http://www.informationweek.comInformationWeeken-usCopyright 2012, UBM LLC.2013-06-13T16:05:00ZNew class of powerful, small vacuum pumps could be used in national security applications for electronics and sensors that require a vacuum.http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/darpa-develops-tiny-helpers-to-spot-biot/240156656?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-breakthrough-darpa-technologies/240153857"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/985/TERN_01_tn.jpg" alt="10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies" title="10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->The government might soon have at its disposal highly sensitive gas analyzers that can detect chemical or biological attacks, atomic clocks the size of chips, and micro-vacuum tubes. A group of researchers funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) recently developed a new class of powerful, tiny vacuum pumps that could be used in national security applications for electronics and sensors that require a vacuum. <P> Researchers at the University of Michigan, Honeywell International, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) were able to demonstrate how ultra-high-performance vacuum micropumps work, as part of DARPA's <a href="http://www.darpa.mil/Our_Work/MTO/Programs/Chip-Scale_Vacuum_Micro_Pumps_%28CSVMP%29.aspx">Chip-Scale Vacuum Micro Pumps (CSVMP) program</a>. The purpose of the program -- launched in 2008 -- was to develop a system that's less than 0.5 cubic centimeters in size, excluding power source, plumbing and control circuitry. <P> University of Michigan researchers created three different pumps, ranging from lowest to highest pressure. The team at MIT developed three types of microscale pumps. One such pump has curved surfaces that displace large volumes of gas. Another pump, developed by Honeywell International, is a turbomolecular pump that operates in the mid-vacuum and high-vacuum range. The pump design is similar to a turbine, but in reverse, so its blades are angled and push gas outward as they spin. <P> <strong>[ How much do you know about the data analysis tools used in the NSA's Prism program? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/defending-nsa-prisms-big-data-tools/240156388?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Defending NSA Prism's Big Data Tools</a>. ]</strong> <P> The new pumps are about 300 times smaller than commercially available systems, which are about the size of a deck of cards. In comparison, the microscale pumps are about the size of a penny. They also consume 10 times less power. "There have never been ionic or mechanical gas pumps at the microscale before," DARPA program manager Andrei Shkel said in a written statement. The breakthrough would allow vacuum pumps to be used in the smallest, most sensitive electronics and sensors. <P> Some potential security applications could include gas analyzers that detect chemical and biological disease-producing agents. "These microscale gas pumps may ultimately be required for laser-cooled atomic clocks, accelerometers and gyroscopes," said Shkel. "Laser cooling systems require vacuums, but are often significantly smaller than the pumps themselves. It is possible that these pumps will help enable smaller, more accurate atomic clocks or vacuum electronics." <P> DARPA has two other programs that focus on such applications. Integrated Micro Primary Atomic Clock Technology (IMPACT) was formed to produce miniature atomic clocks that use less power but still maintain accuracy. High Frequency Integrated Vacuum Electronics (HiFIVE) aims to develop a vacuum electronic high-power amplifier circuit for use in high-bandwidth, high-power transmitters.2013-06-11T16:15:00ZHealth information exchanges, Medicaid and insurance marketplaces are some of the issues facing IT chiefs in state government.http://www.informationweek.com/government/state-local/state-cios-make-progress-on-health-it/240156464?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/mobile-wireless/ss01081310mobilehealthappsunclesam/240145790"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/937/01_Opening_Image_tn.jpg" alt="10 Mobile Health Apps From Uncle Sam" title="10 Mobile Health Apps From Uncle Sam" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">10 Mobile Health Apps From Uncle Sam</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> States must implement an enterprise-wide architecture for <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/interoperability/doctors-slowly-accept-health-information/240156199">the exchange of health information</a>, especially as state CIOs continue to take on different roles under healthcare reform. That was one of the takeaways from a <a href="http://www.nascio.org/publications/documents/The_Health_IT_Landscape_in_the_States_NASCIO_HIMSS.pdf">new study</a> by the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). <P> State CIOs now play a crucial role in health IT strategies, oversight and governance, and, going forward, consolidation and optimization will become main priorities as they leverage IT across multiple initiatives. <P> The study -- which examined how state CIOs view the current IT landscape of state health initiatives -- received a 48% response rate, or 26 CIOs across U.S. states and territories. According to the findings, state CIOs have a variety of roles and responsibilities in areas such as Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS), Medicaid eligibility systems, data governance, identity management (IdM), state health insurance marketplaces, state-level health information exchanges (SLHIE), and shared services and collaboration. <P> <strong>[ HIEs are an important part of healthcare reform. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/interoperability/doctors-slowly-accept-health-information/240156199?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Doctors Slowly Accept Health Information Exchanges</a>. ]</strong> <P> The survey found that 71% of state CIOs said they have a significant role in SLHIE, which allows the sharing of health information electronically. "State CIOs are wearing many hats when it comes to state health IT projects," NASCIO executive director Doug Robinson said in a written statement. "The focus remains to find ways to collaborate and coordinate IT initiatives from a global or enterprise view." <P> Other key findings show that states appear to be outsourcing MMIS systems and data center functions. Seventy-eight percent of CIOs said their state will be finished with MMIS modernization by 2014, while 72% said their state will be implementing a new Medicaid eligibility system by 2014. The cost of these systems is estimated to be between $30 million and $154 million. When asked to name the least mature capability across states, 80% of executives who participated in the survey said they have no data governance structure in place. <P> States were evenly split with their plans to integrate Medicaid eligibility and enrollment systems with <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/admin-systems/5-it-tips-for-state-health-insurance-exc/240007916">health insurance marketplaces</a> (HIX), which allow individuals and employers to compare and evaluate health insurance plans. A full 94% of state CIOs said that 50% or less of the needed IT components for HIX have been completed. As for SLHIE, the majority of CIOs noted using a state-designated health information exchange; 69% of those exchanges are in production or actively exchanging data. <P> The last component of the study focused on shared services and collaboration. A full 96% of states are using shared services for healthcare initiatives. Shared services are used mostly for Medicaid eligibility modernization (86%), MMIS (55%), SLHIE (41%) and HIX (36%), while 32% are utilizing shared services for other health initiatives.2013-06-11T09:06:00ZWhite House report on cybersecurity goals shows agencies are making progress to keep federal IT systems safe, but they might miss 2014 targets.http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/federal-agencies-graded-on-cybersecurity/240156369?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-drones-the-pentagons-eyes-in-th/240144476"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/929/AFx37-b_tn.jpg" alt="Military Drones Present And Future: Visual Tour" title="Military Drones Present And Future: Visual Tour" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">Military Drones Present And Future: Visual Tour</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->Federal agencies have been making significant progress to improve their cybersecurity. However, much more needs to be done as agencies work toward achieving the Obama administration's cross-agency cybersecurity goals by the end of 2014, according to the latest <a href="http://goals.performance.gov/node/39069">progress report</a> released by the White House. <P> Last March, federal cybersecurity coordinator Howard Schmidt <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/white-house-sets-cybersecurity-prioritie/232700242">unveiled a plan</a> for agencies to implement priorities that safeguard federal IT systems against cyberattacks. The White House's objective by the end of 2014 is to have agencies achieve 95% implementation of critical administration cybersecurity capabilities on IT systems in the areas of trusted Internet connections (TIC), continuous monitoring, and strong authentication. The effort is part of the Cross Agency Priority (CAP) Goals initiative on <a href="http://www.performance.gov">Performance.gov</a>, which feds use to grade agencies on their improvement efforts. <P> In the second quarter of fiscal year 2013, the government saw significant developments across all three cybersecurity goals and an increase in overall CAP scores. Adoption of cybersecurity capabilities by agencies increased 5%, bringing the overall score to 81%, compared to 76% in the first quarter. When breaking down individual goals, continuous monitoring got a score of 84%, strong authentication scored 67%, TIC consolidation was 84%, and TIC capabilities was 85%. <P> <strong>[ The U.S. isn't ready for a cyberattack, say other sources. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-cybersecurity-status-weak-reports-cha/240150168?itc=edit_in_body_cross">U.S. Cybersecurity Status Weak, Reports Charge</a>. ]</strong> <P> The government also reported an improvement of 14% in the use of Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards to access federal information systems under Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12). The Department of Defense (DOD) contributed significantly to this improvement. PIV usage increased at the DOD, as well as the number of users remotely and interactively accessing its network. The agency saw almost two million more instances of PIV use than in the first quarter, single-handedly driving the CAP score up by double digits. But not all agencies were quick to adopt two-factor authentication. One-third of agencies are still at 0% for implementing such smart cards for accessing networks, and a quarter are at 5% or less. <P> When it comes to trust Internet connections, 16 agencies reached the CAP goal of 95%, with the General Services Administration (GSA) making significant gains. Several agencies -- including the Department of Education (DOE), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) -- came in below the consolidation minimum set for trusted connections, while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Commerce (DOC) have slipped below the minimum as well. <P> Twenty agencies have reached the minimum target of 80% for automated asset management, which is part of continuous monitoring, and 11 agencies reached or exceeded the goal of 95%. Across the board, automated configuration management jumped 11.2%, automated asset management rose 2.2%, and automated vulnerability management rose 2.1%. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) are among the agencies that saw the biggest increases. For continuous monitoring, agencies are required to submit a monthly security report through CyberScope, an online compliance tool. This mandate is part of the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). <P> Much work still remains for agencies to implement the White House's cybersecurity capabilities. In fact, according to the progress report, based on current performance plans the federal government will not achieve the CAP 2014 goal.2013-06-07T14:36:00ZConnectED aims to bring high-speed Internet and devices to schools and libraries across the U.S.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/obama-touts-broadband-initiative-for-sch/240156244?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/education/leadership/educational-technology-across-the-ages/240149241"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/954/1_tn.jpg" alt="Tablets Rock On: Education Tech Through The Ages" title="Tablets Rock On: Education Tech Through The Ages" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">Tablets Rock On: Education Tech Through The Ages</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> The White House is pushing for faster Internet at U.S. schools and libraries. President Obama on Thursday announced an initiative that aims to bring 100-Mbps to 1-Gbps broadband connections to 99% of students within five years. <P> The initiative, called ConnectED, requires no action from Congress and calls on businesses, states, districts and communities to support Obama's vision of high-speed broadband and wireless access at the nation's schools and libraries. Currently, the average school has the same connectivity as a household, but serves 200 times more users. Only about 20% of educators feel their school's broadband meets their teaching needs, according to the White House. <P> The president has asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to use its $2.3 billion-dollar E-Rate program to provide resources for ConnectED. E-Rate is part of the Universal Service Fund (USF), which helps schools and libraries obtain telecommunications, broadband and internal network services at discounted rates. According to administration officials, the effort would need an investment of several billion dollars, which could potentially be collected in a few years by charging Americans less than $5 per year on their phone bills. It's still unclear whether the FCC will pursue that option, since it has yet to review existing funding and the initiative's requirements. <P> <strong>[ Is technology taking over the classroom? See <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/education/mobility/parents-press-for-mobile-tech-in-educati/240155884?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Parents Press For Mobile Tech In Education</a>. ]</strong> <P> The FCC <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/desktop/fcc-upgrades-e-rate-program/227500668">made some upgrades</a> to its E-Rate program in 2010. Changes included easier access for users to "dark" fiber networks and a new funding index formula to keep pace with inflation. However, E-Rate and the USF need more upgrading for the plan to work, Obama said when announcing ConnectED. <P> AT&T responded to the announcement, suggesting specific changes. "The USF contribution methodology must be updated to encompass more than the legacy services assessed today as we transition to the all-IP communications networks of tomorrow. In addition, the very cumbersome rules surrounding the current e-Rate program simply must be streamlined and made more efficient," AT&T chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson said in a written statement. <P> In addition to bringing high-speed connectivity to schools, ConnectED intends to train teachers to integrate technology in their classrooms and to use digital education tools such as interactive online lessons. Obama has asked the federal government to tap into existing funds to make this happen. <P> The final goal of ConnectED is to build on private-sector innovation. Schools have the opportunity to bring "feature-rich educational devices" to classrooms. Such devices, increasingly available at lower prices, could cost school districts even less if they come together to purchase in volume. With faster Internet and better devices, "students can have access to more rigorous and engaging classes, new learning resources, rich visualizations of complex concepts and instruction in any foreign language," said <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/connected_fact_sheet.pdf">a White House document</a> outlining the initiative. <P> ConnectED is part of a larger broadband plan introduced by the Obama administration in 2011. The fiscal 2012 budget <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/federal-it-budget-cuts-will-hit-hud-hard/229300174">included $18 billion</a> in federal funds to connect 98% of the U.S. population to broadband Internet through mobile devices over the next five years.2013-06-05T09:06:00ZOn <em>InformationWeek</em>'s Government CIO 25, we profile the top public sector tech executives who are driving big changes in government IT.http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/25-most-influential-government-cios/240155742?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-breakthrough-darpa-technologies/240153857"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/985/TERN_01_tn.jpg" alt="10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies" title="10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->A top CIO in government wears many hats. Faced with declining budgets, particularly at the state and local levels, public sector IT execs are becoming more creative in how they manage IT costs. Meanwhile, they're working hard to address their biggest challenge: modernizing antiquated IT systems. <P> <em>InformationWeek</em>'s Government CIO 25 recognizes those leading CIOs in federal, state and local government, who share qualities such as technology vision, clout among peers in other agencies, and an ability to show concrete results. <P> Our power list includes Department of Energy CIO Robert Brese, who launched Energy.gov on an open-source content management system and oversees the agency's annual $2 billion investment in IT. Thanks to list maker Joe Klimavicz, CIO of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and early adopter of cloud computing, NOAA employees now use Google Apps, a cloud-based productivity set of applications. The Defense Department's Teri Takai, who is among a handful of female government IT leaders, has spearheaded various initiatives, including a modernization plan, since joining the Pentagon in 2010. <P> There are high expectations for the CIOs on our list. Just look at the White House's 25-point plan to eliminate failing IT programs, which CIOs have been using to identify areas that need work. The majority of tech execs (94%) are implementing the plan by deploying cloud services, according to a survey of 41 public sector CIOs released in May by TechAmerica. However, CIOs are struggling with government-wide implementation due to serious cost and security constraints. <P> <strong>[ Download the entire May 2013 issue of <em>InformationWeek Government</em> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/the-government-cio-25/240155080">here</a>. </strong> <P> Then there is the Digital Government Strategy, introduced by the Obama administration in May 2012. Whitehouse.gov describes the strategy as created to build a "21st-century government" that offers services to the public "anywhere, anytime, on any device." The strategy focuses on open government data, which, if publicly accessible in easy-to-use formats, can fuel innovation and economic growth. <P> The strategy's ultimate goal is to make government "more transparent, more efficient, and more effective." But those aren't easy goals for CIOs with limited budgets and security concerns, the latter a problem especially because of the sensitive nature of government data. That's why our list includes IT leaders who are driving change on the mobile front. City of Boston's CIO Bill Oates, for example, was at the forefront of Citizens Connect, a mobile app that lets residents report problems to city managers. <P> The importance of technology in government cannot be stressed enough. For that reason, <em>InformationWeek Government</em> carefully selected the movers and shakers in government IT by reviewing their qualifications and achievements. The Government CIO 25 are the best among IT leaders. Here, in alphabetical order, are the detailed profiles of each. <P> <strong>1. Lonny Anderson, CIO, National Security Agency</strong> <P> Anderson has led the NSA's development of a widely used framework for lightweight Web applications, as well as the agency's work in big-data analytics. The NSA also developed a cloud-computing environment that will be shared with other U.S. intelligence agencies as part of an enterprise IT strategy from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. <P> <strong>2. Frank Baitman, CIO, Health and Human Services</strong> <P> Health and Human Services has started down the path of commodity IT consolidation under Baitman, who joined the agency last year. Baitman had previously served for two years as CIO of the Social Security Administration, where he was brought in to modernize the agency's IT infrastructure, but resigned after senior officials decided to narrow the CIO's authority. <P> <!-- Image Aligning Right --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/government/021/MichaelBasla.png" alt="Michael Basla" title="Michael Basla" class="img175" /> <div class="storyImageCaption">Michael Basla</div> <span class="inlinePhotoCredit">Photo: CIO Council</span></div><!-- / Image Aligning Right --> <P> <strong>3. Lt. Gen. Michael Basla, CIO, Air Force</strong> <P> As the Air Force's top tech exec and "chief of information dominance," Gen. Basla is responsible for the Air Force's networks, communications, and information management and assurance, and for providing support to 77,000 cyber operations and support personnel around the world. He also has a hand in strategy and policy for the Air Force's cyberspace operations. <P> <strong>4. Robert Brese, CIO, Department of Energy</strong> <P> Brese was appointed CIO at the DOE in July 2012, after serving as deputy CIO for IT of the National Nuclear Regulatory Administration. Some of his first actions included launching Energy.gov on an open-source content management system in a cloud environment and migrating the agency's public-key infrastructure to a shared service provider. He is chairman of the federal CIO Council's Management Best Practices Committee.<!-- Image Aligning Right --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/government/021/AdrianGardner.png" alt="Adrian Gardner" title="Adrian Gardner" class="img175" /><div class="storyImageCaption">Adrian Gardner</div><span class="inlinePhotoCredit">Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</span></div><!-- / Image Aligning Right --> <P> <strong>5. Adrian Gardner, CIO, NASA Goddard</strong> <P> Gardner was formerly CIO for the National Weather Service and before that served in senior IT positions with the Department of Energy. At Goddard, he has led initiatives in cloud computing, high-performance computing and government transparency. One of his highest-profile projects was the deployment of cloud computing in a portable container. <P> <strong>6. Brett Goldstein, CIO, City of Chicago</strong> <P> Before being appointed CIO by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in June 2012, Goldstein was the city's chief data officer. Before that he headed the Chicago Police Department's predictive analytics group. Now, he's applying that know-how more broadly. Chicago is investing in predictive analytics with a long-term goal of addressing serious issues such as the murder rate and emergency response. <P> <strong>7. Terry Halvorsen, CIO, U.S. Navy</strong> <P> The no-nonsense Halvorsen has pushed hard to manage through fiscal belt tightening with mandatory cuts, enterprise licensing and improved IT governance. He's leaving no stone unturned. In a bid to lower the costs of using printers, copiers, fax machines and scanners, Halverson instructed Navy personnel to print in black and white whenever possible. <P> <!-- Image Aligning Right --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/government/021/KarenRobinson.png" alt="Karen Robinson" title="Karen Robinson" class="img175" /><div class="storyImageCaption">Karen Robinson</div><span class="inlinePhotoCredit">Photo: Texas Department of Information Resources</span></div><!-- / Image Aligning Right --> <P> <strong>8. Karen Robinson, CIO, State of Texas</strong> <P> As executive director for the Texas Department of Information Resources, CIO Robinson manages the state's IT and communications planning, procurement, service delivery, data center services, IT security and state website, Texas.gov. <P> <strong>9. Grant Schneider, CIO, Defense Intelligence Agency</strong> <P> Schneider's work at the DIA includes development of new information-sharing systems, client virtualization and adoption of cloud computing. The DIA runs the military and intelligence communities' top secret intranet. Schneider was previously chief of the agency's enterprise IT operations group, where he helped to centralize military intelligence IT efforts. <P> <!-- Image Aligning Right --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/government/021/MalcolmJackson.png" alt="Malcolm Jackson" title="Malcolm Jackson" class="img175" /><div class="storyImageCaption">Malcolm Jackson</div><span class="inlinePhotoCredit">Photo: EPA</span></div><!-- / Image Aligning Right --> <P> <strong>10. Malcolm Jackson, CIO, Environmental Protection Agency</strong> <P> Jackson came to the EPA in 2010 from the private sector, where he worked for Cigna Group Insurance as senior IT business unit leader and in other roles. At the EPA, he's responsible for IT planning, investment, security, information quality and collection, and access to environmental information including the Toxics Release Inventory. <P> <strong>11. Joe Klimavicz, CIO, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</strong> <P> Klimavicz has been an early adopter of cloud computing and, owing to his agency's scientific mission, of big-data platforms and processes. The NOAA has migrated 25,000 employees to Google Apps and made the switch from BlackBerry devices to iPhones. It's a heavy user of supercomputers for its climate research and forecasting. <P> <strong>12. Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, CIO, U.S. Army</strong> <P> As CIO of the Army since 2011, Gen. Lawrence oversees command, control, communications and computers, the so-called C4 functions. She also bears the designation G-6, a reference to her role as advisor on networks, communications and signal operations to the Army chief of staff. <P> <!-- Image Aligning Right --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/government/021/SasiPillay.png" alt="Sasi Pillay" title="Sasi Pillay" class="img175" /><div class="storyImageCaption">Sasi Pillay</div><span class="inlinePhotoCredit">Photo: NASA</span></div><!-- / Image Aligning Right --> <P> <strong>13. Sasi Pillay, CTO for IT, NASA</strong> <P> In addition to leading NASA's mobility strategy and big-data efforts, Pillay works to find new technologies to integrate into NASA's broader IT infrastructure. He previously was CIO of NASA's John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Pillay's academic credentials are impressive: he has a degree in mechanical engineering from Penn State University, a master's degree and Ph.D. in computer engineering from Case Western Reserve University, and a master's degree in tech management from MIT's Sloan School of Management.<strong>14. Luke McCormack, CIO, Department of Justice</strong> <P> In March 2012, McCormack stepped in as CIO at the DOJ, where he provides oversight of IT efforts that extend across the department's various component organizations. Before taking the DOJ job, he served for seven years as CIO at Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Department of Homeland Security. McCormack is co-chair of the federal CIO Council's Information Security and ID Management Committee. He has private-sector experience with MCI and Ford Aerospace. <P> <strong>15. Rahul Merchant, CIO and Chief Innovation Officer, New York </strong> <P> It was notable when New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg named Merchant to be city CIO in April 2012 not just because of the size and scope of the job -- he oversees the Department of IT and Telecommunications, with a staff of 1,200 -- but because Merchant wears a second hat as chief innovation officer. He's part of the city's ambitious plan to become a global tech hub by encouraging startup activity, business development and tech training. <P> <strong>16. Terry Milholland, CTO, Internal Revenue Service</strong> <P> Milholland has been instrumental in helping the IRS modernize is outdated tax-management systems. In 2012, after years of trying, the agency finally implemented a database management system called the Customer Account Database Engine 2, or CADE 2, that expedited tax processing and put more up-to-date information in the hands of the agency's call handlers. Before coming to the IRS in 2008, Milholland was a technology executive at Visa International, EDS and Boeing. <P> <strong>17. Bill Oates, CIO, City of Boston</strong> <P> Oates has been building Boston's reputation as a "smart" city through the use of analytics software and other technologies. Projects include Citizens Connect, a mobile app that lets residents report potholes and other problems to city managers; deployment of asset management software at the Public Works Department; and an operations dashboard at the Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events. <P> <!-- Image Aligning Right --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/government/021/ToddPark.png" alt="Todd Park" title="Todd Park" class="img175" /><div class="storyImageCaption">Todd Park</div><span class="inlinePhotoCredit">Photo: White House</span></div><!-- / Image Aligning Right --> <P> <strong>18. Todd Park, Federal CTO, Office of Science and Technology Policy, White House</strong> <P> Since being appointed federal CTO in March 2012, Park has brought enthusiasm, energy and new ideas to the federal government's tech strategy and investments. Previously CTO of Health and Human Services, Park brings an entrepreneur's approach to government service, having co-founded several health IT startups. He's a vocal proponent of open government and has helped drive innovation through "health data paloozas" and the Presidential Innovation Fellows program. <P> <strong>19. Jerome Pender, CIO, FBI</strong> <P> A 10-year veteran of the FBI, Pender was appointed CIO in August 2012. Prior to that, he served as deputy assistant director of the agency's Criminal Justice Information Services Division, which manages both the national background check system and fingerprint identification system. The FBI has contracted with Accenture Federal Systems to modernize the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the key platform used in firearms background checks. <P> <strong>20. Margie Graves, Deputy CIO, Homeland Security</strong> <P> As deputy CIO of Homeland Security since 2008, Graves was forced to step in as acting CIO in March 2013 when agency CIO Richard Spires took a personal leave of absence. Spires resigned in May and Graves continues to serve as deputy CIO. She manages the operations of the Office of the CIO and oversees IT architecture, infrastructure and security. <P> <strong>21. Richard Holgate, CIO, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives</strong> <P> Holgate has led numerous IT projects at ATF, including mobile development and deployment, moving the agency's email system to the cloud, creating an email archive online for e-discovery and making aggregate gun-trace data available in an open format. Holgate's biggest and most important IT project is still to come: an upgrade to the agency's outdated Firearms Tracing System. <P> <strong>22. Al Tarasiuk, CIO, U.S. Intelligence Community</strong> <P> Working in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Tarasiuk oversees IT strategy and implementation for the 17-member Intelligence Community. He's using his position to encourage wider adoption of cloud computing and other kinds of shared services and platforms. He works with the CIOs of the CIA, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Security Agency to advance an IT strategy that spans the various intelligence agencies. <P> <!-- Image Aligning Right --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/government/021/TeriTakai.png" alt="Teri Takai" title="Teri Takai" class="img175" /><div class="storyImageCaption">Teri Takai</div><span class="inlinePhotoCredit">Photo: DOD</span></div><!-- / Image Aligning Right --> <P> <strong>23. Teri Takai, CIO, Department of Defense</strong> <P> Since joining the Pentagon in 2010, Takai has launched several department-wide IT initiatives, including an enterprise IT strategy and roadmap, a 10-point modernization plan, a cloud computing strategy and a mobility strategy that makes for increased use of commercial smartphones and wireless infrastructure. <P> <strong>24. Jeanne Tisinger, CIO, CIA</strong> <P> Tisinger was appointed CIO of the CIA in July 2010. She reports to CIA director John Brennan and oversees the agency's IT and information management programs. The CIO also serves as the agency's senior official for privacy matters, coordinating internal and external information-sharing policies. <P> <!-- Image Aligning Right --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/government/021/StevenVanRoekel.png" alt="Steven VanRoekel" title="Steven VanRoekel" class="img175" /><div class="storyImageCaption">Steven VanRoekel</div><span class="inlinePhotoCredit">Photo: CIO Council</span></div><!-- / Image Aligning Right --> <P> <strong>25. Steven VanRoekel, federal CIO, Office of Management and Budget</strong> <P> VanRoekel has been busy since stepping in as federal CIO in mid-2011, driving forward existing OMB policies such as "Cloud First" while introducing new ideas and policies of his own. Some of his biggest projects have included the government-wide Shared Services Strategy and Digital Government Strategy, both introduced in May 2012. More recently, he relaunched the government's IT portfolio management program as PortfolioStat 2.0, tying it more closely to data center consolidation efforts.2013-06-04T09:06:00ZDr. Jane Snowdon hails from IBM Research, where she led global outlook for the company's 12 labs.http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/ibm-appoints-first-federal-chief-innovat/240155903?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- Image Aligning Right --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/news/2013/06/Jane-Snowdon.jpg" alt="Jane Snowdon" title="Jane Snowdon" class="img175" /><div class="storyImageCaption">Jane Snowdon</div></div><!-- / Image Aligning Right --> <P> IBM has a new chief innovation officer at its U.S. federal business unit. Dr. Jane Snowdon, a 17-year veteran of IBM Research, was appointed to the newly created position to develop strategies for government clients in emerging areas including big data, cloud computing and mobile. <P> Snowdon most recently worked on the IBM Research team, where she led the global outlook for the company's 12 labs. In an interview with <em>InformationWeek Government</em>, Snowdon shared four megatrends she has observed during her time at the research labs. <P> <strong>1. Data Explosion.</strong> <P> There's been an exponential growth of users, transactions, computations, and structured and unstructured data. "With the explosion of data, being able to deal with petabytes and terabytes is extremely important," said Snowdon. "We want to continue investing in this area." <P> This growth is making data much more complex to manage, which leads to the second trend. <P> <strong>2. Advanced Analytics.</strong> <P> To deal with increasing complexity, advanced analytics are needed and, in fact, are becoming more mainstream. The trend is also creating a need for algorithms that discover hidden patterns, as more users demand interactivity and visualization. <P> <!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/ibm-smarter-cities-challenge-10-towns-ra/240142572"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/913/01_Smarter_Cities_tn.jpg" alt="IBM Smarter Cities Challenge: 10 Towns Raise Tech IQs" title="IBM Smarter Cities Challenge: 10 Towns Raise Tech IQs" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">IBM Smarter Cities Challenge: 10 Towns Raise Tech IQs</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <P> "Seventy percent of what's streaming over the Web today is multimedia. The key is being able to combine technologies and information that's contained in video, and deploy it on multiple devices that can visualize it," said Snowdon, citing diagnostic data as an example. <P> Analytics will be an area of focus for Snowdon in her new job, particularly fraud prevention assistance for agencies, as fraud in government is a massive problem. <P> <strong>3. Increased Pace.</strong> <P> The third megatrend deals with the fast pace of information. Because of the cloud, there is more open data and there are disruptive new models for its consumption. <P> <strong>4. Contextual Overload.</strong> <P> The trend of contextual overload creates an opportunity for companies to provide personalized services based on user preferences and even location, said Snowdon. <P> Snowdon said she plans to bring her extensive background in strategy, modeling, analytics and consulting to the government sector. Coming up with new citizen services that the government can provide is one area of opportunity. "The cloud is really the common platform that allows the sharing of government's wealth of data, so for instance, this would involve a cloud computing solution built on open standards," she said. <P> Among Snowdon's most notable work is developing strategies and driving research efforts worldwide to create solutions for smarter buildings. As part of its <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/boston-ibm-plot-smarter-city/240150800">Smarter City initiative</a>, IBM is working with the General Services Administration (GSA) to install smart building technology in 50 of the federal government's highest energy-consuming buildings. <P> <i>These influential and accomplished government IT leaders are finding ways to be cost efficient and still innovate. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/052013gov?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Government CIO 25</a> special issue of InformationWeek Government: Video surveillance isn't just about networked cameras anymore. New technology provides analytics, automation, facial recognition, real-time alerts and situational-awareness capabilities. (Free registration required.)</i>2013-06-03T16:15:00ZSpace agency sees astronauts aboard the International Space Station using 3-D printing to create parts and tools they need.http://www.informationweek.com/government/enterprise-architecture/nasa-tests-3-d-printing-in-space/240155984?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/966/2013Mediphan_tn.jpg" alt="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" title="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth </div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->In the near future, NASA envisions using 3-D printing to manufacture parts and tools on demand in space. The agency is working with <a href="http://www.madeinspace.us/">Made in Space</a> to launch equipment that will be used aboard the International Space Station (ISS). <P> The 3-D Printing In Zero-G Experiment will employ the first device to produce parts in space using 3-D microgravity printing, according to NASA. The hardware, which builds objects layer by layer out of polymers and other materials, should be ready for launch to the ISS next year, NASA said. NASA's goal is to ship the 3-D printer to the space station aboard an American commercial resupply mission. Since retiring the space shuttle program, NASA has been trying to privatize its space program <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/nasa-commercial-space-flight-faces-delay/231903392">to develop U.S. spacecraft</a> that can transport cargo -- and eventually, crew -- to the ISS. <P> NASA administrator Charles Bolden said the space agency is in need of "transformative" technology that can reduce cargo weight and volume. Shuttling cargo to the ISS is a long and expensive process, which can take months and cost thousands of dollars per pound. He said the 3-D printer could be the answer, giving astronauts the ability to print necessary components aboard the space station in about an hour. <P> <strong>[ Want to know more about government technology advances? See <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-breakthrough-darpa-technologies/240153857?itc=edit_in_body_cross">10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies</a>. ]</strong> <P> NASA sees other purposes for 3-D printers. They could be used with robotic systems to make tools for human missions to other planets, such as Mars. Astronauts on lengthy missions could print and recycle the tools they need, saving money and resources. 3-D printing, also called additive manufacturing, also has benefits for companies on Earth. <P> "The president's Advanced Manufacturing Initiative cites additive manufacturing as one of the key technologies that will keep U.S. companies competitive and maintain world leadership in our new global technology economy," NASA's associate administrator for space technology Michael Gazarik said in a written statement. "Taking advantage of our orbiting national laboratory, we'll be able to test new manufacturing techniques that benefit our astronauts and America's technology development pipeline." <P> Made in Space previously partnered with NASA to test its prototype 3-D printing equipment on suborbital simulated microgravity flights. Printing in microgravity poses environmental challenges, which Made in Space addressed by encasing its equipment in a special box that allows it to operate in zero-gravity. The 3-D printer will be tested to manufacture computer component boards first, later expanding to various tools and science equipment. <P> In a separate but related effort, NASA tapped Texas-based Systems and Materials Research Consultancy to explore how 3-D printing potentially could be used for making food in space. The consultancy will conduct a six-month, $125,000 study around developing a 3-D printed food system for long-duration space missions. However, NASA said it will take several years for the food system to be tested on an actual space flight.2013-05-30T13:16:00ZContestants to demonstrate robots that can collect geologic samples in bid for $1.5 prize money.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-launches-second-robot-challenge/240155804?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/966/2013Mediphan_tn.jpg" alt="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" title="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth </div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span> </div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->NASA next week will kick off its second Sample Return Robot Challenge, where teams will compete for a chance to win $1.5 million. During the competition, participants will have to demonstrate a self-operated robot capable of locating and collecting geologic samples from diverse terrain. <P> Eleven teams from the U.S. and overseas will gather for the challenge on June 5 through 7 at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Mass. The Sample Return Robot competition is part of NASA's Centennial Challenges program launched by the Space Technology Mission Directorate, which develops and tests hardware for use in NASA's future missions. NASA said the goal of the challenge is to encourage innovation in autonomous navigation and robotics technologies, which the agency could potentially use to explore a "variety of destinations in space" and in "industries and applications on Earth." <P> The competition consists of two levels. To compete in level one, a robot will have to independently travel from a starting point in search of a sample that has been identified by its onboard computer. It will then have to bring an undamaged sample to the starting point within 30 minutes. <P> <strong>[ Meet IBM's "Engagement Advisor," a computer that can take customer complaints. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/ibm-watson-gets-call-center-job/240155321?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Watson Gets Call Center Job</a>. ]</strong> <P> If able to complete the first level, teams will move on to level two, which requires a robot to return two undamaged samples -- including the pre-cached sample -- to the starting point within two hours. <P> NASA will categorize the samples as easy, intermediate or hard, based on their shape, size and design. Teams will receive higher point values for hard samples. The prizes range from $100,000 to $1.5 million, depending on the points a team scores. The agency, however, will not award any funds unless contestants have met the challenge objectives. This approach allows NASA to get the results it wants before spending government funds. <P> The <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/centennial_challenges/sample_return_robot/srr_feature_final.html">first Sample Return Robot Challenge</a> took place in 2012, also at WPI. Six teams were chosen to compete, but only one, SpacePRIDE of Graniteville, S.C., met the contest's requirements following robot inspections. The robot competed in level one, but failed to collect samples during the allotted time. NASA didn't award any prize money that year. <P> SpacePRIDE is returning to this year's competition, along with a team called Survey of Los Angeles and Washington-based Intrepid, among others. "Last year, teams were finding their footing and tweaking their designs," said Centennial Challenges program manager Sam Ortega in a written statement. "This year, we have several teams that know what they're up against, and they can't wait to get back on the field." <P> The Sample Return Robot Challenge is just one of many efforts by NASA to improve robotics technologies for interplanetary exploration. Last year, the agency <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/nasa-funds-8-advanced-robotics-projects/240007615">invested $2.7 million</a> to launch eight advanced robotics projects to develop machines that can work alongside humans on space missions. NASA was also a major sponsor of this year's <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/education/k-12/learning-from-robots/240152041">FIRST Robotics Competition</a>, an international high school contest where students get real-world engineering experience.2013-05-23T16:35:00ZInterplanetary weather app that integrates weather data from Mars and Earth is among the winners of the competition.http://www.informationweek.com/government/enterprise-applications/nasa-crowns-space-apps-challenge-winners/240155466?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/966/2013Mediphan_tn.jpg" alt="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" title="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth </div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> NASA has announced five winners of its second International Space Apps Challenge, a competition that aims to solve challenges on Earth and in space through software, hardware, data visualization and mobile apps. During the event, 770 apps were submitted and 133 were nominated for judging. <P> The <a href="http://spaceappschallenge.org/">Space Apps Challenge</a> took place on April 20 and 21, with more than 9,000 participants from around the world. NASA and its 150 partners -- including the European Space Agency, TechShop and the National Science Foundation -- created 50 challenges for teams that came together during the competition to develop relevant apps for space exploration missions. <P> The big winner of the "best mission concept" was a team from Athens, Greece, which created Popeye on Mars, a model for a deployable, reusable spinach greenhouse for Mars. The air garden would be able to operate without human intervention for 45 days, or the lifecycle of spinach. The system includes all the needed resources, sensors and electronics for spinach to thrive in the extreme conditions of the Red Planet's surface. The team also proposed systems for harvesting both the plants and the oxygen they produce. <P> <strong>[ Want to know more about the competition? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/nasa-launches-next-space-apps-challenge/240152925?itc=edit_in_body_cross">NASA Launches Next Space Apps Challenge</a>. ]</strong> <P> The "most inspiring" award went to T-10, a prototype mobile app for use on the International Space Station (ISS), created by a team from London. The app lets astronauts identify points of interest they wish to photograph, and alerts them 10 minutes before the ISS is set to fly over that location. Prior to sending alerts, T-10 checks real-time weather data and doesn't disturb users if the visibility is bad. The app also allows astronauts to upload their photos to Twitter, and can notify T-10 users on Earth when the ISS is about to fly overhead. <P> Sol, an interplanetary weather app, won for the "best use of data." Developed by a U.S.-based team from Kansas City, Mo., the app for tablets and smartphones integrates weather data from the Curiosity rover on Mars with weather data on Earth. The team wanted to get mobile users interested in science by appealing to them with a sleek design. It also developed a second companion app to augment the Sol experience, allowing users to control a 3-D version of Curiosity or spin a 3-D version of Mars to get facts about the planet. <P> ISS Base Station, headed by a group from Philadelphia, is a project that consists of hardware and software. The software component is a Web app that tracks the position of the ISS on a world map and connects to an augmented-reality iOS app, which lets users find the ISS in the sky. The hardware is a mechanical arm that receives data from the app and points to the location of the ISS in the sky when it comes overhead. ISS Base Station was the winner in the "best use of hardware" category. <P> In an effort to make "galactic impact," a team from Gothenburg, Sweden, collaborated on a project called Greener Cities. The team's design is meant to compliment NASA's satellite climate data with crowdsourced micro-climate data in order to monitor the environment. Users can "plant" a Greener Cities sensor into their box gardens -- a common gardening method for apartment dwellers -- and receive information about the state of their garden. The data reported from individual gardens can be aggregated and used by city officials to monitor air quality. <P> The Space Apps Challenge <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/enterprise-applications/nasa-unveils-space-apps-challenge/231601962">first launched</a> in 2012. During that event, 2,000 developers, designers and scientists from 17 countries participated.2013-05-22T15:17:00ZFour cloud-based products connect federal, state and local governments with citizens.http://www.informationweek.com/government/cloud-saas/salesforce-debuts-mobile-tools-for-gover/240155409?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/smb/hardware-software/8-ways-an-smb-makes-most-of-salesforceco/240148303"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/947/01_Intro_tn.jpg" alt="8 Ways An SMB Makes Most Of Salesforce.com" title="8 Ways An SMB Makes Most Of Salesforce.com" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">8 Ways An SMB Makes Most Of Salesforce.com</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->Cloud-based customer-relationship management vendor Salesforce.com on Wednesday launched four mobile products designed specifically for the government. The General Services Administration (GSA) is among Salesforce.com's largest federal customers, having developed more than 100 apps using its mobile platform. <P> The four products are Rapid Response 311, Mobile Communities for Government, Government Social Command Center and Platform Mobile Services for Government. This is the first time that Salesforce.com has created a mobile package optimized specifically for the government's needs, the company's senior VP for government transformation Daniel Burton said in an interview. <P> "There's a huge adoption rate by citizens, but the government is still <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/policy/3-goals-of-white-house-digital-governmen/240000880">weighed down by legacy systems</a> when it comes to mobile," said Burton. "These solutions give the government the ability to connect with citizens, and deliver new services using the cloud, social and mobile capabilities." <P> <strong>[ AWS passes the fed's cloud security test. Read more at <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/cloud-saas/amazon-cloud-gets-federal-stamp-of-appro/240155281?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Amazon Cloud Gets Federal Stamp Of Approval</a>. ]</strong> <P> Rapid Response 311 is based on a customer service app called Salesforce Service Cloud. Local governments can deploy a 311 portal that functions as a single point of entry for residents who file reports or requests via the phone, email, Web or social media like Twitter. Agents at call centers get a unified console on their desktops, where they can view and manage information on current cases. The City of Elgin, Illinois, has been using Rapid Response 311 at its call centers to manage snow cleanups by locating severely impacted areas across the city. <P> Mobile Communities for Government is designed for agencies that want to create communities to connect with other departments, agencies and external organizations. Built on Salesforce.com's flagship CRM product, Mobile Communities for Government measures interactions with people using built-in reports and dashboards, which helps agencies stay on top of compliance regulations. Communities can interact through social networking features -- including real-time feeds and trending topics -- on any device. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently piloting the application to simplify the approval process for drugs and medical devices. <P> New Jersey Transit has integrated Government Social Command Center, based on Salesforce Radian6, with its customer service operations. The transportation provider receives customer feedback through various channels -- eight customer service field offices, email and phone calls -- and needed a way to get the feedback to a central location. Using Government Social Command Center, agents monitor the social Web for conversations. Posts or tweets are imported into a contact center queue as a service case, and an agent is assigned to resolve each inquiry. <P> The last component, Platform Mobile Services for Government, allows government IT departments to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/salesforce-promises-speedier-mobile-app/240152555">build and deploy applications</a> on any device. In addition to the GSA, NJ Transit used the platform to create dozens of apps for ticket sales, undercover fraud investigations, civil rights enforcement and emergency response teams. <P> Salesforce.com has more than 500 federal, state and local government customers using its cloud services. They include the U.S. Census Bureau, Colorado Statewide Internet Portal Authority, Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN) and Texas Department of Information Resources. <P> <i>Urban transformation requires IT innovation. Here's how five U.S. cities are forging ahead. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/042213gov?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Future Cities</a> issue of InformationWeek Government: Video surveillance provided valuable clues to the Boston Marathon bombings, serving as a lesson to other cities. (Free registration required.)</i>2013-05-20T15:12:00ZApple devices running iOS 6 join BlackBerrys and Samsung Galaxy devices as approved for use by military and government workers.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/apple-ios-6-wins-dod-approval/240155244?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-breakthrough-darpa-technologies/240153857"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/985/TERN_01_tn.jpg" alt="10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies" title="10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has approved the use of Apple iOS 6 on the Department of Defense's networks. Devices running the latest version of Apple's operating system join BlackBerrys and Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets, which recently got the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/blackberry-samsung-get-pentagon-nod-of-a/240154163">green light from the DOD</a>. <P> By adding Apple iOS 6 to the Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) -- a methodology for "locking down" information systems and software that might otherwise be vulnerable to attacks -- the DOD has expanded the list of devices that it provides to military and government employees. The move is part of a larger effort by the DOD to build a multi-vendor mobile environment that supports a broad selection of devices and operating systems. However, the use of personal devices aren't allowed on its networks. <P> Some new BlackBerrys and Samsung Galaxy devices also received the Pentagon's nod of approval earlier this month. BlackBerry has long been a handset provider for the U.S. government, so the approval was expected. The Canadian company said its Z10 and Q10 -- running the new BlackBerry 10 operating system -- as well as the PlayBook, all have been cleared by the DOD. As for Samsung, the DOD chose the Galaxy S 4 with Knox security software, an enterprise-focused tool that keeps sensitive information separate from the rest of the smartphone. <P> <strong>[ Learn about the leaders who are helping the U.S. government become more tech savvy. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/the-government-cio-25/240155080 ?itc=edit_in_body_cross">The Government CIO 25</a>. ]</strong> <P> In February, the Defense Department <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/pentagon-unveils-secure-mobile-device-pl/240149496">released a plan</a> to speed up the adoption of commercial mobile devices and secure mobile applications in the military. The plan calls for a "framework to equip users and managers with mobile solutions that leverage commercial off-the-shelf products, improve functionality, decrease cost and enable increased personal productivity." DOD's goal is to support approximately 100,000 multi-vendor devices by February 2014. Currently, there are 600,000 commercial mobile devices in use and in pilot stage across the DOD. This includes approximately 470,000 BlackBerrys, 41,000 Apple devices and 8,700 Android devices. <P> The DOD has a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/pentagon-outlines-mobile-device-plan/240002173">mobile device strategy</a> in place, which requires that mobile devices be configured to the STIG, combined with a mobile device management system for securely managing and distributing mobile applications. "All of these pieces must be in place to allow the secure use of commercial mobile devices on department networks," said Mark Orndorff, DISA information assurance executive and program executive officer for Mission Assurance and Network Ops, in a statement. "DISA is running a pilot program today where we bring this all together." <P> DISA is responsible for creating a MDM system for the DOD, and validating devices that meet the agency's security requirements. DISA said it anticipates awarding MDM contracts to vendors in early summer.2013-05-16T15:55:00ZAgency reaches out to vendors for technology concepts that could help soldiers react to situations without getting too close to danger.http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/darpa-seeks-situational-awareness-tech/240155063?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-breakthrough-darpa-technologies/240153857"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/985/TERN_01_tn.jpg" alt="10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies" title="10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">10 Breakthrough DARPA Technologies</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking situational awareness technologies that could help soldiers on foot anticipate potential threats and effectively respond to them in real time. <P> Soldiers currently have a piecemeal approach when gathering and sharing information on the battlefield. Because they are on foot, dismounted squads particularly risk surprise attacks since they rely on line-of-sight and must get very close to identify threats -- a limitation that DARPA has asked tech vendors to address in a <a href="https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=3d6f0f8cb8cfe02a24a8d849c6cb33dc">recent request for information</a> (RFI). Vendors have until May 22 to present concepts for technologies that would enable the "digitization" of dismounted squads, according to DARPA. <P> The agency has presented several focus areas in the RFI. One of them is sensing technologies for soldier health, operational status and location. This includes methods for monitoring physical health parameters -- such as heart rate and blood pressure -- that may impact soldiers' performance. Also important is the ability to automatically monitor ammunition capacity, physical load and communications. DARPA said it's looking for geolocation technologies, particularly for areas where there isn't global positioning system (GPS) access. <P> Another area of focus is non-optical remote sensing. The RFI asks for technologies that offer capabilities beyond vision or address the environmental limits in visual methods for surveillance, detection, identification, classification, tracking and measuring range. Examples of these non-optical remote sensing technologies include radio frequency (radar), acoustic (infrasonic and ultrasonic), olfactory and seismic. The other component is distributed sensing. Sensors worn by soldiers or deployed on a moving platform like a missile could provide squads with non-line-of-sight situational awareness. <P> <strong>[ Want to see how the Pentagon uses robotics on the battlefield? See <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-drones-present-and-future-visua/240144476?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Military Drones Present And Future: Visual Tour</a>. ]</strong> <P> DARPA also seeks "tactical information synthesis and delivery," which is essentially a better way for squads to deal with large amounts of information. For instance, interpreting 3&#8208;D map data to identify key locations on the battlefield, or recognizing moving vehicles and people. An additional challenge, DARPA said, will be utilizing the processing and storage capabilities available on handhelds and devices carried by soldiers. <P> In order for all of these technologies to work effectively, robust communications networks are needed. The RFI lists possible solutions that are short-range, high&#8208;bandwidth, low&#8208;power, covert and resistant to disruptions. <P> DARPA program manager Army Lt. Col. Joseph Hitt said such innovations could give soldiers enough time to react in dangerous situations without getting too close to attackers. The agency on Wednesday <a href="http://www.darpa.mil/uploadedImages/Content/NewsEvents/Releases/2013/Marine-revised.jpg">published an artist's concept</a> of situational awareness technologies at work. "With digitization, the squad's long-loiter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying overhead could detect hostiles, alert the squad and automatically trigger the squad's quadruped robot to investigate ... The robot could automatically inform all squad members via visual and other cues about the hostiles' composition, location and weapon types," Hitt said in a statement. "We're looking to leverage emerging technologies, integrate and optimize them through rigorous experimentation, and deliver the decisive technological advantage dismounted squads deserve."2013-05-13T14:45:00ZFederal government's mobile gallery on USA.gov served as inspiration for the state-only collection of more than 160 apps.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nascio-creates-catalog-for-state-governm/240154749?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/galleries/government/mobile/240002124"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/811/01_Smokey_tn.jpg" alt="10 New Mobile Government Apps" title="10 New Mobile Government Apps" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">10 New Mobile Government Apps</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has published an online catalog of more than 160 state government mobile apps that can be downloaded for free on smartphones and tablets. <P> The <a href="http://www.nascio.org/apps">State Mobile Apps Catalog</a> is searchable by U.S. state or territory. Alternatively, users can find an app by browsing a variety of categories, including business, education, voting registration, legislature, public safety and more. The majority of the apps are intended for devices running Apple's iOS or Google's Android operating system. Developers can also upload their apps directly to the catalog by filling out a submission form. <P> One example of an app created by New York State is 511NY, which provides statewide traffic and transit information, and also offers a trip planner, camera views, weather forecasts, and road conditions for winter months. On the West Coast, DMV Now is a tool that helps California residents prepare for the written driver's license exam by taking sample tests, or it can be used for receiving important alerts from the DMV. Additionally, the collection contains apps like Watch Utah Legislature Bills and Florida House, which offer residents government-specific news and updates. <P> <strong>[ Blackberrys and Samsung Galaxy smartphones are the approved mobile devices for government personnel. Read more at <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/mobility/smart-phones/blackberry-samsung-get-pentagon-nod-of-a/240154163?itc=edit_in_body_cross">BlackBerry, Samsung Get Pentagon Nod Of Approval</a>. ]</strong> <P> The State Mobile Apps Catalog is intended not only for mobile users, but also for state governments that want to generate app ideas. "Some states lead the way in mobile app development and can pose as models for those growing their mobile app capabilities," NASCIO president and Nebraska CIO Brenda Decker, who oversaw the special project, said in a written statement. <P> The catalog appears to be a work in progress, as developers continue to add apps to the list. It currently covers the majority of the U.S., although some states -- including North Dakota, Arizona and Oregon -- don't list any apps, and apps are missing in a few significant categories, such as employment assistance. <P> The government's official Web portal, <a href="http://apps.usa.gov">USA.gov</a>, which houses more than 130 apps created by federal agencies, was the inspiration for the State Mobile Apps Catalog. Apps on USA.gov are available for Apple, Android and BlackBerry devices in categories such as medicine, health and fitness, news, finance and travel. Just this month a brand new app called Space Place Prime was added to the portal by NASA. <P> The move toward mobile apps is part of the <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/egov/digital-government/digital-government.html">White House's Digital Government Strategy</a>, introduced last May. It sets out to accomplish three goals: Provide the American public with high-quality digital government information and services; procure and manage devices, applications and data in secure and affordable ways; and unlock government data to encourage innovation and improve the quality of services for U.S. consumers and workers. The next challenge for agencies will be to optimize at least two existing customer-facing services that contain high-value data or content for mobile use. <P> <i>Uncle Sam's taken the lead on secure use of cloud services. Here's how FedRAMP can change your experience, too. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/042913?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Follow The Feds</a> issue of InformationWeek: Candid career advice for women in IT includes calling work-life balance a myth. (Free registration required.)</i>2013-05-10T15:00:00ZAfter a four-week break, the Mars rover gears up for a second rock drilling.http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/nasa-curiosity-rover-back-to-work/240154649?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/917/roverv2_tn.jpg" alt="NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men -- Yet" title="NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men -- Yet" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men -- Yet</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->After taking a four-week break due to a "solar conjunction," NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is preparing to drill and sample a second rock. <P> Curiosity will travel to the rock in the coming days. The target, dubbed "Cumberland," is located 9 feet west of the first rock the rover drilled back in February. Analysis of the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/nasa-curiosity-rover-finds-life-enabling/240150698">first drilling</a> -- which included gray-colored rock, clay minerals and mudstone -- found carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. All these chemical ingredients suggest that conditions needed to support life once existed on Mars. Once analyzed, the second rock sample could confirm the initial findings that the Red Planet's environment was indeed favorable to microbial life. <P> Cumberland and the first rock, called "John Klein," seem to be very similar. Both rocks are flat and have pale veins and a bumpy surface. They are embedded in a layer of rock on the floor of a shallow depression known as "Yellowknife Bay." <P> <strong>[ Agency will invest $105 million to develop asteroid-mining technology. Read more at <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/enterprise-architecture/nasa-launches-asteroid-research-mission/240152764?itc=edit_in_body_cross">NASA Launches Asteroid Research Mission</a>. ]</strong> <P> NASA scientists, however, have observed some differences that could provide more answers about the planet's past. Cumberland appears to have more erosion-resistant granules, which cause surface bumps. These bumps are clumps of minerals, formed when water formerly soaked the rock, according to NASA. "We know there is some cross-contamination from the previous sample each time. For the Cumberland sample, we expect to have most of that cross-contamination come from a similar rock, rather than from very different soil," said Dawn Sumner, a planner for Curiosity's science team at the University of California at Davis, in a written statement. <P> Curiosity landed on Mars inside Gale Crater in August 2012. Since, the SUV-like rover has been exploring the Red Planet by taking samples, snapping photos and sending updates back to Earth. But its time there hasn't exactly been problem-free. Curiosity's A-side computer suffered a memory glitch in February, causing the project team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to use a backup system and put the rover into safe mode for two days. Then in March, Curiosity experienced a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/nasa-curiosity-rover-hit-by-software-sna/240151092">second on-board computer problem</a>, again going into safe mode. The glitches had put the rover's scientific observations on hold for more than three weeks. <P> Last month, NASA <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/enterprise-applications/nasa-pauses-mars-missions-to-avoid-inter/240152315">temporarily limited</a> scientific observations by Curiosity as Mars passed behind the sun in a setup known as a solar conjunction. The sun appeared between Earth and Mars throughout April and could have blocked or corrupted commands sent from Earth. The rover continued to monitor Martian terrain during the break, but the team did not send any new commands. <P> Now that engineers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory have finished upgrading Curiosity's operating software following the break, the rover is ready to get rolling again. After drilling the second rock in Yellowknife Bay and completing a few nearby explorations, the vehicle will drive toward the base of Mount Sharp, a 3-mile mountain inside Gale Crater. <P> <i>Uncle Sam's taken the lead on secure use of cloud services. Here's how FedRAMP can change your experience, too. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/042913?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Follow The Feds</a> issue of InformationWeek: Candid career advice for women in IT includes calling work-life balance a myth. (Free registration required.)</i>2013-05-09T14:24:00ZIn an important move toward an open government, President Obama orders agencies to make their data available to the public in open, machine-readable formats.http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/white-house-releases-open-data-policy/240154583?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/912/01_extra_tn.jpg" alt="Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments" title="Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->President Obama on Thursday signed an <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/05/09/executive-order-making-open-and-machine-readable-new-default-government">executive order</a> requiring that from now on, all data generated by the government must be made available to the public in open, machine-readable formats. The Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science and Technology Policy also released an Open Data Policy to ensure that federal agencies manage government information as an asset. <P> The Open Data Policy is designed to make previously unavailable government data accessible to entrepreneurs, researchers and the public. In return, the data may be used to create new products and services and to build businesses. Speaking during a press conference, federal chief information officer Steven VanRoekel cited Global Positioning System (GPS) and weather data powering new innovations, such as navigation systems, when it was released to the public. <P> "We sit on a treasure trove of data in the government that's been locked up in paper and proprietary systems. As [agencies] modernize their systems they will make this data machine-readable. They will do this while protecting privacy, confidentiality and security," said VanRoekel. <P> <strong>[ Should current wiretap laws apply to social media and other forms of online communication? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/security/privacy/fbi-seeks-real-time-facebook-google-wire/240154011?itc=edit_in_body_cross">FBI Seeks Real-Time Facebook, Google Wiretaps</a>. ]</strong> <P> The move is the latest development in the open government initiative, which began during Obama's first term in office. In 2009, the Obama administration <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/policy/white-house-issues-open-government-direc/222001116">released its Open Government Directive</a>, a document outlining steps that federal agencies must take to become more transparent, participatory and collaborative. In 2011, the White House entered another phase of the open government strategy by <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/policy/obama-details-open-governments-next-phas/231601849">launching the Open Government Partnership</a>, a 46-nation effort to improve government transparency. That effort included specific commitments made by the White House to transparency in the open government National Action Plan. <P> The newly released executive order and the Open Data Policy require agencies to create an internal index of their data, make a public list of their public data and list all data that can be made public. Within 30 days of the policy's issuance, agencies will get access to an open online repository of tools and best practices to assist them in integrating the policy into their operations. Federal chief technology officer Todd Park and CIO VanRoekel will be responsible for regularly updating the online repository so that agencies continue adoption of open data practices, according to the executive order. <P> Within 90 days of issuance, measures will be identified and implemented to integrate the Open Data Policy requirements into federal acquisition and grant-making processes. A Cross-Agency Priority (CAP) goal to track implementation of the Open Data Policy will also be established during that timeframe. Within 180 days, agencies will report progress on the implementation of the CAP Goal and will continue to do so on a quarterly basis. <P> Kevin Richards, senior vice president of Federal Government Affairs at industry group TechAmerica said the Open Data Policy will fuel innovation while also helping the federal government tackle challenges without having to grow its workforce. "By making open data the default policy of the entire federal government instead of discretionary, President Obama has handed the U.S. technology industry a key to expand our global leadership in this era of Big Data," Richards said in a written statement. "This [policy] will facilitate innovation, job growth and government efficiency. It is a win for federal agencies and a win for the general public." <P> The White House announced additional actions related to the government's open data effort. <a href="http://www.data.gov">Data.gov</a>, a central hub for open government data, will launch new services -- including improved visualization and mapping tools -- and application programming interface (API) access for developers. Also, as part of <a href="http://project-open-data.github.io/">Project Open Data</a>, Park and VanRoekel will release free open source tools on Github, a website for developers. The project aims to provide plug-and-play tools and best practices to agencies working with open data. <P> <i>Uncle Sam's taken the lead on secure use of cloud services. Here's how FedRAMP can change your experience, too. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/042913?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Follow The Feds</a> issue of InformationWeek: Candid career advice for women in IT includes calling work-life balance a myth. (Free registration required.)</i>2013-05-08T10:30:00ZRichard Spires, head of the Department of Homeland Security's IT operations, stepped down from his position on May 7.http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/us-homeland-security-cio-resigns/240154441?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/iw500-15-top-government-tech-innovators/240006582"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/861/01_Intro_tn.jpg" alt="IW500: 15 Top Government Tech Innovators" title="IW500: 15 Top Government Tech Innovators" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">15 Top Government Tech Innovators</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> Richard Spires, one of the most visible and active IT leaders in the federal government, has resigned his position as chief information officer of the Department of Homeland Security. <P> A DHS official confirmed that the department has accepted Spires' resignation as the department's CIO, and that Margie Graves continues to serve as the acting CIO. Graves has been substituting as CIO since Spires <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/dhs-cio-richard-spires-takes-voluntary-l/240152049">went on personal leave</a> in mid-March for unspecified reasons. According to a DHS official, the leave was unrelated to Congressional testimony Spires delivered in February or was scheduled to give in March. <P> On May 7, Spires reportedly sent an email to his colleagues at DHS, saying: "Today I have resigned from the Department of Homeland Security. It has been a privilege to work with such a stellar group of public servants to support such important missions. I have served as the Department's CIO for more than 3 1/2 years, and I take pride in working with you to have IT more effectively support the Homeland Security missions and business as we also have worked to more efficiently deliver our services. I have learned much from you and I will miss you." <P> <strong>[ Learn why the government is interested in detailed weather data. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/in-q-tel-invests-in-weather-data-analysi/240154315?itc=edit_in_body_cross">In-Q-Tel Invests In Weather Data Analysis</a>. ]</strong> <P> As CIO for the past three-and-a-half years, Spires oversaw DHS's transition to an enterprise-wide IT strategy that provided a common set of services to the department's 22 different component organizations. Over the past few years, DHS has consolidated its data centers and rolled out a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/cloud-saas/homeland-security-plans-12-cloud-servic/231900355">dozen cloud services</a> -- including email as a service and business intelligence as a service -- to its business units. <P> In his high-profile role at DHS, Spires also managed one of the largest agency IT budgets in federal government, while serving as vice chairman of the federal CIO Council and as project leader for the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative. He was responsible for the department's $6.4 billion investment in information technology. <P> Prior to joining DHS, Spires was CIO and later deputy commissioner for operations support at the Internal Revenue Service between 2004 and 2008. Spires also served as associate CIO for applications development at IRS, overseeing the agency&#8217;s Business Systems Modernization program.2013-05-02T14:55:00ZSequestration is deterring implementation of new technologies and forcing CIOs to find ways to save, survey finds.http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/federal-cios-identify-budget-cut-risks/240154123?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcareWhile government budget cuts are thought to be necessary, many federal CIOs are worried that across-the-board cost cutting, or sequestration, hinders investments in modern technologies, according to an <a href="http://www.techamerica.org/Docs/CIO%20Survey_May%202013_v4.pdf">annual survey</a> released this month by TechAmerica in partnership with Grant Thornton. <P> When asked to identify their top concerns for 2013, CIOs mentioned budget cuts most frequently in the survey, which interviewed 41 CIOs, information resources management officials and congressional oversight committee staff members. <P> Currently more than 76% of IT spending goes to operations and maintenance, and infrastructure. CIOs want to move off of legacy systems but often don't have the money to spend on newer technologies. While this forces CIOs to think creatively as they find ways to save and buy services instead of making large, risky investments, they still don't have an effective way of understanding and managing IT costs, the survey found. More than 60% of CIOs are not confident in their ability to estimate and track IT expenditures. <P> Some new risks from budget cuts identified by CIOs include less seed capital to support innovation projects, increased cybersecurity attacks, longer hardware life cycles, suffering quality, no staff training and maintaining expensive legacy systems. When it comes to IT spending, 57% is controlled by department CIOs. Program offices control 45% and component/bureau CIOs control 44%, according to the survey. <P> In 2010, the White House released a <a href="http://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/digital-strategy/25-point-implementation-plan-to-reform-federal-it.pdf">25-point plan</a> designed to eliminate flailing IT programs. The 25-point plan has been helping CIOs identify areas of focus. Of those CIOs surveyed by TechAmerica, 94% are implementing the plan by deploying cloud services. However, there are serious cost and security constraints preventing government-wide implementation. <P> <strong>[ What can government CIOs learn from startup culture? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/we-must-run-government-it-like-a-startup/240146629?itc=edit_in_body_cross">We Must Run Government IT Like A Startup</a>. ]</strong> <P> In addition to budget cuts, the survey found other concerns that have been continuing year-to-year, such as governance. One suggestion TechAmerica provided is for Congress to assist CIOs with budgets and governance. Instead of appropriating the majority of IT funds directly to programs, Congress should give CIOs more control over how the money is spent. <P> The government also faces challenges with the talent pool, as experienced federal IT employees are choosing to retire rather than receiving no pay raises. Government jobs no longer offer security, which is impacting CIO recruitment and retention. When asked to name the most critical skill they look for in candidates, 83% of CIOs said program management, and 75% ranked problem solving as the second most critical skill. <P> Cybersecurity is at the top of the list as well. Concerns over cybersecurity are increasing, despite the fact that a trained cybersecurity workforce remains obscure. The CIO Council's "2012 Information Technology Workforce Assessment for Cyber Security" found that most federal civilian cybersecurity professionals are above the age of 40. According to the TechAmerica survey, 70% of CIOs reported as much as a 25% increase in cybersecurity threats in the last year alone. Two-thirds of the CIOs said external attacks are most common. <P> <i>Uncle Sam's taken the lead on secure use of cloud services. Here's how FedRAMP can change your experience, too. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/042913?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Follow The Feds</a> issue of InformationWeek: Candid career advice for women in IT includes calling work-life balance a myth. (Free registration required.)</i>2013-05-01T13:27:00ZUnable to get funds from Congress, space agency pays Roscosmos $424 million to continue providing crew transportation services.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-extends-crew-flight-contract-with-r/240154012?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/966/2013Mediphan_tn.jpg" alt="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" title="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth </div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->NASA will have to wait a little longer to send astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) using commercial U.S. spacecraft. The space agency this week signed a $424 million agreement with the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) to continue using its crew transportation services. <P> Roscosmos has been sending American astronauts to the ISS aboard the Soyuz spacecraft since NASA ended its Space Shuttle Program in 2011. The extension to the contract states that Roscosmos will offer transportation services to NASA in 2016, with return-and-rescue services extending through June 2017. <P> Although this ensures that there is U.S. presence aboard the ISS, <a href="http://blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/bolden/posts/post_1367334429451.html">launching astronauts on American-made spacecraft from U.S. soil is high on the priority list</a>, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a blog post on the agency's website. "While our Russian counterparts have been good partners, it is unacceptable that we don't currently have an American capability to launch our own astronauts," said Bolden. <P> <strong>[ Life on Mars? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/nasa-curiosity-rover-finds-life-enabling/240150698?itc=edit_in_body_cross">NASA Curiosity Rover Finds Life-Enabling Basics On Mars</a>. ]</strong> <P> Since retiring the Space Shuttle Program, NASA has been trying to "privatize" the U.S. space program. In 2010, the Obama Administration created a public-private partnership plan, called the Commercial Crew Program (CCP), to help the U.S. develop spacecraft that can transport astronauts to the ISS and other low-Earth orbit destinations. NASA failed to receive the requested funding for the CCP from Congress this year, thus delaying U.S. launches until 2017. Bolden said the agency could see further delays if Congress doesn't support President Obama's fiscal year 2014 request of $821 million for the program. <P> "I'm confident that our ambitious plan for U.S. crew transportation, if fully funded, will allow U.S. commercial companies to launch our astronauts in just a few short years," said Bolden. "And I'm committed to gaining the support of the U.S. Congress to fully fund our investments in these companies and bring untold benefits to our economy." NASA has three American partners --cSpaceX, Boeing and Sierra Nevada -- onboard for the CCP. In the meantime, the agency has been sending commercial cargo to the ISS. <P> On March 1, NASA's <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/spacex-resupply-rocket-aims-for-space-st/240149625">second SpaceX flight</a> to resupply the ISS took off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The mission, involving the Space Exploration Technologies-built Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon cargo capsule, carried 1,268 pounds of supplies for the ISS crew and for experiments being conducted at the Earth-orbiting research facility. Dragon <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition35/dragon_return.html">returned approximately 2,668 pounds</a> of science samples and equipment to Earth on March 26. <P> It was the second of 12 missions for SpaceX, which has been contracted by NASA to resupply the ISS under a $1.6 billion Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. SpaceX and NASA launched their first commercial resupply mission in October 2011. NASA's goal is to have SpaceX's Dragon carry not only cargo, but also astronauts to low Earth orbit.2013-04-30T10:41:00ZFrom next-generation aircraft to smarter missiles, projects launched by DARPA's Tactical Technology Office push new limits. Take a closer look.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-breakthrough-darpa-technologies/240153857?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcareThe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) -- the research arm of the Department of Defense -- is out to make "huge leaps" in military weapon and defense technologies. Earlier this month DARPA's Tactical Technology Office asked developers and defense contractors to propose ideas, and discussed its requirements with potential partners during a two-day conference. <P> The Tactical Technology Office's goal is to develop advanced platforms, weapons and space systems that support U.S. military superiority through "overwhelming technological advantage." The two-day workshop focused on the development of innovative systems for military missions on the ground, air, sea and space. DARPA invited contractors, researchers and academic institutions to pitch their ideas. <P> "We're looking for potentially huge leaps forward from the existing state of the art, not incremental improvements," Brad Tousley, director of the Tactical Technology Office, said in a statement. <P> DARPA envisions "a holistic overhaul" of the equipment available to soldiers on foot patrol, increasing the reach and protection of assets at sea, and advances in air and space operations. <P> In particular, the Tactical Technology Office is seeking contributions in the following areas: soldier and squad technologies, combat vehicles, tactical operations in urban zones, surface and subsurface seafaring technologies, novel air vehicles, hypersonic airframes, spacecraft technologies, and situational awareness in space. <P> The Tactical Technology Office manages dozens of programs, which are organized into three broad categories: advanced platforms, advanced space systems and advanced weapons systems. <P> As one example of the kind of research it pursues, the office in March launched a program called the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/darpa-seeks-to-launch-drones-from-ships/240150024">Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN)</a>, after a family of seabirds known for flight endurance, to find a faster, less expensive way to strike mobile targets anywhere, anytime. The idea is to use small ships as mobile bases for unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones (pictured). <P> In April, the Tactical Technology Office issued a request for information for a program called Digitizing Squad X, aimed at equipping soldiers with sensing, communications and mission-command capabilities that work together to create "an organically digitized and interconnected" squad. <P> Other Tactical Technology Office projects include the <a href=" http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/darpa-pack-mule-robot-takes-load-off-sol/240145021">Legged Squad Support System</a> (LS3) and other robots, the <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/darpa-aims-to-reuse-space-junk/232901038">Phoenix program</a> to harvest, repair and re-use satellites in space, and a project to develop a more flexible, supersonic missile dubbed the Triple Target Terminator. <P> DARPA pursues leading-edge research and development on behalf of the Department of Defense. The agency is organized into six R&D offices: Adaptive Execution Office, Defense Sciences Office, Information Innovation Office, Microsystems Technology Office, Strategic Technology Office and Tactical Technology Office. <P> In the meantime, here are nine breakthrough projects -- in addition to TERN -- already underway via DARPA's Tactical Technology Office. <P> <font size="-2">Credit for all images: DARPA</font>Under its Anti-Submarine Warfare program, DARPA is developing an unmanned vessel designed to track quiet diesel electric submarines. Once operational, a Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel would be able to follow enemy submarines for months at a time across thousands of kilometers with minimal human involvement. Key features include advanced software and sensors to continuously track super quiet submarines. DARPA plans to test a prototype at sea in mid-2015. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/slideshow-next-generation-defense-techno/225702281">Slideshow: Next Generation Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-transformers-20-innovative-defe/240000339">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-military-robots-of-the-future-visual/232900886">U.S. Military Robots Of The Future: Visual Tour</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men Yet</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</a>What happens when you cross a fixed-wing aircraft with a rotary-wing aircraft? You get a more flexible next-generation military aircraft, one that can take off like a helicopter, hover, and cruise at higher speeds with increased efficiency. DARPA's Vertical Takeoff and Landing Experimental Aircraft (X-Plane) program aims to develop an aircraft capable of flying at sustained speeds of between 300 and 400 knots. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/slideshow-next-generation-defense-techno/225702281">Slideshow: Next Generation Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-transformers-20-innovative-defe/240000339">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-military-robots-of-the-future-visual/232900886">U.S. Military Robots Of The Future: Visual Tour</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men Yet</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</a>Development of technologies that will provide disaster and humanitarian relief in coastal areas without relying on local infrastructure is another DARPA project. One such system is the Captive Air Amphibious Transporter, a tank-like vehicle for carrying containers over water and onto the shore. The Transporter's design includes air-filled pontoons. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/slideshow-next-generation-defense-techno/225702281">Slideshow: Next Generation Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-transformers-20-innovative-defe/240000339">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-military-robots-of-the-future-visual/232900886">U.S. Military Robots Of The Future: Visual Tour</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men Yet</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</a>Another disaster relief technology, the Parafoil Unmanned Air-Delivery system, is an alternative to helicopters or other aircraft that could be subject to dangerous landings. The propeller-driven air vehicle uses a parachute to lift and transport up to 3,000 pounds of supplies from container ships or areas on shore. Parafoil Unmanned Air-Delivery is one of four modular systems created for DARPA's Tactically Expandable Maritime Platform program. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/slideshow-next-generation-defense-techno/225702281">Slideshow: Next Generation Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-transformers-20-innovative-defe/240000339">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-military-robots-of-the-future-visual/232900886">U.S. Military Robots Of The Future: Visual Tour</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men Yet</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</a>As its name indicates, DARPA's Triple Target Terminator (T3) is a missile that can be used to go after three kinds of targets: enemy aircraft, cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles. T3's technologies include "air-breathing propulsion," advanced data networking, multi-role guidance and control, and advanced thermal and power management, according to the agency. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/slideshow-next-generation-defense-techno/225702281">Slideshow: Next Generation Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-transformers-20-innovative-defe/240000339">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-military-robots-of-the-future-visual/232900886">U.S. Military Robots Of The Future: Visual Tour</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men Yet</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</a>DARPA is looking for new ways to take pictures of satellites and other objects in space. Under its Galileo program, the Tactical Technology Office is developing mobile telescopes that use flexible fiber optic cable to create images more quickly than is possible today. Galileo complements DARPA's Phoenix program, which aims to salvage antennas and other reusable components from retired satellites. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/slideshow-next-generation-defense-techno/225702281">Slideshow: Next Generation Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-transformers-20-innovative-defe/240000339">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-military-robots-of-the-future-visual/232900886">U.S. Military Robots Of The Future: Visual Tour</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men Yet</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</a>DARPA is testing a small-caliber, guided bullet that will give military marksmen better accuracy in unfavorable conditions such as high winds or dusty terrain. The Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance bullet, or EXACTO, combines a 50-caliber round and optical sighting technology for increased range during the day or at night. EXACTO's real-time guidance system can be used to change the bullet's path as needed. DARPA describes it as a "maneuverable" bullet. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/slideshow-next-generation-defense-techno/225702281">Slideshow: Next Generation Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-transformers-20-innovative-defe/240000339">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-military-robots-of-the-future-visual/232900886">U.S. Military Robots Of The Future: Visual Tour</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men Yet</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</a>Reducing so-called "friendly fire" is an important objective of DARPA's Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) program, which combines manned and unmanned airborne platforms, next-gen graphical user interfaces, data links, digital guidance and control, and advanced targeting and visualization. DARPA is working with Aurora Flight Sciences, Raytheon and other partners to develop a system that would give air controllers the ability to engage multiple moving targets quickly within a fighting zone. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/slideshow-next-generation-defense-techno/225702281">Slideshow: Next Generation Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-transformers-20-innovative-defe/240000339">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-military-robots-of-the-future-visual/232900886">U.S. Military Robots Of The Future: Visual Tour</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men Yet</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</a>DARPA wants to develop robots that are capable of performing complex tasks in dangerous surroundings. With that goal in mind, the agency last year introduced the DARPA Robotics Challenge, in which individuals, universities and businesses were invited to submit their designs for disaster-response robots. A second competition will be held in 2013, with registration opening on July 1. <P> <strong>RECOMMENDED READING:</strong> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/slideshow-next-generation-defense-techno/225702281">Slideshow: Next Generation Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/military-transformers-20-innovative-defe/240000339">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/us-military-robots-of-the-future-visual/232900886">U.S. Military Robots Of The Future: Visual Tour</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-mars-mission-no-little-green-men-/240142965">NASA Mars Mission: No Little Green Men Yet</a> <P> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/spy-tech-10-cia-backed-investments/240142519">Spy Tech: 10 CIA-Backed Investments</a>2013-04-29T15:02:00ZIntelligence community's venture capital arm, In-Q-Tel, taps API management firm to improve dissemination of data across federal agencies.http://www.informationweek.com/government/enterprise-applications/cia-invests-in-apigee-for-better-data-sh/240153837?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/galleries/government/security/240002424"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/818/Slide-1-opening-image-38launch_tn.jpg" alt="Mission Intelligence: NRO's Newest Spy Satellites" title="Mission Intelligence: NRO's Newest Spy Satellites" class="img175" /></a><br/> <div class="storyImageTitle">Mission Intelligence: NRO's Newest Spy Satellites</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> In-Q-Tel (IQT), the Central Intelligence Agency's venture capital arm, is investing in Apigee to help government intelligence agencies improve data sharing via APIs. <P> Apigee serves as an API management firm and <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/apigee-analyzes-big-data-from-public-apis/240148544">hosts 100 billion API calls</a> a month for several large private customers, including Walgreens, Dell and eBay. IQT said it wants to tap into Apigee's expertise to reduce the complexity of delivering APIs and building apps, using the firm's cloud-based Enterprise API platform for sharing data and services. <P> "The Apigee platform can support organizations at varying stages of their API initiatives, from building effective APIs to creating meaningful business intelligence from their app ecosystems," Robert Ames, senior VP of IQT's information and communication technologies practice, said in a statement. "We believe that our government customers will be able to benefit from this comprehensive set of capabilities." <P> APIs can link thousands of previously unreachable users to a company's services by recognizing that an authorized application was trying to access them. A well-documented API can route a mobile or a PC website visitor to the right version of the application. Therefore, API management is important in getting users to tap into a company's services. Apigee's CEO Chet Kapoor said the Enterprise API platform can support intelligence agencies as they "securely foster new innovation and improve efficiencies through APIs." <P> <strong>[ Want to know more about how intelligence agencies use IT to catch bad guys? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/big-data/news/big-data-analytics/military-uses-big-data-as-spy-tech/240153309?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Military Uses Big Data As Spy Tech</a>. ]</strong> <P> Apigee is one of the largest API management companies with 300 employees. Its competitors include Vordel, WSO2, Mashery, Layer 7 and 3 Scale. <P> IQT's investment in Apigee is significant in light of the ongoing challenges that intelligence agencies have had with information sharing. The CIA and the FBI have come under questioning following this month's Boston Marathon bombings. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/cia-pushed-to-add-boston-bomber-to-terror-watch-list/2013/04/24/cf02b43c-ad10-11e2-a8b9-2a63d75b5459_story.html">According to reports</a>, Russia's security agency, the FSB, handed over information on suspected bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev to CIA officials in 2011. Tsarnaev's information was then passed to the National Counterterrorism Center, which maintains a federal database of potential terrorists. But the FBI had closed the investigation because it <a href="http://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/2011-request-for-information-on-tamerlan-tsarnaev-from-foreign-government">found no ties</a> to terrorism, and the agency never learned that Tsarnaev returned to the U.S. from Russia in 2012. <P> Senator Susan Collins of Maine has publically called the incident a "breakdown in critical information sharing." Another Senate member, Dan Coats of Indiana, who is also on the Intelligence Committee, said the government needs to improve simultaneous communications to all agencies involved when a terrorist warning is posted. <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/540402/us-had-more-tips-on-boston-suspect-congress-asks-questions">Coats told Reuters</a> in interview: "That's one of the key things that we have learned and need to work on to make sure it doesn't happen again."2013-04-25T13:45:00ZMTA and Transit Wireless enter the first phase of a multi-year plan to bring wireless communications to 277 NYC subway stations.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/36-nyc-subway-stations-get-wi-fi/240153631?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/new-yorks-32-story-data-fortress/240151545"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/968/Intergate-Manhattan-Data-Center_01_tn.jpg" alt="New York's 32-Story Data 'Fortress'" title="New York's 32-Story Data 'Fortress'" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">New York's 32-Story Data 'Fortress'</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Transit Wireless announced on Thursday that wireless and Wi-Fi service is now available at more than 30 underground subway stations in New York City. <P> The project has been in the works for five years, and Thursday's announcement marks the first phase in a multi-year plan to bring wireless communications to 277 NYC subway stations. Transit Wireless CEO Bill Bayne held a press event inside the Times Square subway station, which is among those getting service. "It is a befitting tribute to our mission to enable state-of-the-art wireless service to all of the underground subway stations by kicking it off underneath the most famous crossroads in the world: Times Square," Bayne said in a statement. <P> In addition to Wi-Fi service, commuters will have access to cellular networks underground. Both Verizon Wireless and Sprint have signed on as cell service providers at 36 stations -- from 14th Street to 96th Street -- joining T-Mobile and AT&T. Other partners include Alpha Technologies, which is proving backup power for the underground system, and SOLiD, which is supplying antenna system equipment. <P> <strong>[ Is the Big Apple preparing to become the world's next major tech center? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/new-york-city-builds-on-its-technology-b/240153276?itc=edit_in_body_cross">New York City Builds On Its Technology Base</a>. ]</strong> <P> Transit Wireless and the MTA launched a pilot program in 2011, offering Wi-Fi and cellphone service at select stops on the L, A/C/E, and 1/2/3 subway lines. Wireless service is expected to be available at the remaining 241 subway stations by 2018 or sooner. Stations in Queens and Midtown Manhattan will be next, followed by the East Side of Manhattan and the Bronx. Subway commuters can check if their stop has access at <a href="http://www.nycsubwaywireless.com">Nycsubwaywireless.com</a>. <P> Transit Wireless <a href="http://www.transitwireless.com/2012/09/upper-west-side-subway-stations-to-get-wi-fi-and-cell-service-this-fall-read-more-httpwww-dnainfo-comnew-york20120904upper-west-side-morningside-heightsupper-west-side-subway-stations-get-wi">spent</a> approximately $200 million to design, build, operate and maintain the system, initially partnering with Wi-Fi hotspot provider Boingo, AT&T and T-Mobile. Transit Wireless said it would split revenue generated by the system with the MTA, which is estimated to be $40 million over 10 years. <P> The latest development is part of New York City's continuous effort to broaden wireless network services available to residents, commuters and tourists. Ongoing projects include pay phone kiosks in the streets, "micro-trenching" fiber-optic cable to neighborhoods and wireless access in public places. <P> On May 4, AT&T and the MTA <a href="http://2013.mtaappquest.challengepost.com">will host</a> a "hackathon," where developers will compete to create apps that "solve real-world problems and enhance the transit experience of MTA's 8.5 million daily riders." Dubbed MTA App Quest, the challenge will award a total of $50,000 in prizes. Developers will have the option of building their apps using the MTA's public data and APIs. <P> <i>E2 is the only event of its kind, bringing together business and technology leaders across IT, marketing, and other lines of business looking for new ways to evolve their enterprise applications strategy and transform their organizations to achieve business value. Join us June 17-19 for three days of 40+ conference sessions and workshops across eight tracks and discover the latest insights in enterprise social software, big data and analytics, mobility, cloud, SaaS and APIs, UI/UX and more. <a href="http://www.e2conf.com/boston/?_mc=MP_BTMEDIWKAXE">Register for E2 Conference Boston today</a> and save $200 off Full Event Passes, $100 off Conference, or get a FREE Keynote + Expo Pass! </i>2013-04-24T14:55:00ZThree PhoneSats, powered by HTC Nexus One and Samsung Nexus S, launch into space as a lower cost alternative to traditional satellites.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-uses-smartphones-as-satellites/240153567?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/966/2013Mediphan_tn.jpg" alt="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" title="10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">10 Space Technologies That Help On Earth </div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for slideshow)</span> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> Over the weekend, NASA successfully launched into space three satellites consisting mainly of smartphones aboard a rocket. The nanosatellites, known as PhoneSats, have been transmitting signals to ground stations on Earth and will remain in orbit for as long as two weeks. <P> Orbital Science's Antares rocket took off from NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility in Virginia containing two PhoneSat 1.0 satellites, dubbed Graham and Bell, and an early prototype of PhoneSat 2.0, called Alexander. What makes the satellites unique is their use of commercial off-the-shelf smartphone components. PhoneSat 1.0 was built using HTC Nexus One, and PhoneSat 2.0 -- which has improved software and more sensors -- is powered by Samsung Nexus S. <P> Smartphones have more than 100 times the computing power of satellites, including fast processors, multiple sensors, high-resolution cameras, GPS receivers and radios. That's the main reason why they were chosen as microprocessors for PhoneSats, NASA said. However, some components had to be added that are missing in smartphones, including a larger, external lithium-ion battery and a more powerful radio for sending messages from space. <P> <strong>[ Learn about a new Obama Administration initiative to boost STEM education. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/future-scientists-showcase-inventions-at/240153345?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Future Scientists Showcase Inventions At White House</a>. ]</strong> <P> Each miniature satellite, measuring only four inches on each side and weighting less than four pounds, cost $3,500 to construct. NASA said its goal with PhoneSats is to send cheaper, easier to build satellites to space. Sunday's launch is <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/android-smartphones-to-power-nasa-satell/240006302">estimated to cost</a> as little as $50,000. As a comparison, a typical satellite costs as much as $500 million. <P> "Smartphones offer a wealth of potential capabilities for flying small, low-cost, powerful satellites for atmospheric or earth science, communications or other space-born applications," Michael Gazarik, NASA's associate administrator for space technology, said in a written statement. "They also may open space to a whole new generation of commercial, academic and citizen-space users." <P> Since the demonstration flight began, Alexander, Graham and Bell have been broadcasting signals over amateur radio band at 437.425 MHz. NASA created <a href="http://www.phonesat.org">Phonesat.org</a>, a website where anyone around the world can upload data "packets" they receive from the PhoneSats. The site has already collected more than 200 packets from amateur radio operators who have been tracking the satellites. <P> NASA has been working on this project since 2010, and has been finding different ways of using smartphones to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/atlantis-shuttles-samsung-smartphones-in/231001271">make satellites more intelligent</a>. The project is part of the space agency's Small Spacecraft Technology Program. PhoneSats were created by a small team of engineers at the NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, Calif. <P> The Antares rocket, which NASA's commercial partner Orbital Sciences is testing in orbit with the PhoneSats, will eventually be used to carry experiments and supplies to the International Space Station.2013-04-23T11:05:00ZScience fair honors 100 student winners in science, technology, engineering and math, as Obama announces next steps in STEM education plans.http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/future-scientists-showcase-inventions-at/240153345?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/education/k-12/learning-from-robots/240152041"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/971/FIRST_Robotics_Competition_01_tn.jpg" alt="Robotics Rumble: Teens Fight For Tech Glory" title="Robotics Rumble: Teens Fight For Tech Glory" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">Robotics Rumble: Teens Fight For Tech Glory</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->The White House on Monday hosted its third annual science fair, honoring 100 student winners of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competitions from more than 40 states. At the event, President Barack Obama revealed new details about the "Educate to Innovate" campaign, which was created to help students excel in these subject areas. <P> Taking the stage, the President <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/22/new-details-president-obama-host-white-house-science-fair">announced</a> that starting this year, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), in partnership with nonprofit organizations, will create a unit called STEM AmeriCorps charged with getting more young people to enter STEM competitions. One of STEM Americorps' first projects -- with support from AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), the national service program started by John F. Kennedy -- will be to help the nonprofit For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) to get more low-income high school students involved in FIRST's robotics contests. <P> Additionally, 10 leading education nonprofits and U.S. technology companies including SanDisk and Cisco are launching US2020, a program that will provide students from kindergarten through college with mentors from STEM fields. "The program will connect professional scientists and engineers with students who want to follow in their footsteps. The science fair products of today could become the [real] products of tomorrow," said Obama. <P> <strong>[ The U.K. faces a hurdle in getting kids interested in high-tech careers. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/tech-center/gov-cloud/uk-students-not-lining-up-to-study-it/240147916?itc=edit_in_body_cross">U.K. Students Not Lining Up To Study IT </a>. ]</strong> <P> Approximately 30 teams made up of students of all ages exhibited their projects at this year's fair, encompassing everything from emerging technologies to robotics. Easton LaChapelle, a 17-year-old student from Colorado, built a prosthetic arm by generating most of the parts through a 3-D printer. "My goal is to create an affordable prosthetic for everyday use," LaChapelle said during a live stream of the event on the <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/04/20/watch-live-2013-white-house-science-fair">White House blog</a>. He was able to assemble a fully operational arm for approximately $250, and is now working on improving its mobility. <P> Another student, high school senior Brittany Wenger from Florida, developed a cloud-based artificial intelligence program for diagnosing breast cancer. The Global Neural Network Cloud Service for Breast Cancer was built on the Google App Engine, using data published to the Machine Learning Repository by the University of Wisconsin. The program, which also won the grand prize at the Google Science Fair, has run 7.6 million trials, with 99.11% sensitivity. <P> The White House Science Fair launched in October 2010 as part of the Educate to Innovate initiative. Winning experiments from that year included a solar-powered car, a soccer-playing robot, a smart steering wheel that combatted distracted driving, and a digital 3-D model of an imaginary city for earthquake victims.2013-04-22T12:30:00ZFederal agency expects new IT system to process and track veterans' disability claims more quickly.http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/va-goes-paperless-to-eliminate-claims-ba/240153360?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/mobile-government-10-must-have-smartphon/240149858"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/958/01_Spacex_tn.jpg" alt="Mobile Government: 10 Must-Have Smartphone Apps" title="Mobile Government: 10 Must-Have Smartphone Apps" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">Mobile Government: 10 Must-Have Smartphone Apps</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced an initiative to <a href="http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2436">expedite compensation claims</a> for veterans who have waited one year or longer for a decision. The initiative is part of a larger strategy set by VA secretary Eric Shinseki to have claims completed in 125 days with 98% accuracy in order to eliminate a backlog by the end of 2015. <P> VA plans to process 250,000 claims that are more than a year old within the next six months. The federal agency's raters will make provisional decisions on the oldest claims in the inventory, helping eligible veterans collect compensation benefits in a timely manner. Secretary Shinseki said the "aggressive plan" will address VA's backlog issues. <P> In a related effort, the agency has been rolling out a new paperless system to process and track disability claims. In 2010, VA launched the Veterans Relationship Management (VRM) initiative to help call center agents pull up veterans' data more quickly, and to give veterans timely access to information like claims status. Among other services, VA provides compensation to veterans for disabilities resulting from diseases or injuries sustained while on active duty. <P> VA has seen a 200% increase over the last 10 years in original claims containing eight or more medical issues. But its more than 50 regional offices were still using legacy systems to process claims, causing delays. <P> <strong>[ IT can do a lot of things, but <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/leadership/technology-alone-isnt-healthcares-savior/240150792?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Technology Alone Isn't Healthcare's Savior</a>. ]</strong> <P> "Moving to a more centralized call center architecture became VA's goal. But we had no software," said VA's director of VRM Maureen Ellenberger, who initially was brought on as a contractor to help the agency deploy CRM technology. "At the time, we were looking for an enterprise platform that we weren't only going to use for call centers. We also wanted to use it for case management to see veteran interaction across the VA." <P> VA chose Microsoft Dynamics CRM to integrate access to its 13 different databases, which previously had to be individually queried. The rollout began in December 2011 to a limited number of managers at VA call centers. The agency has eight Veterans Benefits Administration National Call Centers and one Pension Call Center. After integrating backend data, adding performance support and training existing employees at call centers, VA fully deployed the software in December 2012. <P> The deployment resulted in a standardized way of viewing veterans' information on a single screen and consistent, accurate data. "We have seen an increase in customer satisfaction and an improvement in quality," said Ellenberger. Last week, <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/Press/2013/Apr13/04-17FederalPR.aspx">VA received the Microsoft Dynamics Customer Excellence award</a> for its effective use of CRM technology to transform the organization. <P> VA is also working with the Department of Defense to accelerate downloads of electronic health records. VA has fully deployed the Federal Case Management Tool (FCMT), which is hosted in the same environment as Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The tool allows VA-employed case managers to track information about a veteran in the transition process from the DOD. "We have five different projects underway that use CRM and case management," Ellenberger said. "Going forward, we'll have a standard build-out that we can use across the enterprise because we're already equipped with the right tools." <P> <i>Urban transformation requires IT innovation. Here's how five U.S. cities are forging ahead. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/042213gov?k=axxe&cid=article_ax xt_os">Future Cities</a> issue of InformationWeek Government: Video surveillance provided valuable clues to the Boston Marathon bombings, serving as a lesson to other cities. (Free registration required.)</i> <P>2013-04-17T15:16:00ZDISA gets "initial operating capability" to act as Defense Department's cloud services broker.http://www.informationweek.com/government/cloud-saas/dod-moves-forward-with-cloud-broker-plan/240153122?cid=SBX_iwk_related_slideshow_Electronic_Medical_Records_healthcare<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud-computing/infrastructure/10-tools-to-prevent-cloud-vendor-lock-in/240148635"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/948/01_Intro_tn.jpg" alt="10 Tools To Prevent Cloud Vendor Lock-in" title="10 Tools To Prevent Cloud Vendor Lock-in" class="img175" /></a><br /><div class="storyImageTitle">10 Tools To Prevent Cloud Vendor Lock-in</div><span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE --> The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) got the green light Tuesday to act as a cloud services broker to the Department of Defense's various branches. <P> DISA is the primary agency that provides IT services and data center facilities to the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines. By being granted "initial operating capability," DISA now has the framework in place to function as the key point of contact for all of the DOD's cloud computing needs. The goal is to make it faster and easier for the military to get cloud services without going through a long acquisition process, and to switch from one service to another as needed. <P> The agency also announced that it has performed cybersecurity assessments of two commercial cloud services providers and has given them "imminent" approval for use by the DOD. According to the <a href="http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/131931">FedRAMP website</a>, Autonomic Resources and CGI Federal will be the first providers authorized by the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), and available to the DOD under the cloud broker model. <P> DISA said it will continue conducting security assessments to expand its future offerings. Additionally, it plans to "evolve and further automate the cloud service request process" and "enhance the security model" in the coming months to accommodate partner requirements. <P> <strong>[ Defense is making strong headway on cloud email. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/cloud-saas/dod-reaches-1-million-users-on-cloud-ema/240150737?itc=edit_in_body_cross">DOD Reaches 1 Million Users On Cloud Email</a>. ]</strong> <P> The Defense Department's CIO Teri Takai <a href="http://disa.mil/Services/DoD-Cloud-Broker">designated DISA</a> as the agency's cloud broker last June, stating in a memo that it would "perform functions to achieve IT efficiencies, reliability, interoperability, and improve security and end-to-end performance by using cloud service offerings." <P> The initial operating capability designation announced Tuesday enables DISA to begin functioning as a cloud service broker to the various branches of the U.S. military. Dubbed as the "next-generation cloud acquisition model" by the GSA, the cloud broker -- part process, part technology -- is new in government. DISA and the General Services Administration have both expressed interest in using it. <P> Last September, DISA released a <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/policy/military-its-future-stresses-cloud-mobil/240006769">five-year strategic plan</a>, which included a greater emphasis on enterprise and cloud services. The plan envisions the DOD sharing IT resources across numerous services and relying heavily on cloud computing and mobile technologies, while continuing to meet the military's cybersecurity needs. <P> DISA's latest announcement comes a week after the agency unveiled plans to award a $45 million <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/cloud-saas/military-plans-multi-exabyte-storage-clo/240152481">cloud computing contract</a> for an intelligence and surveillance information storage cloud. The contract will go to systems integrator Alliance Technology Group, which said it's done business with NASA and the Navy, among other federal agencies. The partnership would enable the agency to securely store "hundreds of billions of objects" that users could access across multiple networks. <P> <i>A well-defended perimeter is only half the battle in securing the government's IT environments. Agencies must also protect their most valuable data. Also in the new, all-digital <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/031813gov?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Secure The Data Center</a> issue of InformationWeek Government: The White House's gun control efforts are at risk of failure because the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' outdated Firearms Tracing System is in need of an upgrade. (Free registration required.)</i>