NYU Wireless: Marco Mezzavilla outlines public-safety benefits of 60 GHz comms, particularly with drones 22nd July 2019 Marco Mezzavilla, a research scientist at New York University (NYU) Wireless, explains how public-safety agencies could leverage 60 GHz unlicensed spectrum to deliver multiple-gigabits-per-second data speeds. One primary use case would be to enable real-time video streaming from aerial drones over one-mile links that could support a daisy-chain architecture to increase the total effective […]
Video NIST: Fabio da Silva showcases prototype solution to locate victims, first responders in buildings 19th July 2019 Fabio da Silva, staff scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, describes the features of a prototype deployable solution that is being developed to help locate people–for example, firefighters or the people they are trying to save during an incident–inside of a building by using ultrawideband (UWB) radar transmitted from just outside […]
Video Haply Robotics: Felix Desourdy outlines potential benefits of haptics to first responders 19th July 2019 Felix Desourdy, lead mechanical engineer for Haply Robotics, explains how haptics technology–the use of solutions that communicate via the sense of touch and motion–could be used to deliver messaging to first responders under stress, when their visual and hearing senses may be overwhelmed. At the PSCR Public Safety Broadband Stakeholders Meeting in Chicago, Haply […]
News Rural Colorado sheriff’s department uses Samsung, Visual Labs, FirstNet to provide an affordable body-cam solution 19th July 2019 Body-camera video has become an important—and sometimes expensive—tool for law-enforcement agencies in recent years, but a Colorado sheriff says he is leveraging Samsung smartphones, FirstNet connectivity and Visual Labs’ video platform to deliver an effective and affordable video solution for his rural department. Sheriff Tom Ridnour of Kit Carson County, Colo., said that some personnel […]
News FirstNet Chair Horowitz expects Authority to make multiple network investments each year 16th July 2019 FirstNet Authority board members likely will make multiple decisions annually to invest in the FirstNet system as the nationwide public-safety broadband system evolves, with enhancing the network core and improving coverage being key near-term priorities, FirstNet Chairman Ed Horowitz said last week. In a keynote speech delivered last week at the PSCR Public Safety Broadband […]
Video Univ. of Michigan: Hun-Seok Kim describes approach to low-cost, high-accuracy location solution 15th July 2019 Hun-Seok Kim, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan, outlines the progress his team has made to develop an “infrastructure-light” location solution that is designed to leverage 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz Wi-Fi signals to deliver location data that is accurate within 10 centimeters. Kim spoke with IWCE’s Urgent […]
Video Univ. of Memphis: Lan Wang explains how LiDAR-based 3D mapping could work for public safety 15th July 2019 Lan Wang, chairwoman of the University of Memphis computer-science department, explains how LiDAR technology can be used to quickly build 3D maps of indoor locations that first responders can use to navigate unfamiliar facilities, even when visibility is impaired by smoke. Wang spoke with IWCE’s Urgent Communications Editor Donny Jackson last week during the […]
News Motorola Solutions buys WatchGuard for mobile video solutions 12th July 2019 Motorola Solutions yesterday announced that it has acquired WatchGuard, a provider of mobile video solutions such as in-car video systems, body-worn cameras and evidence-management systems and software. A Motorola Solutions spokesperson today confirmed that the deal is complete. Because WatchGuard was a private company, the transaction is not subject to shareholder approvals or regulatory reviews […]
Video Texas A&M: Suman Bhunia showcases LTE-network backpack, components of DistressNet-NG architecture 12th July 2019 Suman Bhunia of Texas A&M University highlights the features of an LTE backpack–containing an LTE core and eNodeB base station–in development that could be carried by public-safety personnel into an area that lacks traditional network coverage. The backpack is a key piece to the DistressNet-NG architecture that also plans to leverage direct-mode communications, relay […]
Video PSCR: Terese Manley highlights efforts to provide public safety with LTE coverage via untethered drones 12th July 2019 Terese Manley, prize competition and challenge specialist for the Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Open Innovation team, discusses past and upcoming PSCR prize challenges that are designed to evaluate the capabilities of drones carrying an LTE base station to provide first responders with a wide swath of coverage in locations where typical terrestrial cell […]
Is LMR the best solution for first responders? Should 4.9 GHz license go to the FirstNet Authority? 2 24th March 2024
FirstNet Authority reauthorization needed as public-safety-driven network evolution proceeds 16th March 2024