IP: Iridium wants to provide real time airline "Black Box"services

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Craig Birkmaier" <craig () pcube com>
> > To: "OpenDTV Mail List" <openDTV () topica com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2001 5:17 PM
> > Subject: [OpenDTV] News: Iridium wants to provide real time airline "Black
> > Box"services
> >
> >
> > >  Sender: <openDTV () topica com>
> > http://www.e-insite.net/eb-mag/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA170020&s
> > pacedesc=news
> > >  Fighting Fire With Fire
> > >
> > >  By Mark Long -- e-inSITE, 10/2/01
> > >
> > >  In response to last month's horrific attacks on the World Trade
> > >  Center and the Pentagon, several wireless industry firms have rolled
> > >  out new technologies for combating terrorism, both in the air as well
> > >  as down on the ground.
> > >
> > >  Mobile satellite system operator Iridium has submitted a preliminary
> > >  proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other
> > >  government organizations for a real-time cockpit voice and flight
> > >  data monitoring capability utilizing the company's 66-satellite
> > >  constellation in low earth orbit. The company claims that the
> > >  proposed system could be quickly deployed using commercial
> > >  off-the-shelf components and the Iridium system.
> > >
> > >  "With existing systems, officials on the ground have only limited
> > >  visibility into what is happening inside an aircraft in flight," said
> > >  Dan Colussy, Iridium Satellite's chairman in a prepared statement.
> > >  "Using its global footprint and voice and data capabilities, combined
> > >  with existing commercially-available equipment, Iridium gives ground
> > >  personnel unrestricted access in real time to vital voice and data
> > >  communications from the aircraft."
> > >
> > >  According to Iridium, the FAA's current voice recording system--which
> > >  captures information in cockpit voice and flight data recorders or
> > >  'black boxes' located on the aircraft--is only useful after a crash
> > >  has taken place and the recorder has been recovered from the site of
> > >  the wreck. The system that Iridium is proposing would allow voice and
> > >  data signals to be transmitted in real time to secure FAA data
> > >  centers for live monitoring.
> > >
> > >  The company also claims that its Iridium system would offer the FAA
> > >  and related agencies several other distinct advantages over the
> > >  current 'black box' system, including the ability to provide an
> > >  immediate response in the event of an in-flight emergency. Activities
> > >  on board commerical aircraft could also be automatically monitored
> > >  from the ground whenever aircraft flight parameters are breached or
> > >  even continuously as part of basic flight operations. In addition,
> > >  Iridium even claims that the system could be used to enhance the
> > >  performance and efficiency of aircraft maintenance and repair.
> > >
> > >  International Communications Center of North America (ICCONA) has
> > >  developed a video monitoring system that can receive live video
> > >  transmissions from aircraft in flight. The company reports that it
> > >  had addressed the issue of airline safety with both FAA and FBI
> > >  officials last year by recommending the installation of video cameras
> > >  on commercial passenger airlines.
> > >
> > >  ICCONA says that video systems could be used to monitor the internal
> > >  activities in every cabin including the flight deck. Digital video
> > >  could be collected and viewed in real time at frame rates of 5 to 30
> > >  frames per second (fps) with minimal resolution loss. In addition,
> > >  the transmissions could be instantly re-transmitted to those
> > >  government agencies down on the ground that are responsible for
> > >  airline security.
> > >
> > >  The video monitoring system would consist of a series of concealed
> > >  miniature digital wireless cameras that are strategically mounted
> > >  on-board the aircraft. The cameras transmit video data to an on-board
> > >  recording device that is connected to a satellite antenna mounted on
> > >  the exterior of the plane. The system also may include image
> > >  recognition technology that uses facial features to identify both
> >  > crew members and passengers alike. Video frames captured as
> > >  passengers board the plane could be instantaneously transmitted to a
> > >  database to permit government officials to search for individuals
> > >  that appear on terrorist 'watch lists'. Following a database search,
> > >  government officials could then transmit information pertaining to
> > >  any match back to the airplane's Sky Marshal, who would be equipped
> > >  with a wireless PDA.
> > >
> > >  Airline crew members could also be equipped with their own personal
> > >  cameras, PDAs and other wireless video monitoring equipment. Netaphor
> > >  Software is developing a new product to enable the wireless
> > >  monitoring of network devices on PDAs running the Palm OS. Called
> > >  PDAlert, the software will be available in multiple versions that
> > >  address a wide variety of requirements. PDAlert requires an 802.11b
> > >  wireless LAN and an 802.11b module in the PDA. Supported PDAs will
> > >  include Palm Handhelds, Handspring Visor and Compaq's iPAQ pocket PCs
> > >  as well as a number of other handheld devices that operate using Palm
> > >  OS version 3.5.
> > >
> > >  The administrative version of PDAalert will operate in conjunction
> > >  with the alarm database of HP OpenView's Network Node Manager.
> > >  OpenView alarms are forwarded to an administrator's PDA as they
> > >  occur. The standard version will feature the ability to deliver
> > >  alerts that correspond to a pre-defined list of conditions, says the
> > >  company, including printer errors, changes in online/offline status,
> > >  and low levels of consumables. In addition, customized versions of
> > >  PDAlert will be available through OEM channels.
> > >
> > >  'With PDAlert's full-time, instantaneous access to critical network
> > >  conditions, key users aren't chained to their workstations anymore,'
> > >  said Shripathi Kamath, Netaphor's principal scientist in a prepared
> > >  statement. 'It's a simple concept that significantly boosts
> > >  convenience and productivity.'
> > >
> > >  PDAlert is scheduled for release in 1Q02. in the interim, Netaphor
> > >  Software is encourging users who may be interested in participating
> > >  in their PDAlert Beta program to visit the company's Web site at
> > >  www.netaphor.com.
> > >
> > >  The latest advancements in smart card technology will also
> > >  undoubtedly play a major role in enhancing the security of American
> > >  citizens and US residents. Mountain View-based AsIs has just issued a
> > >  new report that forecasts major growth for smart card ID security
> > >  systems. The consulting firm reports that the technology has now
> > >  advanced to a point where highly complex, multi-application
> > >  microchips can provide both data storage and data exchange options on
> > >  a single smart card.
> > >
> > >  According to the new report, a single multi-application smart card is
> > >  now capable of holding up to 64 MB of data, which can be used to
> > >  fulfill the identification, commerce, transportation, and social
> > >  services requirements of users. The AsIs study also claims that the
> > >  technology already exists for the implementation of a Federal ID card
> > >  system in the United States. Similar systems have already been
> > >  deployed in Europe, where government mandates define many technology
> > >  implementations. The United States will benefit from its realtively
> > >  late entry into this field, says the report, because it will be able
> > >  to implement security strategies based on more complex,
> > >  multi-application smart cards that can, for example, include
> > >  biometric information.
> > >
> > >  AsIs now forecasts that Government ID card shipments are now expected
> > >  to exceed 350 million units through 2005. Next year alone, the
> > >  shipment of State and Federal smart card ID cards is expected to
> > >  exceed banking-related smart cards by almost 40 million units.
> > >
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