http://www.informationweek.comInformationWeeken-usCopyright 2012, UBM LLC.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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_educationWhile 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_educationThe 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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>2013-04-15T14:30:00ZInternational competition brings together developers from around the world to create software, hardware and visualization tools for space exploration missions.http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/nasa-launches-next-space-apps-challenge/240152925?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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 is launching its second International Space Apps Challenge, a <a href="http://spaceappschallenge.org">technology development event</a> that aims to solve challenges on earth and in space through software, hardware, data visualization and mobile apps. <P> At this year's competition, taking place on April 20 and 21, developers around the world will be presented with 50 challenges created by NASA and its 150 partners, including the European Space Agency, TechShop, and the National Science Foundation. More than 40 countries will be hosting the 48-hour event, pooling participants globally. NASA is leading the collaboration along with local governments and organizations. <P> The goal of the event is to bring individuals into teams that will then work together to develop relevant apps for space exploration missions. One of those challenges is "Hitch a Ride to Mars," which asks teams to design a CubeSat, a small research satellite that produces its own power and transmits signals, for an upcoming Mars mission. A CubeSat hasn't been used in Mars exploration yet, and the new design must operate in the planet's environment, according to NASA. <P> <strong>[ Space agency plans to invest in asteroid-mining technology. Read <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> "Curiosity at Home" is another challenge centered on the Red Planet; it aims to create a connection between people and the Mars rover Curiosity. NASA is calling on developers to use software, visualization tools or an app-controlled "home rover" to update earthlings on Curiosity's activities. <P> Teams will also create an open hardware design for the European Space Agency (ESA) that can be generated by a 3D printer, address the impacts of atmospheric changes on urban areas, and develop an app that compares earth landscapes with the surfaces of other planets. <P> In 2012, 2,000 developers, designers and scientists from 17 countries participated in the Space Apps Challenge. "More than 100 unique solutions were developed in less than 48 hours during the event. All solutions were developed in a completely open-source environment, and each have their own unique potential to go even further to address world and space technology challenges," NASA Open Innovation Program manager Nick Skytland said <a href="http://open.nasa.gov/blog/2012/04/24/preliminary-results-from-the-international-space-apps-challenge">in a blog post</a> summarizing last year's event. <P> Examples of products created in 2012 include an app called Predict the Sky -- which combines data from the International Space Station (ISS), the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and weather forecasts to give users a better understanding of what they'll see in the night sky -- and Planet Hopper, an app visualizing Kepler mission data that teachers can use to teach students about extrasolar planets. Additionally, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/enterprise-applications/nasa-unveils-space-apps-challenge/231601962">last year's challenge</a> resulted in a preliminary design for a NASA Open Data API, and an open hardware design that visualizes the location of the ISS. <P> <i>Attend Interop Las Vegas May 6-10 and learn the emerging trends in information risk management and security. Use Priority Code MPIWK by March 22 to save an additional $200 off the early bird discount on All Access and Conference Passes. Join us in Las Vegas for access to 125+ workshops and conference classes, 300+ exhibiting companies, and the latest technology. <a href="http://www.interop.com/lasvegas/?_mc=MP_BTMEDIWKAXE">Register today</a>! </i>2013-04-11T15:18:00ZSpace agency sets aside $105 million toward developing technology to mine asteroids in space.http://www.informationweek.com/government/enterprise-architecture/nasa-launches-asteroid-research-mission/240152764?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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 --> President Barack Obama has proposed a federal budget of $17.7 billion for NASA in fiscal year 2014. The agency plans to use a chunk of those funds to focus on a novel initiative to robotically mine asteroids. <P> NASA plans to spend $105 million of the proposed budget to start a new <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/asteroids/news/asteroid_initiative.html">mission to visit an asteroid in space</a> by 2025. The mission will combine existing capabilities of the Orion crew capsule and Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with yet-to-be-developed technologies, like solar electric propulsion and laser communications, to identify, capture and redirect a small asteroid into a stable orbit near the moon. Solar electric propulsion generates high levels of thrust and power that would be required to capture and redirect an asteroid. <P> Astronauts will visit the asteroid and take samples for research, traveling on the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), which is designed to carry crew to space beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). The collected samples will be sent back to Earth. <P> NASA said the mission will require refined spacecraft designs, such as building with lightweight materials. Communication, data storage and transfer, and space navigation are also on the list of improvements that need to be made. <P> <strong>[ Federal agencies are set to get their first significant budget boost in four years. See how it will be spread: <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/federal-it-budget-to-increase-in-2014/240152758?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Federal IT Budget To Increase In 2014</a>. ]</strong> <P> "This mission represents an unprecedented technological feat that will lead to new scientific discoveries and technological capabilities and help protect our home planet. This asteroid initiative brings together the best of NASA's science, technology and human exploration efforts to achieve the president's goal of sending humans to an asteroid," said NASA administrator Charles Bolden in a written statement. <P> By studying asteroids, NASA will have the keys to understanding whether they pose a threat to Earth and how the risks could be mitigated. The findings will be used to advance the U.S. government's ability to track and characterize these objects, and to gauge what affects their movement, said NASA. <P> In addition to its asteroid mission -- which includes a flight test of the Orion in 2014 and the SLS in 2017 -- NASA will use the budget to fund the Commercial Crew Program. The goal of that program is to develop <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/spacex-resupply-rocket-aims-for-space-st/240149625">commercial transport</a> for crews traveling to and from LEO. <P> The money will also go toward sustaining operations and research aboard the International Space Station (ISS), construction of the James Webb Space Telescope -- scheduled for deployment in 2018 -- and supporting a new Mars rover mission due to launch in 2020, among <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/740427main_NASAFY2014SummaryBriefFinal.pdf">other initiatives</a>. <P> <i>InformationWeek Government's March Must Reads is a compendium of our best recent coverage of cloud computing in the federal government. The <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/030713mr?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Must Reads: Government And Cloud Computing</a> issue explores the federal government's cloud computing strategy, including the first government-wide cloud security authorization, various agencies' approaches to the cloud and a look at how the feds are driving cloud innovation. (Free with registration.) </i>2013-04-03T16:05:00ZDepartment of Defense research agency will foot half the bill for the White House's new R&D initiative into the human brain.http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/darpa-focuses-on-war-injuries-in-brain-r/240152244?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/14-amazing-darpa-technologies-on-tap/240008013"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/877/01_Aware-camer--prototype_tn.jpg" alt="14 Amazing DARPA Technologies On Tap" title="14 Amazing DARPA Technologies On Tap" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">14 Amazing DARPA Technologies On Tap</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will be a key participant in a new federal research initiative to better understand and map the human brain. <P> The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) initiative, announced by President Obama on Tuesday, aims to develop new data processing and imaging technologies to help scientists improve their understanding of how brain function is linked to human behavior and learning. It will also address the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury and other neurological disorders. <P> The White House plans to provide $100 million in funding in the first year of the program, half of which will come from DARPA. The agency, which is part of the Department of Defense, is interested in brain research as it relates to <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/dod-mobile-app-eases-transition-to-civil/232901668">post-traumatic stress disorder</a>, as well as brain injuries and recovery. <P> DARPA said new tools are needed to measure and analyze electrical signals and the biomolecular dynamics that support brain function. Given its mission as a defense research agency, DARPA positioned its involvement in the scientific initiative as supporting national security. <P> <strong>[ Wondering what the government's brain research entails? Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/obama-brain-mapping-project-tests-big-da/240152129?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Obama Brain Mapping Project Tests Big Data Limits</a>. ]</strong> <P> "This kind of knowledge of brain function could inspire the design of a new generation of information processing systems; lead to insights into brain injury and recovery mechanisms; and enable new diagnostics, therapies and devices to repair traumatic injury," DARPA director Arati Prabhakar said in a written statement. <P> DARPA has seven programs underway that tie into the BRAIN initiative. They include a project called Revolutionizing Prosthetics that seeks to advance upper-limb prosthetic technology. So far, the program has resulted in the development of two prototype prosthetic arm systems, which will get added functionality as research progresses. <P> DARPA's Restorative Encoding Memory Integration Neural Device (REMIND) program is geared to determining how short-term memory is encoded to help soldiers recover from memory loss, while its Reorganization and Plasticity to Accelerate Injury Recovery (REPAIR) program aims to create a neuroscience community that uses brain models to treat injuries. <P> Other areas of investment and research by DARPA include the impact of stress on the brain; helping soldiers with amputations, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/robotic-arm-holds-promise-for-paralyzed/240000574">spinal cord injuries</a>, and neurological diseases; understanding traumatic brain injury by measuring the severity of blasts to which soldiers have been exposed; and developing analytical tools to assess soldiers' psychological state. <P> DARPA acknowledged that there are "societal questions" that could arise about research surrounding these technologies. The agency said it plans to work with experts to address these issues. <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>2013-04-01T17:03:00ZiPhone, Android app DOSCareers targets potential Foreign Service candidates across the U.S.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/state-department-offers-foreign-service/240152075?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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 -->Do you have what it takes to be a U.S. diplomat? A new mobile application from the Department of State can help provide the answer. <P> The app, <a href="http://careers.state.gov/doscareers">DOSCareers</a>, debuted March 20 in the Apple iTunes and Google Play online stores. It was developed by the State Department's Office of Recruitment to reach foreign-service candidates with different educational and cultural backgrounds. <P> The app offers more than 500 questions that can be used to prepare for Foreign Service Officer Tests. The questions, drawn from actual tests, gauge a user's knowledge of federal government and culture, world history, technology, economics and other topics. <P> DOSCareers offers resources to those seeking information about diplomatic jobs, including the experiences of foreign service professionals. iPhone and Android users can watch videos of employees in different roles and browse the career path descriptions of Foreign Service specialists and officers. <P> <strong>[ Scratchy throat? Download a CDC app. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/feds-update-flu-apps/240147806?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Feds Update Flu Apps</a>. ]</strong> <P> A maps feature lets users locate diplomats in residence, who can offer career guidance and advice; and find recruitment events based on location. <P> The app has received mostly positive reviews since its launch, garnering five stars on iTunes. It's been downloaded more than 1,000 times on Google Play. <P> DOSCareers joins a growing list of career-oriented apps from Uncle Sam. Others include <a href="http://apps.usa.gov/usajobs.shtml">USAJobs</a>, a listing of federal jobs from the Office of Personnel Management; and <a href="http://apps.usa.gov/irs-jobs-mobile.shtml">IRS Jobs Mobile</a>. <P> The State Department is looking for IT pros, among other job categories. The agency's careers site lists <a href="http://careers.state.gov/specialist/vacancy-announcements/ims#.UVnaZDcpnXo">"many vacancies throughout the world" for information management specialists</a>, at starting salaries ranging from $43,000 to $63,000. Job requirements include managing hardware, software and applications, supporting cybersecurity, and an ability to obtain top secret security clearance. <P> <i>InformationWeek's 2013 <a href="http://informationweek.2013IWgovITinnovatorspre-reg.sgizmo.com/s3/?iwid=pl">Government IT Innovators program</a> will feature the most innovative government IT organizations in the 2013 InformationWeek 500 issue and on InformationWeek.com. Does your organization have what it takes? The nomination period for 2013 Government IT Innovators closes April 12.</i>2013-03-28T15:00:00ZPortfolioStat program outlines best practices for agencies to reduce IT spending.http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/white-house-issues-best-practices-for-po/240151930?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --> <div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/galleries/government/security/240000339"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/795/06_Transformer_full.jpg" alt="Defense Tech: 20 War-Fighting Innovations" title="Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies" class="img175"/></a><br/> <div class="storyImageTitle">Military Transformers: 20 Innovative Defense Technologies</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span> </div> <!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->The White House this week began overhauling its IT portfolio reviews as part of an ongoing effort to reduce spending by federal agencies. <P> Last March, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) launched a program called PortfolioStat, which conducted sessions with agencies to examine where they were spending money on IT. Through those sessions, OMB identified more than $2.5 billion in spending reductions that could be achieved from fiscal years 2013 through 2015. <P> Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel and acting director Jeff Zients announced the second round of PortfolioStat <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2013/m-13-09.pdf">in a memo</a> issued on Wednesday to the heads of executive departments and agencies. The memo noted some much-needed improvements based on evidence that "many agencies are managing IT in a decentralized manner." Going forward, PortfolioStat sessions will focus on getting agencies to adopt best practices identified in the memo, including: <P> -- Empowering agency CIOs and giving them more authority over IT governance, commodity IT systems, information security and oversight of IT program management. <P> -- Controlling spending through investment review boards (IRBs) to enable more effective IT portfolio management. <P> -- Eliminating duplication and cutting costs by offering technology "as-a-service," instead of focusing only on closing duplicative data centers. <P> <strong>[ Security concerns lead to ban on Chinese IT purchases for some government agencies. Read more at <a href=" http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/congress-curtails-government-it-purchase/240151739?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Congress Curtails Government IT Purchases From China</a>. ]</strong> <P> "A key lesson learned is that agencies should evolve their IT portfolios to deliver IT 'as a service.' Unlike traditional capital models where assets are purchased for individual projects, the service delivery model entails agencies deploying their IT like a business, optimizing it for consumption agency-wide," said VanRoekel in a <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/03/27/portfoliostat-20-driving-better-management-and-efficiency-federal-it">blog post on WhiteHouse.gov</a>. He cited cloud computing as an example of a "scalable and transparent" way for agencies to provide IT services. <P> The memo offered a list of improvements that would help agencies meet those goals. One of them is using data centers that are most important to delivering services, while shutting down inefficient ones. The plan is to close 40% of the federal government's data centers by 2015. As of this February, agencies have managed to shut down 420 data centers. <P> OMB is also consolidating the number of reports that CIOs had to previously issue into three channels: IRM strategic plans, enterprise roadmap, and integrated data collection. <P> VanRoekel said agencies are expected to report savings of approximately $300 million by the end of March, based on results from last year's PortfolioStat. "We are committed to continuing PortfolioStat to drive further management improvements, save billions of dollars across the federal government, and improve services to Americans through the use of technology," he said. <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>2013-03-26T15:15:00ZDepartment of Health and Human Services staff can get up to $10,000 to implement innovations that will improve agency operations.http://www.informationweek.com/government/information-management/hhs-seeds-employee-driven-pilot-projects/240151742?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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 Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a new initiative that will provide seed funding to innovative ideas that could be implemented throughout the department. <P> Dubbed HHSignite, the program kicked off in beta last week. The goal is to provide HHS employees with resources and tools -- which they often lack -- to put their creative ideas into practice. HHSignite is meant to complement another program called HHSinnovates that recognizes innovative achievements in HHS. That program launched in May 2010. <P> "There are <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/open/discussion/hhsignite_beta.html">no shortage of ideas</a>, but for ideas to have real value there must be evidence that it can work," HHS chief technology officer Bryan Sivak wrote in a blog post. "Supporting this idea-validation step of the larger idea-to-solution process is what this program is about," he said. <P> <strong>[ Here's how the White House is sparking creativity. Read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/leadership/white-house-seeks-tech-innovation-fellow/240147892?itc=edit_in_body_cross">White House Seeks Tech Innovation Fellows</a>. ]</strong> <P> The ideas must be new to HHS and directly related to supporting priorities set by HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius, said Sivak. HHSignite plans to support up to eight new projects with budgets of $10,000 or less. The federal agency is asking for proof-of-concept proposals that can be completed within six months, and will start accepting applications on April 1. Although HHSignite is for HHS employees, teams might include people from outside of HHS or government. <P> The projects will focus on several areas, including: <P> <em>-- Process efficiencies</em>. Such as new tools or methods that will make HHS more efficient in complying with operational standards and laws. <P> <em>-- Technologies</em>. Examples include new tools that empower external amateur scientists and improved cataract detection technology. <P> <em>-- Relationships/Partnerships</em>. This focuses on expanding the relationship with federal or non-federal partners. <P> <em>-- Communication</em>. This focuses on social media and collaboration platforms for stakeholders, citizen engagement or both. <P> <em>-- Workforce development</em>. New or improved methods that will help the workforce such as distance learning and webcasts. <P> <em>-- Sustainability</em>. Energy efficiency, pollution prevention and other methods that will help HHS meet its public health and sustainability goals. <P> "We encourage everyone to look at the work they do and ask themselves what can be done to improve our current processes, technologies and services," said Sivak. "In fact, every one of us can think of a status quo operation that could use a little disruption. And by bringing the best ideas of HHS employees to the forefront and testing them, we'll begin to build the pipeline of solutions to those nagging problems, answers to those persistent questions and advancements towards revolutionary breakthroughs." <P> In addition to funding, winning HHSignite teams will receive consultations with department leaders, access to top innovators at HHS and an opportunity to meet the agency's entrepreneurs. The winners will be announced in June. <P> <i>InformationWeek's 2013 <a href="http://informationweek.2013IWgovITinnovatorspre-reg.sgizmo.com/s3/?iwid=pl">Government IT Innovators program</a> will feature the most innovative government IT organizations in the 2013 InformationWeek 500 issue and on InformationWeek.com. Does your organization have what it takes? The nomination period for 2013 Government IT Innovators closes April 12.</i>2013-03-25T15:16:00ZCity will equip code enforcement officers, contractors with Samsung tablets running Xora software to keep them safer, more efficient on the job.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/memphis-dpw-to-track-worker-locations-be/240151652?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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 Memphis, Tenn., Department of Public Works (DPW) is planning to go live with a new mobile technology at the beginning of April, which will help the city keep better track of its code inspectors and how they work out in the field. <P> Memphis received a lot of criticism last year when a local TV station filmed DPW workers hanging out <a href="http://www.wmctv.com/story/19268124/the-investigators-men-not-at-work">instead of doing their jobs</a>, and an incident where a city inspector was killed after he knocked on a citizen's door to issue a summons. Inspectors were using netbooks, which interfaced wirelessly with DPW's Oracle database, in the field to do reporting. But they would spend up to three hours daily transcribing handwritten reports into the IT system so that the database could run daily reports. The city also had no way of tracking its workers or making sure that they were safe. <P> In June 2012, Michael Jones, deputy CIO of Memphis' city government, and his team launched a major overhaul of the old system. Through its service provider AT&T, Memphis found Xora StreetSmart, which consists of a suite of configurable mobile apps and a Web-based management application. Xora gave the city some much-needed capabilities, including location awareness, mobile forms and a job-workflow engine. DPW worked closely with Xora to add other capabilities that were missing, such as a search feature. <P> "Oracle can be hard to use if you don't know the interface, so we needed something more user friendly," said Jones. "We were able to challenge Xora to think and do things differently than they were doing to help us come up with a solution to our mobility issues." <P> <strong>[ Want to know how cities are using technology to solve tough problems? See <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/10-cities-raise-tech-iqs-in-ibm-challeng/240142572?itc=edit_in_body_cross">10 Cities Raise Tech IQs In IBM Challenge</a>. ]</strong> <P> The city is now training its workers, who have been equipped with Samsung tablet computers that run Xora's apps; these include time sheets and summonses that can be filled out using pull-down menus and printed out in the field. The collected information is sent to a Web console at DPW headquarters that has been integrated with the Oracle database. Reports are automatically complied so inspectors don't need to spend hours transcribing. The initial results are promising. Processing one violation, for example, used to take five minutes, and it has been reduced to less than a minute, said senior inspector Eric Muhammad, who worked closely with Jones on the project. <P> Supervisors will monitor inspectors by using GPS location data and time stamps, thus addressing safety issues. GPS tracking will also be used to hold inspectors liable for their work. Supervisors will know when workers clock in, take lunch and breaks, and clock out. "We've had situations with workers taking breaks and not being truthful. [Xora] really helps with accountability," said Muhammad. <P> When Memphis goes live with Xora in April, it will be used primarily by code enforcement officers who handle building inspections and outside contractors who are working to clean up 10 square blocks at a time of urban blight. <P> "This deployment has been a monumental deal for the city and it has taken a lot of time," said Jones. "But we hope it'll be successful in helping our inspectors become truly mobile and get out in the field much faster than before." <P> <i>InformationWeek Government's March Must Reads is a compendium of our best recent coverage of cloud computing in the federal government. The <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/gogreen/030713mr?k=axxe&cid=article_axxt_os">Must Reads: Government And Cloud Computing</a> issue explores the federal government's cloud computing strategy, including the first government-wide cloud security authorization, various agencies' approaches to the cloud and a look at how the feds are driving cloud innovation. (Free with registration.) </i>2013-03-21T14:06:00ZDevelopers compete to create mobile apps that solve specific challenges around jobs, health, education and other topics.http://www.informationweek.com/government/state-local/nyc-bigapps-developer-contest-allows-gov/240151415?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- 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 NYC BigApps competition has something new to offer this year. For the first time, participating developers can include data sets from federal and state government, as well as the private sector. <P> The fourth-annual mobile app development contest, which kicked off this week, features more than 350 new data sets made available to developers by New York City agencies, commissions and business improvement districts. Companies in the private sector that are providing data include Bit.ly, CareerBuilder, eBay, Etsy, Foursquare and Yelp, among others. That brings the total to approximately 1,000 data sets, including those from previous years. <P> In addition to being able to incorporate federal, state and private sector data and APIs into their apps, developers will have the opportunity to create their own data sets. Apps that generate new data sets relevant to New York City will be considered for BigApps 2013, thus allowing the city to "benefit from technology's crowdsourcing," according to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. <P> "Every day we build on the data available <a href="https://data.cityofnewyork.us/">through NYC OpenData</a>, and inspiring data-driven innovation is vital as we continue to implement the city's landmark open data law. NYC BigApps helps to ensure this data impacts communities across New York City," chief information and innovation officer Rahul N. Merchant said in a statement. <P> <strong>[ Public-private partnerships help solve local government challenges. See <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/global-cio/interviews/boston-ibm-plot-smarter-city/240150800?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Boston, IBM Plot Smarter City</a>. ]</strong> <P> Those that qualify -- individual developers, or companies and nonprofits with fewer than 25 employees -- will be presented with the task of solving specific New York City challenges, known as BigIssues. The four focus areas for BigApps 2013 are jobs and workforce mobility, healthy living, lifelong learning, and "cleanweb," which includes energy, environment and resilience issues. <P> Eight cash prizes totaling $150,000 will be awarded at a ceremony in June. Another $35,000 grand prize will go to one of the top winners from the four BigIssue categories. In addition to the cash prizes, two winners will get demo slots to present at the NY Tech Meetup. Free office space is also among the prizes, as well as a chance to join the Founders' Network, which will provide support to winners wishing to launch companies around their apps. <P> Bloomberg launched NYC BigApps in 2009. The grand prize that year was awarded to WayFinder NYC, an app that locates the nearest subway, bus or New Jersey PATH transit station. <P> The top app in <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nyc-selects-bigapps-contest-winners/232900615">last year's competition</a> was NYCFacets, which simplifies access to the OpenData portal for users and developers. The second-place winner, Work+, is an app that suggests places where home office workers can work outside of home.2013-03-19T14:50:00ZDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency pursues new protocols that would keep military wireless networks operational.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/darpa-project-seeks-more-reliable-wirele/240151177?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_education<!-- KINDLE EXCLUDE --><div class="inlineStoryImage inlineStoryImageRight"><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/security/14-amazing-darpa-technologies-on-tap/240008013"><img src="http://twimgs.com/informationweek/galleries/automated/877/01_Aware-camer--prototype_tn.jpg" alt="14 Amazing DARPA Technologies On Tap" title="14 Amazing DARPA Technologies On Tap" class="img175" /></a><br /> <div class="storyImageTitle">14 Amazing DARPA Technologies On Tap</div> <span class="inlinelargerView">(click image for larger view and for slideshow)</span></div><!-- /KINDLE EXCLUDE -->A new program is underway at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop protocols to make military wireless networks more secure. <P> When in the field, military service members rely on their mobile devices to provide access to wireless networks in areas lacking a communications infrastructure. The protocols used for these networks determine the best configurations, and therefore trust all information shared about the security and operational state of each node. This poses a huge problem for service members. <P> "Current security efforts focus on individual radios or nodes, rather than the network, so a single misconfigured or compromised radio could debilitate an entire network," DARPA program manager Wayne Phoel said in a statement. <P> DARPA's new Wireless Network Defense program aims to change how wireless networks are controlled by developing protocols that would allow networks to stay operational even if individual nodes are compromised or misconfigured. The new protocols would determine that the nearby nodes are trustworthy and automatically adapt the network to work through problems. DARPA compared the process to a neighborhood watch, where, like attentive neighbors, the protocols would be able to identify unusual activity on the network. <P> <strong>[ The military wants to modernize its use of mobile devices and apps. For more, read <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/pentagon-unveils-secure-mobile-device-pl/240149496?itc=edit_in_body_cross">Pentagon Unveils Secure Mobile Device Plan</a>. ]</strong> <P> DARPA will host a conference on April 1 in Arlington, Va., to discuss the program's goals. The agency is <a href="https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=cf385c57b870478609f5f5747dc1ca21&tab">seeking proposals</a> from companies that have expertise in military and commercial wireless network system design and operation, wireless network security protocols, distributed control theory, and economic and social networking structural analysis. <P> Private-sector technologies and social networking could be the answer to DARPA's challenges. Phoel gave examples of credit card companies using indicators such as unusual purchase locations to determine whether a credit card has been stolen. He also noted that social sites that buy and sell personal items use ratings to help users decide if a seller is trustworthy. <P> "Similar concepts of reliability estimation and control methods could be applied to wireless military networks by calling out specific areas of the network that may have untrustworthy nodes," Phoel said. <P> <i>InformationWeek's 2013 <a href="http://informationweek.2013IWgovITinnovatorspre-reg.sgizmo.com/s3/?iwid=pl">Government IT Innovators program</a> will feature the most innovative government IT organizations in the 2013 InformationWeek 500 issue and on InformationWeek.com. Does your organization have what it takes? The nomination period for 2013 Government IT Innovators closes April 12.</i>2013-03-19T10:24:00ZA portable communications system and an ultrasound machine for telemedicine are the latest additions to the Space Technology Hall of Fame.http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/10-space-technologies-that-help-on-earth/240151059?cid=SBX_iwk_related_video_Online_Learning_educationTwo technologies with "life saving" potential are about to be induced into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo. <P> The technologies -- an inflatable satellite communication system and a compact, low-power ultrasound machine -- will be inducted into the nonprofit Space Foundation's <a href="http://www.spacefoundation.org/programs/space-technology-hall-fame" target="_blank">Space Technology Hall of Fame</a> on April 11. The Hall of Fame recognizes innovations developed for use in space that are repurposed in ways that improve life on Earth. <P> The GATR Inflatable Satellite Communication System is a portable, inflatable antenna that uses geostationary satellites to establish communications in remote areas. The result of a partnership between NASA's Glenn Research Center and SRS Technologies, the system has been used in emergency relief efforts, as well as by the U.S. government for military and security operations. <P> The other Hall of Fame inductee is a compact, low-power ultrasound machine (pictured here), originally conceived to support telemedicine in space. The ultrasound devices were developed through the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity (ADUM) experiment, which took place on the International Space Station from 2003 to 2005. Experts on the ground received diagnostic-quality images from the Space Station through satellite connections. The ADUM team worked with Henry Ford Hospital, Wyle and Epiphan Systems to adapt the technology to send ultrasound scans over long distances on Earth without loss of image quality. <P> Sixty-seven technologies have been inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame since it opened 25 years ago. They illustrate how space exploration can have "unexpected benefits" on Earth, said Kevin Cook, the Space Foundation's director of Space Awareness Programs. "Our inductees remind us of what we can achieve when we dare to explore," Cook said. "They have directly improved the quality of life we enjoy today by creating industry, protecting resources and saving lives." <P> NASA has long partnered with the private sector, academia and other government agencies to repurpose space technologies for commercial use. Many of those advances are documented in the agency's annual <em>Spinoff</em> publication, which has featured more than 1,800 spinoffs in health and medicine, transportation, public safety, consumer goods, energy and the environment, IT and industrial productivity. The latest edition of <em>Spinoff</em> <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/government/mobile/nasa-rover-spinoff-roams-hospitals-deliv/240148605">highlighted 44 innovations</a>, including a search and rescue system enabled by satellite ground stations, and a robot assistant that roams hospitals and registers patients. NASA says spin-off technologies save lives and contribute to the economy. <P> The Space Foundation works closely with the NASA spinoff group to identify nominations for the Space Technology Hall of Fame and validate them. While most inductees have been NASA technologies, the Space Foundation also works with the European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Chinese Manned Space Office, Canadian Space Agency and others. Going forward, the foundation expects to see an increase in inductees from other nations.&#172;&#172; <P> In this visual guide, we highlight the 10 most recent tech innovations to be inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame. Image credit: NASAThe GATR Communication System is a portable, inflatable antenna that enables high-bandwidth satellite communications in remote parts of the world. The system is a product of the NASA Glenn Research Center and the former SRS Technologies, now ManTech International Technologies. GATR stands for ground antenna transmit receive. In 2004, a spinoff called GATR Technologies was formed to license and commercialize the system. It's used by military, intelligence, homeland security and non-government organizations to transmit and receive data, voice and video. The technology has also helped with relief efforts following hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, and other disasters. Image credit: U.S. Navy <P>Mediphan, a remote medical diagnostics company, is developing two tools for telemedicine. DistanceDoc connects to the VGA port on medical equipment, captures images, and transmits them over a LAN or the Internet. MedRecorder is a similar device that captures and archives images. The technologies' origins come from small, low-power ultrasound machines used as diagnostic tools on the International Space Station. That experiment involved a collaborative effort between the NASA Johnson Space Center, Henry Ford Hospital and Wyle Laboratories. Image credit: MediphanThe German Aerospace Center and private firm IQ Wireless created FireWatch, a terrestrial detection tool that employs high-resolution optical sensors on towers or masts to monitor forests for fires. The system, which consists of a network of rotating high-res cameras, can detect fires in any weather and at any time of day, and uses image processing software to analyze the motion, structure and brightness of smoke. It then alerts monitoring personnel, who receive images and coordinates that are passed on to emergency responders. FireWatch protects more than seven million acres of forests around the world. The technology was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2012. Image credit: DLRNASA partnered with startup Aspen Systems to produce aerogel composite blankets for use in space applications, such as on launch towers and inside shuttles, as an alternative to silica aerogels, which can be expensive and brittle. Aspen Aerogels created three variations of flexible aerogels, now used for construction, refrigeration, automotive, medical, commercial and industrial purposes. Examples of commercial products built with them are home insulation and insoles for endurance runners. Flexible aerogels were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012. Image credit: NASADigitalGlobe and GeoEye were inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2011 for their geospatial products and services. The companies have since combined into a single company called DigitalGlobe that uses Earth-imaging satellites to create high-res images for use in defense, intelligence, mapping and analysis, environmental monitoring and navigation. The company's My DigitalGlobe portal and cloud services provide access to 200 million square kilometers of imagery and metadata. Image credit: DigitalGlobeNASA researchers initially developed a "rotating wall bioreactor" to grow human cells in simulated weightlessness. In 2002, biotech firm Regenetech (then called BioCell Innovations) acquired the licenses for the NASA bioreactor and related patents for conducting adult stem cell research. Regenetech's efforts resulted in the creation of the Intrifuge System, which produces expanded cell tissues. The company uses its system and intellectual property, called CellXpansion, to develop therapies for and conduct research into medical conditions such as cardio-vascular disease, diabetes and skin problems. Image credit: NASADigital fly-by-wire (DFBW) technology dates to the 1960s, when engineers at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center began searching for alternatives to mechanical flight-control. DFBW systems were incorporated into aircraft design soon after. Today, aircraft equipped with DFBW are able to maintain constant speed and altitude over long distances for better fuel efficiency. Other benefits include increased payload, minimum maintenance and greater range, since there are no bulky hydraulics, cables and rods. Image credit: NASA <P>Eagle Eyes Optics has developed commercial sunglasses that filter out harmful radiation and permit people to see specific wavelengths of light. The glasses absorb about 99% of hazardous photo wavelengths, including UVA, UVB and blue-light. The visible light allowed to pass through is the most beneficial to the human eye and improves perception for enhanced vision. The technology's origin stems from research done by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory into better forms of eyesight protection. Image credit: Eagle Eyes OpticsEdwin Saltzman and fellow engineers at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center applied their work in the areas of aerodynamics and fluid dynamics to improved truck design. The modifications involved rounding the corners and edges of a box-shaped cab, reducing drag at those points by nearly 40%. They placed a smooth fairing on the cab's roof and extended the sides to the trailer to reduce drag and save fuel. The widely-adopted design changes translate into fuel savings of more than 6,000 gallons per year for a truck driving 100,000 miles. Image credit: NASANASA's Closed Environment Life Support System program led to the formation of Martek Biosciences, which specializes in microalgae research and development. Martek found that algae produces essential fatty acids similar to those in human breast milk, including DHA omega-3 and a fungus that yields arachidonic acid, or ARA. To address the deficiency of these fatty acids in baby formula, Martek developed an algae-based supplement called Formulaid. Food companies Horizon Organic, Kellogg and Yoplait now incorporate DHA and ARA into products for children and adults. Image credit: Martek Biosciences