PSCR roadmap looks at technical capabilities, gaps and R&D opportunities
As work begins on the contract for a new, nationwide LTE network for public safety that was recently awarded to AT&T, the Public Safety Communications Research Division continues its effort to lay out the current and future needs of public safety communications in order to focus research efforts.
PSCR recently released its latest technology roadmap for an enhanced public safety user interface. Much like previous roadmaps, including NIST’s roadmap for public safety location-based services, the public safety user interface roadmap takes stock of current capabilities and how technology will have likely have to evolve in order to address the communications needs of public safety. PSCR’s Enhanced User Interface working group has more than 70 stakeholders participating, from companies including AT&T, Sonim, Motorola, IBM, Samsung and General Dynamics, as well as representatives from public safety organizations including FirstNet, the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International, the Department of Homeland Security and numerous public safety departments, as well as academic institutions.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology was awarded $300 million from the AWS-3 auction to support public safety research, and the roadmaps are being developed to guide PSCR in identifying projects that “pose the greatest operational benefit to public safety” as it considers grant awards. The first $30 million grant program kicked off in January. PSCR will hold an R&D summit on the public safety user interface roadmap in Boulder, Co. in mid-July.
PSCR identified three operational objectives for public safety user interfaces: to enhance the user experience; to expand the environments in which users can interact with data and communications; and to evolve the ways that first responders interact with machines or computers. Here are some of the key areas for research and development that the working group identified:
-Identification and authentication for voice, gesture and other alternative control and command of devices, as well as technology to support clearer voice commands in noisy environments.
-Systems and business rules for “smart alerts”, including dynamic data visualization and automation and integration of information from disparate sources — as well as researching how user interface implementations impact a public safety user’s cognitive load.
-Ruggedization and technical standards for sensors and public safety-specific testing for wearables, as well as exploring alternative battery materials to meet the weight, flexibility and power needs of public safety.
-Network architectures and data formatting that enable rapid data sharing, integration and analysis, both for first responders at the incident and public safety command centers.
-Autonomous capabilities for public safety vehicles, including drones, as well as monitoring, control and visualization based on the specific task and priority.
PSCR established a public Wiki platform for the public safety user interface roadmap here. Read the full Public Safety User Interface R&D Roadmap here (pdf).
Image copyright: rugercm / 123RF Stock Photo
