This is the second in a series of stories about innovation at the National Weather Service.
This storm season, National Hurricane Center scientists are using sophisticated simulation models, new-age aircraft and better communications tools to achieve finely honed forecasting. Keep reading →
NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy launched a new public challenge contest Wednesday to generate novel approaches to using “big data” information sets from various U.S. government agencies.
Dr. Suzanne Iacono, senior science advisor for the National Science Foundation’s Computer and Information Science directorate, made the announcement during an industry forum at the Capitol surrounding the release of a new report on big data in government. Keep reading →
This feature showcases one video each Friday that captures the essence of innovation, technology and new ideas happening in government today. Keep reading →
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt holds the World and Olympic records for the fastest time in the 100-meter sprint. Bolt’s stride, strength, and muscle coordination make him not just a biomechanical marvel, but also a gold medal favorite at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The National Science Foundation partnered with NBC Learn and NBC Sports to celebrate the science, engineering and technology that are helping athletes maximize their performance at the 2012 London Olympic Games. This free 10-part educational video series explores the engineering and technology concepts behind the games. In addition, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will be providing free lesson plans for each video. Keep reading →
Many runners suffer injuries to their joints due to the repeated impact of their feet hitting the ground, and it take more than just sheer force of will to turn a career-crippling injury into another shot at Olympic competition. U.S. runner Jenny Simpson relied on new treadmill technology to help rehabilitate from a stress fracture as she trained for the 2012 Summer Olympics, where she continued to the semifinals in the 1500m relay.
The National Science Foundation partnered with NBC Learn and NBC Sports to celebrate the science, engineering and technology that are helping athletes maximize their performance at the 2012 London Olympic Games. This free 10-part educational video series explores the engineering and technology concepts behind the games. In addition, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will be providing free lesson plans for each video. Keep reading →
South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius is the first double-amputee athlete to compete at the Olympics. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Pistorius will race in the 400 meter race and 4×400 meter relay using a pair of carbon fiber prosthetic legs engineered to store and release energy from the impact of his strides.
The National Science Foundation partnered with NBC Learn and NBC Sports to celebrate the science, engineering and technology that are helping athletes maximize their performance at the 2012 London Olympic Games. This free 10-part educational video series explores the engineering and technology concepts behind the games. In addition, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will be providing free lesson plans for each video. Keep reading →
The National Science Foundation partnered with NBC Learn and NBC Sports to celebrate the science, engineering and technology that are helping athletes maximize their performance at the 2012 London Olympic Games. This free 10-part educational video series explores the engineering and technology concepts behind the games. In addition, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will be providing free lesson plans for each video.
U.S. weightlifter Sarah Robles will rely on an athletic mix of strength, speed and timing to help create explosive power when she competes at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Robotics engineer Brian Zenowich compares Robles’ movements to those made by the WAM Arm, one of the world’s most advanced robotic arms. Keep reading →
The National Science Foundation partnered with NBC Learn and NBC Sports to celebrate the science, engineering and technology that are helping athletes maximize their performance at the 2012 London Olympic Games. This free 10-part educational video series explores the engineering and technology concepts behind the games. In addition, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will be providing free lesson plans for each video.
Timing is everything, especially at the 2012 Summer Olympics where even a millisecond could mean the difference between victory and defeat. Linda Milor, an electrical engineer at Georgia Institute of Technology, explains why Olympic timekeeping technology must be able to measure an athlete’s performance with both accuracy and precision. Keep reading →
Imagine a real-life version of Harry Potter’s magical Marauder’s Map, which showed the location of everyone prowling throughout Hogwarts castle. That’s what startup Xandem is building: a new kind of all-seeing motion-detection system that’s poised to shake up the security market.
There are many different ways to track motion, but most commercial systems rely on optical beams that require uninterrupted sight lines. Heat-sensing infrared systems don’t have that weakness, but they’re prone to false alarms and can be blocked by anything that insulates body heat. Keep reading →
First Todd Park, former Department of Health and Human Services chief technology officer, bet on health data in a big way; got his upcoming Health Data Palloza, and then became our new Federal CTO.
Then Gus Hunt, CIA CTO, bet on big data for the Intelligence Community and got its budget increased by Congress, reflecting a governmental shift in IT priorities, from a Defense Department style network-centric focus toward the IC’s big data-centric focus.
Now the Defense Department is in the big data game with their big bet to the tune of $250 million announced Thursday at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Big Data Research and Development Initiative.
The assistant secretary of Defense, in a letter released yesterday, said “We intend to change the game and plan to be the fist to leverage big data across the full scope of military operations in new and unconventional ways.”
There are five other agencies who were present at the AAAS Auditorium event which are contributing much smaller (or non-disclosed amounts) as follows:
I think it leaves us with a disconnected federal big data program between the science and intelligence communities with the former considerably behind the latter.
The report, “Designing a Digital Future: Federally Funded Research and Development in Networking and Information Technology,” prepared by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), said: “Every federal agency needs to have a “big data” strategy.
I did not hear that today either from every agency or across all the agencies. The recent 2012 Big Data Government Forum provided a much more comprehensive view of best practices around Big Data technology, trends, and issues from senior government executives, data scientists, and vendors.
As Professor Jim Hendler, RPI Computer Scientist, commented during the meeting: “Computer scientists like us have to move to the social science side of things to really do big data.”
This new White House Initiative needs Todd Park’s entrepreneurial spirit, Gus Hunt’s experience, and DoD’s new money, spent in a coordinated way with the IC and civilian agencies to make big data across the federal government a reality.