Government Technology - April 2008 - (Page 54)

pectrum reports from the IT horizon — BASELINEMAG.COM spectrum ideas to managing editor Karen Stewartson kstewartson@ govtech.com Send 54 PHOTO COURTESY OF TANKPITSTOP j APR_08 Bluetooth-Enabled The Bluetooth technology used in handsfree cell phones also is helping Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill walk again after he lost both his legs above the knees while on patrol in Iraq. Computer chips in each leg send signals to motors in the joints of his artiﬁcial legs so the knees and ankles move coordinatively. Bleill’s prosthetics have Bluetooth receivers strapped to the ankle. The Bluetooth device on each leg tells the other leg what it’s doing and how it’s moving — whether walking, standing or climbing steps. Bluetooth is a shortrange wireless technology that connects cell phones to ear pieces, computers to printers and MP3 players to speakers. Like many electronics used today, Bleill’s must be charged overnight. — CNN.COM Back to Survey Says Despite steep increases in data breaches and malware infections, remote workers worldwide express conﬁdence in Internet security. According to a new survey of more than 1,000 Web users in 10 countries, only responders in Italy and Germany said the Internet was less safe in 2007 than it was in 2006. According to the annual survey commissioned by Cisco Systems, 56 percent of remote workers using enterprise PCs to access the Internet said their perception of security increased in 2007. In 2006, 48 percent said they felt the Internet was safe. The most signiﬁcant gains were made in the United States (60 percent), China (64 percent) and Brazil (71 percent). United States China Brazil 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% Project management training provider ESI International launched its Virtual Classroom, which lets students train with an instructor in real time through an online environment. With microphones and instant messaging, students can hear the instructor’s explanations, ask questions, speak with one another and divide into virtual breakout rooms. Every virtual classroom course is recorded so students can review information. They also can download course reference materials and tools, as well as access pre- and postcourse surveys and assessments. Managing Projects, ESI’s most popular course, is the first virtual classroom offering. It’s currently available for ESI’s on-site clients, and public course offerings are scheduled to begin this month. — Esi.com School Critical Factors Fuel Up Dutch inventors developed a car-fueling robot, called Tankpitstop, that registers an automobile when it arrives at the gas station and matches the car to a database of fuel cap designs and fuel types. A robotic arm ﬁtted with multiple sensors extends from the gas pump, carefully opens the car’s ﬂap, unscrews the cap, picks up the fuel nozzle and directs it toward the tank opening, much like a human arm. Tankpitstop costs $111,100 and works for any car with a keyless fuel tank and whose contours and dimensions have been recorded to avoid scratching. — NEWLAUNCHES.COM Deloitte’s 2008 Industry Outlook: A Look Around the Corner predicts eight business trends that will cut across multiple sectors of the U.S. economy, including state and local governments: 1. Globalization 2. Convergence 3. Environmental sustainability 4. Rising energy and health-care costs 5. Transparency 6. Technology use and integration 7. The 2008 presidential election 8. Talent management http://CNN.COM http://BASELINEMAG.COM http://Esi.com http://NEWLAUNCHES.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Government Technology - April 2008

Government Technology - April 2008 Contents Point of View Big Picture The Last Mile On the Scene Four Questions for... Freeze Frame How Safe Is Your Data? Easy Street Gadget Overload Indiana Overhaul First Person: A Better Bill Data Defense Strength in Numbers Public Storage Products Two Cents Spectrum Personal Computing signal:noise

Government Technology - April 2008

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