Saturday, November 22, 2008

Submitted this project idea to www.change.gov ...

... I've posted this idea, blog site, and description to President-Elect Barack Obama's web site, www.change.gov .

One of the coolest things about our new "Fearless Leader" (I'm thinking a whole new spin on that term - a leader that governs based on hope instead of fear. Bless him when he does, remind him when he doesn't.) is that he has a wide-open "Suggestion Box" on almost every page of his web site.
There are SO many people with great ideas out there that could really help our country and our world, and this fact really gives me some hope that our new Leader or his Proxies will actually listen to the American People and pick out the best ideas for implementation.

If anything comes of it, I'll be sure to post it here.

Regards,

Dan

Friday, March 21, 2008

Sent a request to join Central Florida PHP Group

http://groups.google.com/group/cfphp

Welcome to the Central Florida PHP discussion group. Here you will find a talented group of passionate PHP enthusiasts committed to furthering their knowledge of the PHP scripting language by regularly attending our meetings. Each meeting a presenter gives a talk about something they feel the group can greatly benefit from as a whole. Our group meets up every four weeks at DeVry University near the Millenia Mall in Orlando, FL. You can find the official announcement list at http://groups.google.com/group/cfphp-announce.

Flash drives for storage?

Bye-bye hard drive, hello flash | CNET News.com

Bye-bye hard drive, hello flash | Hard drives take up a lot of room and eat a lot ... By about the turn of the decade, NAND could even replace hard drives ...
www.news.com/Bye-bye-hard-drive,-hello-flash/2100-1006_3-6005849.html - 54k -

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With the limited scope of function on a FRRIPnet-type device, one could imagine it easily running with a 64GB drive, and flash drive's reliability, compactness, and low power consumption compared to mechanical/electrical HDD's might make it the perfect storage solution for FRRIPnet.

Dan

Similar Ideas and Systems Under Development

First responder communications system - US Patent 7034678

A First Responder Communications System (FRCS), also referred to as an ... The system of claim 1, wherein communications among the mobile devices and the ...
www.patentstorm.us/patents/7034678-claims.html - 20k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

DCC, TWISTED PAIR SOLUTIONS JOIN FORCES TO IMPROVE FIRST RESPONDER ...

It rapidly delivers voice and text messages to available devices and gathers ... First responders use WAVE for critical voice and text communications and ...
www.dccusa.com/press-release/pr-051006.html - 10k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

Hurricane Communication Devices Inadequate Pose Danger for Responders

Apr 26, 2006 ... Hurricane Communication Devices Inadequate, Pose Danger for Responders ... improving first responder communications has become imperative, ...
www.occupationalhazards.com/.../Hurricane_Communication_Devices_Inadequate_Pose_Danger_for_Responders.aspx - 49k

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Test Post

Testing a new Yahoo group feed - this should feed into the Yahoo group messages.

Dan

New Feedburner feed, and "What Is FRRIPnet?"

Since I just started feeding through Feedburner.com, I'm going to post what this project is all about for those that might be looking at the feed rather than the blog.

What is the FRRIP net Project?

FRRIP stands for First Responder Radio IP, and FRRIPnet would be a network composed of hand-held communications units that also acted as network traffic routers. In other words, a FRRIPnet handset would use native VoIP technology, and the handsets would BE the network.

FRRIPnet handsets would also be able to utilize any available WiFi access point or cellular tower connection to relay traffic.

Priority would be given to FRRIPnet over all other traffic.

FRRIPnet handsets would be universally used by ALL United States emergency service agencies, such as police, fire, National Guard, FEMA, and local emergency management personnel. FRRIPnet would also be used by essential government officials at all levels.

Each FRRIPnet handset would have a unique identifier on the national network, which would include state, municipality or county, agency, division, and agent information.

FRRIPnet handsets would be security coded by emegency personnel and their immediate supervisors or a dedicated coding agent to allow use only by the authorized user. An emergency "guest user" mode would be available, and all traffic generated in that mode would be clearly flagged as such. Additionally, network locator mapping functions would be disabled in guest mode to prevent hostile use of this function should a FRRIPnet unit be stolen. The network could map the guest handset, but the guest handset could not see the network map.

Simply put, if FRRIPnet is developed, no First Responder group would be unable to contact another, nor be unable to contact at least one other unit on the network.

This would completely eliminate this issues with emergency workers not being able to establish cross-agency communications, or reach out and call for help.

FRRIPnet would need an effective communications range of at least five and preferably twenty miles.

This would allow un-interrupted communications throughput because it would be almost unheard of for one handset to be out of range of at least one other handset, WiFi point, cell tower, or commsat - and therefore it would be almost unheard of for any FRRIPnet device to lose connectivity to the network.

Additionally, FRRIPnet sets could be bluetooth connected to hands-free headsets and agent bio-monitors, allowing the network to self-generate a map of FRRIPnet agent locations and vital statistics via a rendundantly-located central mapping processor.

Additionally, this capability would allow a fully-integrated multi-agency directory of contacts.

Military FRRIPnet sets would also have the option of shutting down locator keep-alive and biometry signaling in potentially hostile situations. A "burst" mode could also be configured, allowing brief bursts of encrypted telemetry to be sent to the network if the agent so chooses.

The FRRIPnet Project is a call for open-source developement of the technology and signaling standards needed to make FRRIPnet possible.

If you are interested in doing development on FRRIPnet, please e-mail Dan Stafford at aqmstaffo@mailbag.com with "FRRIPnet team request" in the subject line.

This is a NOT FOR PROFIT project looking to provide first responders with a valuable tool to avoid difficulties that hampered both 9/11/2001 and hurricane Katrina rescue efforts as well as others.

All work on this project will be on a volunteer-only basis. None of us will make a dime off this project. Understand that from the start. This is strictly about saving lives.

As FRRIPnet will be developed in a team blog format, all those who work to help develope FRRIPnet will have access to a log of exactly what they deserve credit for helping with. Put it on resume's or whatever you wish.

This country can work miracles when we work together, indeed, this world can. It's time to make this one happen.

Another idea that might not hurt...

...I'm going to see about approaching some open-source PHP coders to write PHP scripting code that would operate the FRRIPnet sets. I'm thinking PHP, MySQL and Apache server on a Linux OS for the software environment. I'm thinking that mainly for the purpose of keeping the device highly stable. The last thing you want is to be in an emergency and have your handset crash.

Also, some of the new high-capacity flash drives might be a better choice for storage on the devices.

I wonder what radio chipsets might be available? I'd bet cellular will be the biggest pain.

Also, I'm thinking I want solar cells embedded in the casing or carrying case to keep the unit charged out in the field - and a hand-crank generator as a last resort.

Dan

It's been so long since I've been here...

...but every time I talk to anyone about this, they think it's a great idea. I just wish I could find that "right person" that knew how to really help me get this off the ground and in action. Maybe I need to try talking to my local firefighters. Hmmm.