical Specialists, Inc. (ATSI), was incorporated in 1982 by Dr. James C. Gilfert, Professor of Electrical Engineering at Ohio University, as a professional corporation. The company was originally engaged in sponsored research for the development of electronic systems for use by divisions of the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

One of these projects was the development of an automated NEMA conflict monitor tester, which was completed in 1986. The prototype tester received favorable comments from traffic professionals from all across Ohio. One traffic products distributor in particular, Steve Hartmann, approached Dr. Gilfert with the idea that the tester would not only benefit public safety, but could help prevent successful litigation against the agencies that use the tester to confirm the operation of their conflict monitors. The protection from liability would more than justify the cost of the tester.

An outside firm assembled the first production units. Then the distribution network was established (with the help of Mr. Hartmann) and the first 26 testers, Model NCMT-500, were sold and shipped. ATSI then added a light electronics assembly operation to the design and development activities. The first assembly plant was literally a "garage operation", but through tight-fisted cost control (i.e., no payroll), the company became self-sufficient. ATSI moved into the Ohio University Innovation Center (OUIC) in January of 1988. From the original two employees in 1988, ATSI's payroll had grown to 6 in 1993, then to 15 in 1999.

In-house design and development of new products is key to the existence and operations of ATSI. The next development was an expansion of the capabilities of the original tester to include System 170 conflict monitors. The new tester was called the DCMT-700 and was added to the product line in 1989. There are hundreds of 500s and 700s in service today across the US and Canada. ATSI offers recalibration services that include updates, so that any design changes made during a product's lifetime can be retrofitted to a customer's tester, extending the unit's service life.

In 1991, the PCMT-2000 conflict monitor tester was added to the product line. The PCMT is a software-based tester that can be used to test NEMA, System 170, and several other conflict monitor types by the purchase of the basic tester and the appropriate software packages and cables. This design breakthrough gives the customer the advantage of a tester that can be upgraded to meet the changing needs of the agency, and never become obsolete.

ATSI introduced the ALSA-1200 Automated Loop System Analyzer in 1992 as a result of our customers asking for a tester to address the problems they were having with inductive loops used to detect vehicles at the intersection. The ALSA was the first comprehensive loop and detector tester available to the signal technician to diagnose failed loop systems, and helped establish ATSI as a source for test equipment.

As the PCMT-2000 became dominant the marketplace, sales of the original two testers diminished. In 1993, production was ended for the NCMT and the DCMT. Over 200 units of the first generation conflict monitor had been sold. Also in 1993, the company moved to its third location, still a part of the OUIC, to accommodate the need for more space.

At the new location, design and development efforts produced the QC-300 detector testers and the ATRT-1600 Automated Traffic Recorder Tester. The ATRT-1600 was the result of another development contract with ODOT to build a tester for the counters and classifiers used by the state to count vehicular traffic. The ATRT-1600 was the only one of its kind on the marketplace and generated a lot of interest in the highway planning industry. The SST-400 Surge Suppressor Tester followed these earlier product releases, and was the first battery-operated tester to be designed and built by ATSI. Once again, it was a first of it's kind on the market.

Feedback from the traffic counting market resulted in the development of the ATCT-1100 Automated Traffic Counter Tester which is a lower-priced tester for traffic counting equipment. Continuing development led to the introduction of the PCMT-2200 and ATRT-1700, which are advanced versions of their earlier counterparts.

In 1999, ATSI moved to our current facility and implemented new administrative tools on the company-wide computer network. This has allowed more efficient handling of routine duties and better communication within the company and with our customers.

ATSI's presence and stature in the traffic industry has grown to the point where the company is looked upon by our customers as a resource for information on testing and the devices being tested. This status has resulted from the unwavering commitment to test devices to the published standards, without prejudice or preference to any of the manufacturers of the tested devices. ATSI values the confidence placed in the company by our customers and strives to continue to be worthy of their trust.