The Metaverse in Your Neighborhood

State and local governments tend to be the early adopters of emerging technology in the public sector. Smart city projects, grant management, and regional collaboration have driven localities to implement emerging technology to meet the real challenges of serving citizens. Today, states and localities are experimenting with how virtual reality, and more specifically the metaverse, can help further real-world connections in communities.

Trained by Avatars

Virtual reality has long been used as a tool for training in government - think flight simulators - but today, the technology is being used for more than just tactical training. Virtual reality is helping to introduce scenarios to improve the empathy and understanding of public servants. In the metaverse, public safety professionals can safely simulate responding to dangerous situations (without the real-world risks) while also adding in realistic interactions with "people" behaving as they would during a crisis. Continue reading

Cloud and Government: Have We Finally Made a Love Connection?

The government's relationship with cloud computing has been an evolving affair. Initially, there was skepticism that cloud solutions could not provide the needed security that on-premise systems had been providing. With checks and balances provided by FedRAMP, security concerns were slowly but surely overcome. With the move to more remote work and the demand for digital interaction with citizens, cloud has moved from a novel approach to a necessary part of the Federal IT infrastructure.

Cloud and Security

Initial concerns about the levels of security maintained by cloud providers have proven to be unfounded. Cloud systems are built with security as a top of mind concern by some of the brightest, most experienced cyber experts in the world. No matter how skilled Federal IT teams are, they just cannot build an on-premises system that meets the same rigors. In fact, today cloud security concerns lie with the users of cloud rather than the providers. Continue reading

National Civic Hacking Event Takes Form June 1-2

Originally posted by  on Government Technology

If you're looking for evidence that hacking for a cause is sweeping the nation, this weekend's National Day of Civic Hacking, which boasts 95 affiliated events across the country, may just convince you.

The White House led event, June 1-2, aims to unite everyday citizens, coders, hackers and entrepreneurs to build civic solutions leveraging government data.

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West Coast States Project Development: EnergyOcean International Session Spotlight!

Get an in-depth look at a series of West Coast projects this June at EnergyOcean International Conference and Exhibition! This informative session identifies trends in development, wins and losses for the region and a snapshot of what's to come.

Ocean Energy: Progress Towards Development in Oregon

Two key efforts are underway that underpin Oregon's efforts to promote the development of wave energy. First is the completion of Oregon's Territorial Sea Plan (TSP) in early 2013. Second is the NNMREC in-water test site launched in 2012 and USDOE award of $4 million to fund phase two development of a full scale, grid-connected ocean energy demonstration center that can accommodate multiple devices of various technology types and scales. Oregon's Wave Energy Trust will present how balancing stakeholders and industry are key determinants for site quality and usability, as well as how they bridged the gap between R&D efforts and commercial development with the fishing industry and others.

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1105 Media, Messe Duesseldorf North America Roll Out New Events

Originally posted by Rachel Wimberly on Trade Show News Network

Two show management companies recently announced new events on the horizon: 1105 Media's Office Technology Group will launch the Business Imaging Expo, and Messe Duesseldorf North America, a subsidiary of Germany-based Messe Duesseldorf, will debut Energy Storage North America.

1105's new show will be held Dec. 11-12 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. "The office technology industry is changing rapidly," said Office Technology Group Publisher Patricia Ames.

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