Intelligent Transportation Systems: U.S. Not Leading the Pack
Today the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) released a report, Explaining International IT Application Leadership: Intelligent Transportation Systems, and will hold a forum for domestic and international transportation experts to discuss the implications of the findings.
The report highlights the increasing disparity between foreign industrialized nations and the United States regarding the current use of new technologies to address major transportation congestion, safety and environmental problems.
From Government Technology, January 27, 2010
GDOT Awards $50 Million Contract
Georgia Department of Transportation officials
have awarded Reston, Va.-based Serco Inc. a five-year, $50 million contract to install the state's intelligent transportation system.
Serco Inc. will provide comprehensive management, installation, and maintenance of the system, which includes over 2,500 devices that assist traveling motorists and emergency responders in metro Atlanta.
From 11 Alive.com, January 27, 2010
Baltimore: Johns Hopkins partners with police to share video, jointly
Johns Hopkins Medicine on Jan. 19 signed a memorandum of understanding with the Baltimore Police Department to share information between their video surveillance systems. But this MoU isn’t a one-way deal.
While Hopkins wanted to provide police with access to its cameras, it also wanted improved surveillance capabilities in return, said Harry Koffenberger, vice president of corporate security for Johns Hopkins Medicine. “For the city, this represents a 25 percent increase in their video cameras, which gives them a 25 percent increase in their surveillance capabilities, so that’s certainly a win-win situation,” said Koffenberger.
From Security Director News, January 26, 2010
Investigators recommend installing cameras in metro trains
Accident investigators uncovered such egregious behavior by train operators in the fatal 2008 accident near Los Angeles that they suggested Thursday that all railroads monitor crews with video surveillance.
In a controversial recommendation intended to draw a line in the sand against the rapid rise in accidents triggered by distractions from cellphones and other technology, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) not only endorsed placing video cameras in train cabs, but said railroads should regularly monitor the videos to ensure that engineers follow safety rules.
From USA Today, January 21, 2010
DC Council restricts access to police and corrections department video cameras
The District of Columbia has created an emergency management agency that theoretically could monitor about 5,200 video cameras District-wide, but the DC Council has recently passed legislation that would prohibit the emergency agency from viewing cameras operated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Department of Corrections.
From Government Security News, January 20, 2010
Gulf IP surveillance market to hit $100m
The IP (internet protocol) video surveillance system market in the Gulf is expected to touch $100 million (Dh367m) by the end of 2010, eating up more than 50 per cent of the analog camera segment.
From Emirates Business 24-7, January 19, 2010
Researchers examine video surveillance effectiveness in Canada
A recent report from researchers at a variety of Canadian universities examines current trends in public surveillance systems. The research report, published by the Surveillance Camera Awareness Network (SCAN), looks into privacy concerns, overall installation trends for city projects, signage requirements, how CCTV technology has improved and the effectiveness of surveillance cameras.
From Security InfoWatch, January 19, 2010
Top 5 Reasons Analog Cameras are Easier to Install than IP
While IP has many advantages over analog, ease of installation is not one of them. IP cameras are far harder to install even if the installer has extensive networking expertise. And for the majority of security technicians with modest IT skills, it's even more painful.
Bottom line: IP cameras take significantly longer to install, require more training and face more pitfalls than analog.
From IPvideoMarket, January 16, 2010
Spectrum space cleared for wireless, public safety
The FCC adopted an order Friday that will clear the way for the deployment of the next generation of wireless devices and for the rollout of public safety communication services. The FCC's order bans the further distribution and sale of wireless microphone and other devices that operate in the 700 megahertz band of spectrum. The agency said these devices may interfere with the other services that will be operating in this band of spectrum.
From NextGov, January 15, 2010
Video Surveillance as a Service to move into the limelight in 2010
IP Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) - also known as Managed Video as a Service (MVaaS) - is expected to move into the limelight in 2010. With VSaaS, the initial system cost is reduced by removing the need for local management and storage, and replacing it with a subscription-based service. And users are not required to be IT experts as the system's management is performed remotely.
From Security Park, January 14, 2010
