President Barack Obama has appointed Howard Schmidt, adjunct faculty member in the Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GTISC) in the College of Computing, as the new White House cybersecurity coordinator.
“Howard is one of the world’s leading authorities on computer security, with some 40 years of experience in government, business and law enforcement,” said John Brennan, assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, in an e-mail announcing the appointment last month. “Howard will have regular access to the president and serve as a key member of his National Security Staff. He will also work closely with his economic team to ensure that our cybersecurity efforts keep the nation secure and prosperous.”
At Tech, Schmidt has helped set up the GTISC industry advisory board. He has worked on a research project to evaluate the cyber security policies of various United States stakeholders. He has also given lectures on security policies and strategies.
Schmidt previously served as former chief security strategist for the US CERT Partners Program and former special advisor to the White House for Cyberspace Security under President George W. Bush. He joined Tech in 2006 to work with GTISC to improve the state of information security by lending his vast knowledge and expertise in this growing technological area.
Schmidt’s distinguished career as an information security advocate includes leadership positions with both public and private sector organizations. He has served on the President’s Critical Infrastructure Protection Board, was an augmented member of the President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology and held executive positions with the Information Systems Security Association, the Information Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Center, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Information Security Privacy Advisory Board. Schmidt also served as vice president and chief security strategist for eBay and chief security officer for Microsoft Corporation, forming and directing the computer giant’s Trustworthy Computer Security Strategies Group.
David Terraso
Georgia Tech
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Showing posts with label georgia tech. Show all posts
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Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Sun Dial Uses Mobile Phones to Alert Muslims to Prayer
Religious technology may seem like an oxymoron, but as more people obtain mobile phones, iPhones and other devices to help them manage their lives, it’s only natural that many of them will be using their gadgets to help them enrich their spiritual life as well. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a mobile application known as Sun Dial, which alerts Muslim users when it’s time to perform the five daily prayers known as salat. The device is currently being discussed this week at the human-computer interaction conference, CHI, in Boston.
“We have to understand religion because it’s such a central part of peoples lives,” explained Susan Wyche, doctoral candidate in the College of Computing and GVU Center at Georgia Tech.
Designing technological devices for religious use may be very different from designing devices for traditional uses in office settings.
“Efficiency and productivity tend to be driving forces when designing technology for offices, but these are not as central when designing applications for the home or religious settings. Why would you design a device that makes someone pray faster?,” said Wyche.
Wyche, along with her research team, chose to focus on Islam for this study, partially because of the religion’s popularity worldwide and partially because Muslims have historically used technology such as compasses and telescopes to help them determine the direction to face during prayer.
Working with seven focus groups, they determined that the greatest interest from the participants lay in prompting them when it was time to pray — not by using text, which some commercial applications use, but through imagery combined with audible alerts.
Sun Dial tells users that the time to pray is approaching by using an image of the sun lining up with a green circle. When the sun lines up with the circle, it’s time to pray.
“Unlike similar systems, ours relies on graphics rather than text and graphs to communicate prayer times. Users drove this choice by telling us that tracking the sun was the most religiously valued method to determine prayer times.”
Wyche and colleagues tested their application with Muslims from Georgia Tech and the greater Atlanta area for two weeks with favorable reaction. They’re currently working on implementing a few design changes such as a digital clock and a vibration alert. Eventually, they plan on making the application available for download.
“Sun Dial provided more than functionality or a prompt to the prayer times; it also contributed to users’ religious experience by reminding them they were part of a larger community. More broadly, carefully considering imagery is important when developing mobile phone applications, particularly ones that support personal and emotional activities, which may be sacred or secular.”
The research team was comprised of Associate Professor Beki Grinter, along with doctoral candidates Kelly Caine, Benjamin Davison and Michael Arteaga.
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“We have to understand religion because it’s such a central part of peoples lives,” explained Susan Wyche, doctoral candidate in the College of Computing and GVU Center at Georgia Tech.
Designing technological devices for religious use may be very different from designing devices for traditional uses in office settings.
“Efficiency and productivity tend to be driving forces when designing technology for offices, but these are not as central when designing applications for the home or religious settings. Why would you design a device that makes someone pray faster?,” said Wyche.
Wyche, along with her research team, chose to focus on Islam for this study, partially because of the religion’s popularity worldwide and partially because Muslims have historically used technology such as compasses and telescopes to help them determine the direction to face during prayer.
Working with seven focus groups, they determined that the greatest interest from the participants lay in prompting them when it was time to pray — not by using text, which some commercial applications use, but through imagery combined with audible alerts.
Sun Dial tells users that the time to pray is approaching by using an image of the sun lining up with a green circle. When the sun lines up with the circle, it’s time to pray.
“Unlike similar systems, ours relies on graphics rather than text and graphs to communicate prayer times. Users drove this choice by telling us that tracking the sun was the most religiously valued method to determine prayer times.”
Wyche and colleagues tested their application with Muslims from Georgia Tech and the greater Atlanta area for two weeks with favorable reaction. They’re currently working on implementing a few design changes such as a digital clock and a vibration alert. Eventually, they plan on making the application available for download.
“Sun Dial provided more than functionality or a prompt to the prayer times; it also contributed to users’ religious experience by reminding them they were part of a larger community. More broadly, carefully considering imagery is important when developing mobile phone applications, particularly ones that support personal and emotional activities, which may be sacred or secular.”
The research team was comprised of Associate Professor Beki Grinter, along with doctoral candidates Kelly Caine, Benjamin Davison and Michael Arteaga.
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Monday, April 6, 2009
Microsoft Begins Alliance with Georgia Electronic Design Center
Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC), the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GEcDev) and Microsoft Research announced a two-year research alliance focused on RF-DNA, a novel technology for radio-frequency identification (RFID). The alliance was kicked off at GEDC’s annual Spring Industry Review at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Under the alliance, Microsoft Research is investing $600,000 over two years. The new lab’s work, which is based on intellectual property from both partners, is providing both basic research into RFID technology and ongoing student education in the field.
“We’re extremely pleased to join Microsoft Research and our government partners to advance the growing field of RFID,” said Joy Laskar, GEDC director and Schlumberger Chair in Microelectronics in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “We believe this work will result in the development of important research with strong economic potential.”
New RFID technologies allow tiny circuits, sometimes printed on paper, to enable secure sharing of product information and other data via wireless networks at low cost. This new collaborative RF-DNA research project will be designed to enable the creation of hard-to-forge certificates of authenticity by exploring the randomness of simple objects in the RF electromagnetic domain. Advances in this area of research could have a significant and positive impact on the pharmaceutical and banking industries.
The collaborative RF-DNA research is expected to lay a foundation for the use of RFID technology in cost-efficient and highly secure pharmaceutical labeling products.
“Microsoft Research understands the important role academic research plays in driving innovation and industrial advances,” said Simon Mercer, director of Health and Wellbeing, Microsoft External Research. “We are delighted to support the Georgia Electronic Design Center’s endeavors in RFID and RF-DNA research to advance not only high-end computer science, but industrial initiatives as well, ultimately helping to tackle some of world’s most challenging societal problems.”
In welcoming the Microsoft partnership, Laskar paid tribute to the support that GEDC has received from its state of Georgia partners: the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GEcDev).
"GRA has funded basic research studies at GEDC through its Market Developing Program for the past three years,” Laskar said. “That program has the specific objective of producing research that will bring new business partners to Georgia, and we’re delighted that Microsoft has joined our list of partner companies.”
In addition, he added, “the continuing support for our activities that GEDC has received from the Georgia Department of Economic Development has been key to bringing this new RF-DNA Laboratory to Georgia and in recruiting this great company to the city of Atlanta.”
Susan G. Shows, senior vice president of GRA, said her organization is gratified by the Microsoft-GEDC agreement.
“This partnership is a strong instance of the supportive effects that the current GRA-GEDC Market Developing Program is having on Georgia’s economic outlook,” Shows said. “This is the kind of innovation-driven economic development that generates high-value companies and high-wage jobs.”
Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, noted that GEDC’s accomplishments are demonstrating economic pull on a national and international scale.
“In Georgia, we place a high value on our public-private partnerships,” said Stewart. “GEDC has forged a partnership and established research cooperation with Microsoft Research, as it has with some 50 other corporate and government members. These activities are proof that the success of a state’s economy is tied to effective utilization of its university intellectual property.”
Laskar and GEDC Associate Director Manos Tentzeris will be co-principal investigators on the RFID and RF-DNA research project. Work will be conducted at the new RF-DNA Laboratory, located at GEDC’s headquarters in the Technology Square Research Building at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
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Under the alliance, Microsoft Research is investing $600,000 over two years. The new lab’s work, which is based on intellectual property from both partners, is providing both basic research into RFID technology and ongoing student education in the field.
“We’re extremely pleased to join Microsoft Research and our government partners to advance the growing field of RFID,” said Joy Laskar, GEDC director and Schlumberger Chair in Microelectronics in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “We believe this work will result in the development of important research with strong economic potential.”
New RFID technologies allow tiny circuits, sometimes printed on paper, to enable secure sharing of product information and other data via wireless networks at low cost. This new collaborative RF-DNA research project will be designed to enable the creation of hard-to-forge certificates of authenticity by exploring the randomness of simple objects in the RF electromagnetic domain. Advances in this area of research could have a significant and positive impact on the pharmaceutical and banking industries.
The collaborative RF-DNA research is expected to lay a foundation for the use of RFID technology in cost-efficient and highly secure pharmaceutical labeling products.
“Microsoft Research understands the important role academic research plays in driving innovation and industrial advances,” said Simon Mercer, director of Health and Wellbeing, Microsoft External Research. “We are delighted to support the Georgia Electronic Design Center’s endeavors in RFID and RF-DNA research to advance not only high-end computer science, but industrial initiatives as well, ultimately helping to tackle some of world’s most challenging societal problems.”
In welcoming the Microsoft partnership, Laskar paid tribute to the support that GEDC has received from its state of Georgia partners: the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GEcDev).
"GRA has funded basic research studies at GEDC through its Market Developing Program for the past three years,” Laskar said. “That program has the specific objective of producing research that will bring new business partners to Georgia, and we’re delighted that Microsoft has joined our list of partner companies.”
In addition, he added, “the continuing support for our activities that GEDC has received from the Georgia Department of Economic Development has been key to bringing this new RF-DNA Laboratory to Georgia and in recruiting this great company to the city of Atlanta.”
Susan G. Shows, senior vice president of GRA, said her organization is gratified by the Microsoft-GEDC agreement.
“This partnership is a strong instance of the supportive effects that the current GRA-GEDC Market Developing Program is having on Georgia’s economic outlook,” Shows said. “This is the kind of innovation-driven economic development that generates high-value companies and high-wage jobs.”
Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, noted that GEDC’s accomplishments are demonstrating economic pull on a national and international scale.
“In Georgia, we place a high value on our public-private partnerships,” said Stewart. “GEDC has forged a partnership and established research cooperation with Microsoft Research, as it has with some 50 other corporate and government members. These activities are proof that the success of a state’s economy is tied to effective utilization of its university intellectual property.”
Laskar and GEDC Associate Director Manos Tentzeris will be co-principal investigators on the RFID and RF-DNA research project. Work will be conducted at the new RF-DNA Laboratory, located at GEDC’s headquarters in the Technology Square Research Building at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
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Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Ten Companies Team with Georgia Tech to Form 100G Consortium
Ten companies have joined forces with the Georgia Institute of Technology to establish the Georgia Tech 100G Optical Networking Consortium, which is believed to be the first academic-industrial consortium of its kind in the world. To date, more than $2.2 million in support has been designated for this facility by the consortium’s founding research members: ADVA Optical Networking, Ciena, OFS, and Verizon – and by supporting members Avanex, IBM, Narda Microwave East, Nistica, Picometrix, and RSoft Design Group.
The consortium and facility allow academic and industry personnel to perform multidisciplinary research in all aspects of 100-gigabit-per-second transmission, supported by the diverse and complementary strengths of the industrial partners and faculty members. Research topics range from fundamental studies of 100G optical transmission to assessment of optical and electronic technologies that will be used in such high-speed optical networks.
A variety of network architectures will be studied, including realistic impairments found in regional and ultra long haul links. These efforts also actively support the upcoming IEEE 100G standard for short reach, client-side transport in the local area network and future IEEE standards for short reach transmission over laser-optimized, multi-mode fiber in data centers.
Historically, networking infrastructure has migrated to systems with increased transmission capacity, thereby allowing increased efficiency and the delivery of content-rich services, noted Stephen E. Ralph, the consortium’s director and a professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). Critical to the success of these new technologies is the ability to deploy them over existing fiber infrastructure, which is equivalent to increasing the capacity of a highway 10-fold without changing the roadway, he said.
“Our industry-led effort creates a unique opportunity for students and industry to define and validate the enabling technologies necessary for 100G networks,” Ralph said. “The creation of this consortium at Georgia Tech enhances the competitiveness of our member companies, creating job growth in this critical area of communications and networking. The faculty of Georgia Tech is uniquely able to advance understanding in signal processing, high-speed circuits, and optical components and systems. This unique combination, together with the expertise of our industry researchers, will enable member companies to develop and demonstrate technical advantages and accelerate deployment of next generation systems and services while simultaneously influencing the next generation standards.”
Located in Georgia Tech’s Technology Square Research Building, the new 100G test bed and extensive supporting simulation capabilities enable rigorous and independent evaluation of optical and electronic signal processing strategies, new modulation formats and receiver technologies, high-speed silicon CMOS-based electronics, and classical/modern forward error correction, all in realistic optical fiber transport and electronic transceiver environments.
Co-director of the effort is Gee-Kung Chang, Byers Eminent Scholar Chair in optical networking. Joining Ralph and Chang in the quest for 100Gbps transport is Byers Professor John D. Cressler, whose research addresses high-speed electronics challenges, and Professor John Barry, whose work focuses on critical signal processing issues. Chang, Cressler and Barry are also based in ECE.
“Expertise in these three critical areas, in one place, cannot be found anywhere else, and lets the faculty team and their industry collaborators consider all of these factors at once,” added Ralph, who specializes in optics and photonics technologies. “Our corporate partners and our faculty members realize that performing these functions in a vacuum no longer works; everyone has to work together to achieve practical 100G performance.”
Construction on the Consortium’s 100G test bed started in July 2008 and was made possible with additional support from the Georgia Tech Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Research and Innovation and the Georgia Research Alliance. The first test bed link, which will allow testing of new modulation concepts within a point-to-point link engineered for 10Gbps systems, became fully functional in November 2008. Two additional milestones, which will include the creation of a long-haul DWDM mesh network environment exceeding 1,000 kilometers, will be met by July 2009, when the facility will be fully functional.
Growth for Phase 2 is expected to bring in additional corporate support and faculty involvement in the areas of dynamic mesh networks and network security. This facility will enhance the current capabilities of the Georgia Electronic Design Center.
“The 100G effort makes Georgia Tech the place to be for those interested in pursuing 100G technologies,” said Mark Allen, senior vice provost for research and innovation and a Regents’ professor in ECE. “From an economic development perspective, the implications could be huge, as our faculty, students, and industry partners create technologies that support 100G transport and that could be commercialized in a number of ways.”
Graduate students involved with this new consortium are receiving valuable technical experience that will serve them well in internships, co-op assignments, and beyond.
“We are very happy that these companies have chosen to support the 100G consortium and ECE,” said Gary S. May, Steve W. Chaddick School Chair of ECE. “Our students are seeing best technical practices in action and having important technical concepts enhanced and reinforced that they are learning in our electronics, digital signal processing, and optics and photonics courses. Upon graduation, our students will be ready to actively contribute to their employers in academia and industry.”
The Consortium’s industry members see benefits from the strong collaborations with Georgia Tech faculty and students.
“A close collaboration between industry and academia is crucial for successful development of new technologies,” said Michael Frankel, transport technology director at Ciena. “In addition to financial support, Ciena will leverage its proven ability to take breakthrough technologies into commercial products.”
Christoph Glingener, chief technology officer for ADVA Optical Networking, said the consortium is essential to the company’s ability to evaluate and drive future technologies. “As a global innovation leader in the field of optical networks, we are proud to participate in this partnership in order to drive component, systems and network performance,” he explained. “We are also pleased to support the education process for the students of Georgia Tech, enabling focused research on areas of importance to the future of our industry.”
The diverse interests of the collaborators will help create a better understanding of issues in 100 Gbps transport.
“OFS is delighted to be working with a major global carrier, two systems companies, leading optoelectronic and RF designers, and both optical and signal processing faculty and students at Georgia Tech to develop a deeper understanding the science of 100 Gbps transport,” said Robert Lingle, Jr., director of fiber design and systems research at OFS. “We believe this research partnership will further enhance OFS’ position as industry leader in the development of next-generation solutions in the field of optical fibers, cables and photonic modules.”
“This consortium is an excellent example of the industry and university collaboration necessary to develop and test the next generation component technologies that will enable 100 Gbps optical transport on both the line side and client side,” stated Rob Risser, president and general manager of Picometrix. “Close collaboration with consortium members will help accelerate our development and deployment of advanced 100 Gbps optical receivers.”
Ralph and his colleagues from Ciena, OFS and ADVA Optical Networking presented their interests related to the 100G consortium, company goals, and their vision for the evolution of optical networks at the Fall 2008 Internet2 Member Meeting, held in New Orleans, La. October 13-16. They plan to present related materials at the Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exposition and The National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference to be held in San Diego, Calif. from March 22 to 26.
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The consortium and facility allow academic and industry personnel to perform multidisciplinary research in all aspects of 100-gigabit-per-second transmission, supported by the diverse and complementary strengths of the industrial partners and faculty members. Research topics range from fundamental studies of 100G optical transmission to assessment of optical and electronic technologies that will be used in such high-speed optical networks.
A variety of network architectures will be studied, including realistic impairments found in regional and ultra long haul links. These efforts also actively support the upcoming IEEE 100G standard for short reach, client-side transport in the local area network and future IEEE standards for short reach transmission over laser-optimized, multi-mode fiber in data centers.
Historically, networking infrastructure has migrated to systems with increased transmission capacity, thereby allowing increased efficiency and the delivery of content-rich services, noted Stephen E. Ralph, the consortium’s director and a professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). Critical to the success of these new technologies is the ability to deploy them over existing fiber infrastructure, which is equivalent to increasing the capacity of a highway 10-fold without changing the roadway, he said.
“Our industry-led effort creates a unique opportunity for students and industry to define and validate the enabling technologies necessary for 100G networks,” Ralph said. “The creation of this consortium at Georgia Tech enhances the competitiveness of our member companies, creating job growth in this critical area of communications and networking. The faculty of Georgia Tech is uniquely able to advance understanding in signal processing, high-speed circuits, and optical components and systems. This unique combination, together with the expertise of our industry researchers, will enable member companies to develop and demonstrate technical advantages and accelerate deployment of next generation systems and services while simultaneously influencing the next generation standards.”
Located in Georgia Tech’s Technology Square Research Building, the new 100G test bed and extensive supporting simulation capabilities enable rigorous and independent evaluation of optical and electronic signal processing strategies, new modulation formats and receiver technologies, high-speed silicon CMOS-based electronics, and classical/modern forward error correction, all in realistic optical fiber transport and electronic transceiver environments.
Co-director of the effort is Gee-Kung Chang, Byers Eminent Scholar Chair in optical networking. Joining Ralph and Chang in the quest for 100Gbps transport is Byers Professor John D. Cressler, whose research addresses high-speed electronics challenges, and Professor John Barry, whose work focuses on critical signal processing issues. Chang, Cressler and Barry are also based in ECE.
“Expertise in these three critical areas, in one place, cannot be found anywhere else, and lets the faculty team and their industry collaborators consider all of these factors at once,” added Ralph, who specializes in optics and photonics technologies. “Our corporate partners and our faculty members realize that performing these functions in a vacuum no longer works; everyone has to work together to achieve practical 100G performance.”
Construction on the Consortium’s 100G test bed started in July 2008 and was made possible with additional support from the Georgia Tech Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Research and Innovation and the Georgia Research Alliance. The first test bed link, which will allow testing of new modulation concepts within a point-to-point link engineered for 10Gbps systems, became fully functional in November 2008. Two additional milestones, which will include the creation of a long-haul DWDM mesh network environment exceeding 1,000 kilometers, will be met by July 2009, when the facility will be fully functional.
Growth for Phase 2 is expected to bring in additional corporate support and faculty involvement in the areas of dynamic mesh networks and network security. This facility will enhance the current capabilities of the Georgia Electronic Design Center.
“The 100G effort makes Georgia Tech the place to be for those interested in pursuing 100G technologies,” said Mark Allen, senior vice provost for research and innovation and a Regents’ professor in ECE. “From an economic development perspective, the implications could be huge, as our faculty, students, and industry partners create technologies that support 100G transport and that could be commercialized in a number of ways.”
Graduate students involved with this new consortium are receiving valuable technical experience that will serve them well in internships, co-op assignments, and beyond.
“We are very happy that these companies have chosen to support the 100G consortium and ECE,” said Gary S. May, Steve W. Chaddick School Chair of ECE. “Our students are seeing best technical practices in action and having important technical concepts enhanced and reinforced that they are learning in our electronics, digital signal processing, and optics and photonics courses. Upon graduation, our students will be ready to actively contribute to their employers in academia and industry.”
The Consortium’s industry members see benefits from the strong collaborations with Georgia Tech faculty and students.
“A close collaboration between industry and academia is crucial for successful development of new technologies,” said Michael Frankel, transport technology director at Ciena. “In addition to financial support, Ciena will leverage its proven ability to take breakthrough technologies into commercial products.”
Christoph Glingener, chief technology officer for ADVA Optical Networking, said the consortium is essential to the company’s ability to evaluate and drive future technologies. “As a global innovation leader in the field of optical networks, we are proud to participate in this partnership in order to drive component, systems and network performance,” he explained. “We are also pleased to support the education process for the students of Georgia Tech, enabling focused research on areas of importance to the future of our industry.”
The diverse interests of the collaborators will help create a better understanding of issues in 100 Gbps transport.
“OFS is delighted to be working with a major global carrier, two systems companies, leading optoelectronic and RF designers, and both optical and signal processing faculty and students at Georgia Tech to develop a deeper understanding the science of 100 Gbps transport,” said Robert Lingle, Jr., director of fiber design and systems research at OFS. “We believe this research partnership will further enhance OFS’ position as industry leader in the development of next-generation solutions in the field of optical fibers, cables and photonic modules.”
“This consortium is an excellent example of the industry and university collaboration necessary to develop and test the next generation component technologies that will enable 100 Gbps optical transport on both the line side and client side,” stated Rob Risser, president and general manager of Picometrix. “Close collaboration with consortium members will help accelerate our development and deployment of advanced 100 Gbps optical receivers.”
Ralph and his colleagues from Ciena, OFS and ADVA Optical Networking presented their interests related to the 100G consortium, company goals, and their vision for the evolution of optical networks at the Fall 2008 Internet2 Member Meeting, held in New Orleans, La. October 13-16. They plan to present related materials at the Optical Fiber Communications Conference and Exposition and The National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference to be held in San Diego, Calif. from March 22 to 26.
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Georgia Tech Joins Industry Alliance to Help Build the Mobile Internet
True mobile Internet capability for wireless devices – including high-definition TV, movies and video-conferencing – has taken a step closer to reality.
The Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) at Georgia Tech is allying with several major corporations and an international standards group to promote a new worldwide cognitive radio (CR) standard that would allow new levels of performance in portable devices such as cellular phones and computers.
The new alliance – called the Cognitive Networking Alliance (CogNeA)—is comprised of top players in the consumer electronics, personal computing, home entertainment, semiconductor and digital imaging fields.
CogNeA members include AT&T, Dell, ETRI, GEDC, HP, Motorola, Philips, Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Texas Instruments.
“CogNeA brings together a number of influential international companies and groups, in order to develop a wireless standard and platform for multimedia networking in the home as well as for broadband Internet access,” said CogNeA Chairman Kiran Challapali.
The new CR standard would utilize the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) band –so-called “white-space” – currently used for television broadcasting. Use of this white space for wireless applications could enable the broad bandwidth demanded by wireless video, while also providing extended range, improved coverage and superior penetration through walls.
The CogNeA standard is aimed at a broad range of applications, including Internet access for communities and in-home High Definition Multi-Media networking and distribution.
“GEDC is extremely pleased to be named the university-based member of this important alliance,” said Joy Laskar, director of GEDC. “We believe this effort can make an important contribution to the development of the mobile Internet.”
GEDC is an internationally known center at Georgia Tech dedicated to the design of mixed-signal chips as well as the education of analog electrical engineers. It has 13 faculty research leaders, more than150 graduate and undergraduate researchers and some 50 industry and government members and research partners. For more information visit www.gedcenter.org.
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The Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) at Georgia Tech is allying with several major corporations and an international standards group to promote a new worldwide cognitive radio (CR) standard that would allow new levels of performance in portable devices such as cellular phones and computers.
The new alliance – called the Cognitive Networking Alliance (CogNeA)—is comprised of top players in the consumer electronics, personal computing, home entertainment, semiconductor and digital imaging fields.
CogNeA members include AT&T, Dell, ETRI, GEDC, HP, Motorola, Philips, Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Texas Instruments.
“CogNeA brings together a number of influential international companies and groups, in order to develop a wireless standard and platform for multimedia networking in the home as well as for broadband Internet access,” said CogNeA Chairman Kiran Challapali.
The new CR standard would utilize the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) band –so-called “white-space” – currently used for television broadcasting. Use of this white space for wireless applications could enable the broad bandwidth demanded by wireless video, while also providing extended range, improved coverage and superior penetration through walls.
The CogNeA standard is aimed at a broad range of applications, including Internet access for communities and in-home High Definition Multi-Media networking and distribution.
“GEDC is extremely pleased to be named the university-based member of this important alliance,” said Joy Laskar, director of GEDC. “We believe this effort can make an important contribution to the development of the mobile Internet.”
GEDC is an internationally known center at Georgia Tech dedicated to the design of mixed-signal chips as well as the education of analog electrical engineers. It has 13 faculty research leaders, more than150 graduate and undergraduate researchers and some 50 industry and government members and research partners. For more information visit www.gedcenter.org.
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Friday, January 16, 2009
New Wireless 60 GHz Standard Promises Ultra-Fast Applications
Ultra-high-speed wireless connectivity – capable of transferring 15 gigabits of data per second over short distances – has taken a significant step toward reality. A recent decision by an international standards group could help bring this technology to market soon.
Short-distance 60 gigahertz (GHz) technology could offer many benefits to bandwidth-hungry applications such as high-definition video and high-capacity data storage. The new standard would support extremely fast wireless peer-to-peer connectivity, PC connectivity and High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable replacement.
Among the many potential 60 GHz applications are virtually wireless desktop-computer setups and data centers, wireless home DVD systems, in-store kiosks that transfer movies to handheld devices in seconds, and the potential to move gigabytes of photos or video from a camera to a PC almost instantly.
Industry group Ecma International recently announced a worldwide standard for the radio frequency (RF) technology that makes 60 GHz “multi-gigabit” data transfer possible. The specifications for this technology, which involves chips capable of sending RF signals in the 60 GHz range, are expected to be published as an ISO standard in 2009.
“We believe this new standard represents a major step forward,” said Joy Laskar, a member of the Ecma 60 GHz standards committee and director of the Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) at Georgia Tech. “Consumers could see products capable of ultra-fast short-range data transfer within two or three years.”
He added that multi-gigabit technology could also help enable “viral communications.” Viral communications scenarios envision a future of decentralized, ubiquitous, wireless devices that aren’t directly connected to a central communications conduit. Instead, they cooperate with one another to both utilize and expand bandwidth and data availability.
GEDC, a microelectronics design center at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has already produced a CMOS chip capable of transmitting 60 GHz digital RF signals. This chip design could speed up commercialization of high-speed short-range wireless applications because CMOS technology is both low cost and low in power consumption.
“Multi-gigabit technology definitely has major promise for new consumer and IT applications,” said Darko Kirovski, senior researcher at the Microsoft Research division of the Redmond, Washington, software giant. “Ecma’s move on international standardization of 60 GHz frequency range brings us closer to realizing that promise.”
GEDC researchers have already achieved very high data transfer rates that promise unprecedented short-range wireless speeds—15 Gbps at a distance of 1 meter, 10 Gbps at 2 meters and 5 Gbps at 5 meters.
Laskar recently discussed 60 GHz wireless technology at a MIT Enterprise Forum of Atlanta panel discussion on “The Future of Wireless Communications.” The panel, which included Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal and AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de La Vega, was broadcast Nov. 24, 2008, and can be viewed at (www.mitforum-atlanta.org).
“Multi-gigabit wireless technology is widely perceived as a means to bring important new wireless applications to both consumer and IT markets,” said Ann Revell-Pechar, chair of the MIT Enterprise Forum of Atlanta Chapter board.
Ecma International members finalized the details of the 60 GHz short- range unlicensed communications standard at international meetings in Montreux, Switzerland, in November 2008. The technology was demonstrated using a GEDC-designed CMOS chip.
The GEDC-developed chip is the first 60GHz embedded chip for multimedia multi-gigabit wireless use. The chip unites 60GHz CMOS digital radio capability and multi-gigabit signal processing in an ultra-compact package.
“This new technology represents the highest level of integration for 60GHz wireless single-chip solutions,” Laskar said. “It offers the lowest energy per bit transmitted wirelessly at multi-gigabit data rates reported to date.”
Since its inception in 1961, Ecma International has developed standards for information and communication technology and consumer electronics. Ecma submits its work for approval as ISO, ISO/IEC and ETSI standards. Ecma practices “fast tracking” of specifications through the standardization process in global standards bodies such as the ISO.
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Short-distance 60 gigahertz (GHz) technology could offer many benefits to bandwidth-hungry applications such as high-definition video and high-capacity data storage. The new standard would support extremely fast wireless peer-to-peer connectivity, PC connectivity and High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable replacement.
Among the many potential 60 GHz applications are virtually wireless desktop-computer setups and data centers, wireless home DVD systems, in-store kiosks that transfer movies to handheld devices in seconds, and the potential to move gigabytes of photos or video from a camera to a PC almost instantly.
Industry group Ecma International recently announced a worldwide standard for the radio frequency (RF) technology that makes 60 GHz “multi-gigabit” data transfer possible. The specifications for this technology, which involves chips capable of sending RF signals in the 60 GHz range, are expected to be published as an ISO standard in 2009.
“We believe this new standard represents a major step forward,” said Joy Laskar, a member of the Ecma 60 GHz standards committee and director of the Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) at Georgia Tech. “Consumers could see products capable of ultra-fast short-range data transfer within two or three years.”
He added that multi-gigabit technology could also help enable “viral communications.” Viral communications scenarios envision a future of decentralized, ubiquitous, wireless devices that aren’t directly connected to a central communications conduit. Instead, they cooperate with one another to both utilize and expand bandwidth and data availability.
GEDC, a microelectronics design center at the Georgia Institute of Technology, has already produced a CMOS chip capable of transmitting 60 GHz digital RF signals. This chip design could speed up commercialization of high-speed short-range wireless applications because CMOS technology is both low cost and low in power consumption.
“Multi-gigabit technology definitely has major promise for new consumer and IT applications,” said Darko Kirovski, senior researcher at the Microsoft Research division of the Redmond, Washington, software giant. “Ecma’s move on international standardization of 60 GHz frequency range brings us closer to realizing that promise.”
GEDC researchers have already achieved very high data transfer rates that promise unprecedented short-range wireless speeds—15 Gbps at a distance of 1 meter, 10 Gbps at 2 meters and 5 Gbps at 5 meters.
Laskar recently discussed 60 GHz wireless technology at a MIT Enterprise Forum of Atlanta panel discussion on “The Future of Wireless Communications.” The panel, which included Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal and AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de La Vega, was broadcast Nov. 24, 2008, and can be viewed at (www.mitforum-atlanta.org).
“Multi-gigabit wireless technology is widely perceived as a means to bring important new wireless applications to both consumer and IT markets,” said Ann Revell-Pechar, chair of the MIT Enterprise Forum of Atlanta Chapter board.
Ecma International members finalized the details of the 60 GHz short- range unlicensed communications standard at international meetings in Montreux, Switzerland, in November 2008. The technology was demonstrated using a GEDC-designed CMOS chip.
The GEDC-developed chip is the first 60GHz embedded chip for multimedia multi-gigabit wireless use. The chip unites 60GHz CMOS digital radio capability and multi-gigabit signal processing in an ultra-compact package.
“This new technology represents the highest level of integration for 60GHz wireless single-chip solutions,” Laskar said. “It offers the lowest energy per bit transmitted wirelessly at multi-gigabit data rates reported to date.”
Since its inception in 1961, Ecma International has developed standards for information and communication technology and consumer electronics. Ecma submits its work for approval as ISO, ISO/IEC and ETSI standards. Ecma practices “fast tracking” of specifications through the standardization process in global standards bodies such as the ISO.
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Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Georgia Tech and CDC Work to Improve Safety of Blood Supply
The Georgia Tech College of Computing, working in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has developed a Web-based tool for tracking blood safety. The tool is expected to help developing countries improve the adequacy and safety of their national blood supplies through better monitoring and evaluation.
The tool, which is accessed through a standard Web browser, tracks about 80 blood safety indicators continuously at the hospital and provincial levels. A pilot test in Zambia showed that the tool could improve the timeliness and accuracy of data collection efforts, allowing blood safety officials to better forecast or predict regional and seasonal blood usage patterns.
“A simple, scalable, Web-based tool like this can make a tremendous difference in public health around the world,” said Santosh Vempala, distinguished professor in the College of Computing’s School of Computer Science and faculty leader for the project. “The Zambian health officials immediately saw the benefits of real-time data collection and the ability to compare different regions’ needs and see trends over time.”
The project started when John Pitman, public health advisor in CDC’s Global AIDS Program, met Vempala and explained the challenges involved in ensuring global blood safety. Their vision of a web-based tracking system was taken up in 2008 by students in the College of Computing’s Computing for Good class, co-taught by Vempala. Using information about current conditions and future demands within the target countries, the Georgia Tech team, computer science Ph.D. students Adebola Osuntogun and Stephen Thomas, built a Web-based system that resource-limited countries of any size could use to report data to national authorities. The system could also be used by a global organization, like CDC, to monitor multiple projects.
The Georgia Tech team developed the new Web-based tool from a Microsoft Excel version created by CDC. The team field-tested the Web-based tool in Zambia in July-August 2008 to obtain feedback from blood safety program staff.
“I was impressed by the team’s ability to adapt to the computing environment in Zambia, and to make the changes necessary to ensure this would be an appropriate solution for developing countries,” Pitman said. “Including staff from the Zambian national blood transfusion service in the development process was essential to be sure it fit their needs.”
Ministries of health in Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia will begin using the new tracking system on January 1, 2009. All 14 countries are recipients of U.S. financial support through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Georgia Tech’s Computing for Good class gives students the opportunity to understand how computing can be used to improve the human condition, according to Vempala. “Projects such as this collaboration with the CDC present computer science as a cutting-edge technological discipline that empowers our students to solve problems and make a positive impact on society.”
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The tool, which is accessed through a standard Web browser, tracks about 80 blood safety indicators continuously at the hospital and provincial levels. A pilot test in Zambia showed that the tool could improve the timeliness and accuracy of data collection efforts, allowing blood safety officials to better forecast or predict regional and seasonal blood usage patterns.
“A simple, scalable, Web-based tool like this can make a tremendous difference in public health around the world,” said Santosh Vempala, distinguished professor in the College of Computing’s School of Computer Science and faculty leader for the project. “The Zambian health officials immediately saw the benefits of real-time data collection and the ability to compare different regions’ needs and see trends over time.”
The project started when John Pitman, public health advisor in CDC’s Global AIDS Program, met Vempala and explained the challenges involved in ensuring global blood safety. Their vision of a web-based tracking system was taken up in 2008 by students in the College of Computing’s Computing for Good class, co-taught by Vempala. Using information about current conditions and future demands within the target countries, the Georgia Tech team, computer science Ph.D. students Adebola Osuntogun and Stephen Thomas, built a Web-based system that resource-limited countries of any size could use to report data to national authorities. The system could also be used by a global organization, like CDC, to monitor multiple projects.
The Georgia Tech team developed the new Web-based tool from a Microsoft Excel version created by CDC. The team field-tested the Web-based tool in Zambia in July-August 2008 to obtain feedback from blood safety program staff.
“I was impressed by the team’s ability to adapt to the computing environment in Zambia, and to make the changes necessary to ensure this would be an appropriate solution for developing countries,” Pitman said. “Including staff from the Zambian national blood transfusion service in the development process was essential to be sure it fit their needs.”
Ministries of health in Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia will begin using the new tracking system on January 1, 2009. All 14 countries are recipients of U.S. financial support through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Georgia Tech’s Computing for Good class gives students the opportunity to understand how computing can be used to improve the human condition, according to Vempala. “Projects such as this collaboration with the CDC present computer science as a cutting-edge technological discipline that empowers our students to solve problems and make a positive impact on society.”
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Sunday, November 9, 2008
Reinventing the Way People Learn to Play the Piano
Georgia Tech researchers are using technology to make learning to play instruments a little easier. Piano touch is a light-weight glove that is outfitted with electronics that cue the musician with vibrations on each finger that lets them know which finger they need use to play the next note.
The technology doesn’t stop there. The glove is wireless and can actually be synchronized with an iPod, cell phone or other music playing device so that musicians can hear the music as they are being cued to play it.
Kevin Huang, a second year master’s student majoring in Human-Computer Interaction, created the device and has been collaborating with Thad Starner and Ellen Do, two of his professors, to improve the invention.
“Adults today are so busy that they have a hard time finding the time to practice,” said Huang. “With this glove you can learn to play music while you’re at your desk or on the move.”
“Every once in a while, you have a project that comes along with relevance in two different domains,” said Thad Starner, professor in the College of Computing. “In this case, we have something very useful for learning the piano, but also may have applications for rehabilitation for people who have hand trauma or dexterity issues.”
During the initial round of research, Piano Touch was successful.
“Our pilot study showed that students learned the songs that they were practicing with the Piano Touch glove better than the songs that they were practicing without the glove,” said Huang.
The new device isn’t ready for prime time just yet, but Huang is preparing the next round of research to see how effective the device is. Part of the new study will include adding another component to the Piano Touch by synchronizing lights on a keyboard with the Piano Touch glove to also give musicians a visual cue for when and where to play. He is currently recruiting adults to be a part of the study.
“It is so exciting to see how we can enhance human life with music and technology,” said Ellen Yi-Luen Do, professor with joint appointments in the College of Architecture and College of Computing. “Whether the research can be applied for education, entertainment, rehabilitation or just the enjoyment of music, I think it is a wonderful opportunity to combine disciplines and knowledge.”
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The technology doesn’t stop there. The glove is wireless and can actually be synchronized with an iPod, cell phone or other music playing device so that musicians can hear the music as they are being cued to play it.
Kevin Huang, a second year master’s student majoring in Human-Computer Interaction, created the device and has been collaborating with Thad Starner and Ellen Do, two of his professors, to improve the invention.
“Adults today are so busy that they have a hard time finding the time to practice,” said Huang. “With this glove you can learn to play music while you’re at your desk or on the move.”
“Every once in a while, you have a project that comes along with relevance in two different domains,” said Thad Starner, professor in the College of Computing. “In this case, we have something very useful for learning the piano, but also may have applications for rehabilitation for people who have hand trauma or dexterity issues.”
During the initial round of research, Piano Touch was successful.
“Our pilot study showed that students learned the songs that they were practicing with the Piano Touch glove better than the songs that they were practicing without the glove,” said Huang.
The new device isn’t ready for prime time just yet, but Huang is preparing the next round of research to see how effective the device is. Part of the new study will include adding another component to the Piano Touch by synchronizing lights on a keyboard with the Piano Touch glove to also give musicians a visual cue for when and where to play. He is currently recruiting adults to be a part of the study.
“It is so exciting to see how we can enhance human life with music and technology,” said Ellen Yi-Luen Do, professor with joint appointments in the College of Architecture and College of Computing. “Whether the research can be applied for education, entertainment, rehabilitation or just the enjoyment of music, I think it is a wonderful opportunity to combine disciplines and knowledge.”
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Friday, November 7, 2008
Creating Music with Your Cell Phone
If you own a cell phone, then new software created by Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology director Gil Weinberg and his students will allow you to be the next composer and performer of your own original music.
The new software, called ZooZ Beat, allows the user to play and record a variety of instrumental sounds by shaking and tilting the phone. It also allows entering and transforming voice recordings and sharing the music in a group. The software interprets the movements and manipulates the music accordingly.
Weinberg says he created the software after realizing how his previous research on musical expression and creativity for novices could be applied to cell phones, which have become much more ubiquitous and powerful than in years past.
“My research focuses on developing algorhythms that would allow musical instruments to analyze and interpret a player’s intention,” said Weinberg. “With this technology, you don’t have to have a lot of skill or know a lot of music theory to become musically creative. You can just use your own expressive, intuitive gestures to create music that you can relate to.”
The new software, called ZooZ Beat, allows the user to play and record a variety of instrumental sounds by shaking and tilting the phone. It also allows entering and transforming voice recordings and sharing the music in a group. The software interprets the movements and manipulates the music accordingly.
Weinberg says he created the software after realizing how his previous research on musical expression and creativity for novices could be applied to cell phones, which have become much more ubiquitous and powerful than in years past.
“My research focuses on developing algorhythms that would allow musical instruments to analyze and interpret a player’s intention,” said Weinberg. “With this technology, you don’t have to have a lot of skill or know a lot of music theory to become musically creative. You can just use your own expressive, intuitive gestures to create music that you can relate to.”
Weinberg says that he always wanted to put this technology into the hands of everyone, but his previous instruments were too expensive and difficult to maintain.
“Cell phones have become so powerful as far as their capabilities, which led me to think that I could bring some of my research ideas into this realm,” says Weinberg. “I don’t have to develop the hardware, and everyone already has a cell phone. By making the software easily accessible, people will be able to create, manipulate and share music in a very intuitive and expressive manner.”
Weinberg has also applied the software technology to gaming by using the cell phone device as a game controller for PC games.
Georgia Tech Venture Lab has supported the commercialization of Weinberg’s technology, and he has a number of patents pending. The software will be available to the general public at http://www.zoozmobile.com.
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The new software, called ZooZ Beat, allows the user to play and record a variety of instrumental sounds by shaking and tilting the phone. It also allows entering and transforming voice recordings and sharing the music in a group. The software interprets the movements and manipulates the music accordingly.
Weinberg says he created the software after realizing how his previous research on musical expression and creativity for novices could be applied to cell phones, which have become much more ubiquitous and powerful than in years past.
“My research focuses on developing algorhythms that would allow musical instruments to analyze and interpret a player’s intention,” said Weinberg. “With this technology, you don’t have to have a lot of skill or know a lot of music theory to become musically creative. You can just use your own expressive, intuitive gestures to create music that you can relate to.”
The new software, called ZooZ Beat, allows the user to play and record a variety of instrumental sounds by shaking and tilting the phone. It also allows entering and transforming voice recordings and sharing the music in a group. The software interprets the movements and manipulates the music accordingly.
Weinberg says he created the software after realizing how his previous research on musical expression and creativity for novices could be applied to cell phones, which have become much more ubiquitous and powerful than in years past.
“My research focuses on developing algorhythms that would allow musical instruments to analyze and interpret a player’s intention,” said Weinberg. “With this technology, you don’t have to have a lot of skill or know a lot of music theory to become musically creative. You can just use your own expressive, intuitive gestures to create music that you can relate to.”
Weinberg says that he always wanted to put this technology into the hands of everyone, but his previous instruments were too expensive and difficult to maintain.
“Cell phones have become so powerful as far as their capabilities, which led me to think that I could bring some of my research ideas into this realm,” says Weinberg. “I don’t have to develop the hardware, and everyone already has a cell phone. By making the software easily accessible, people will be able to create, manipulate and share music in a very intuitive and expressive manner.”
Weinberg has also applied the software technology to gaming by using the cell phone device as a game controller for PC games.
Georgia Tech Venture Lab has supported the commercialization of Weinberg’s technology, and he has a number of patents pending. The software will be available to the general public at http://www.zoozmobile.com.
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Thursday, October 16, 2008
Georgia Tech Information Security Center Releases Emerging Cyber Threats Forecast for 2009
(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GTISC), a national leader in information security research and education, today announced the release of the GTISC Emerging Cyber Threats Report for 2009, outlining the top five areas of security concern and risk for consumer and enterprise Internet users for the coming year. The report was released at the annual GTISC Security Summit on Emerging Cyber Security Threats – a gathering of leading industry and academic leaders from organizations with a stake in protecting the online user community.
For 2009, GTISC is forecasting five key cyber security areas where threats are expected to increase and evolve:
* Malware— specifically under the guise of benign social networking links
* Botnets – specifically the spread of botnet attacks to wireless and peer-to-peer networks
* Cyber warfare — including targets on the U.S. economy and infrastructure
* Threats to VoIP and Mobile Convergence—specifically voice fraud and cellular botnets
* The Evolving Cyber Crime Economy – including the rise of sophisticated malware-for-sale kits and programs
According to the report, data will continue to be the primary motive behind future cyber crime – whether targeting traditional fixed computing environments or mobile applications. Experts from across the IT security spectrum – from government to industry to academia – join GTISC’s call for closer coordination between the security industry, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), application developers and government regulators to safeguard the user community and hinder the spread of sophisticated cyber security threats.
“At GTISC, we strongly believe that a proactive approach to understanding emerging threats will help us develop more effective information security technologies and strategies,” said Mustaque Ahamad, director of GTISC. “The annual GTISC Security Summit on Emerging Cyber Security Threats and this report seek to give us a better understanding of the increasingly sophisticated cyber security challenges we will face in the years ahead. We wish to thank the esteemed members of the IT security community who assisted us with the creation of this report.”
More than 300 corporate executives, industry leaders and technologists from across the country attended the GTISC Security Summit on Emerging Cyber Security Threats, keynoted by Lt. General Robert J. Elder, Jr., Commander Eighth Air Force of the Barksdale Air Force Base. Following Lt. Elder’s address on “Global Operations and Mission Assurance in a Contested Cyber Environment” in the morning, Summit panelists engaged in a lively discussion moderated by IT Security Entrepreneur, Thomas E. Noonan. This year’s panelists, from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, IBM Internet Security Systems, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Cisco, Motorola and SecureWorks, helped to educate the audience on the proliferation of cyber threats, including those listed in the report, and highlighted possible countermeasures to safeguard the user and business communities.
To view the entire GTISC Emerging Cyber Threats for 2009 report or to watch a pre-recorded Web cast of the Summit, please visit http://www.gtiscsecuritysummit.com.
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For 2009, GTISC is forecasting five key cyber security areas where threats are expected to increase and evolve:
* Malware— specifically under the guise of benign social networking links
* Botnets – specifically the spread of botnet attacks to wireless and peer-to-peer networks
* Cyber warfare — including targets on the U.S. economy and infrastructure
* Threats to VoIP and Mobile Convergence—specifically voice fraud and cellular botnets
* The Evolving Cyber Crime Economy – including the rise of sophisticated malware-for-sale kits and programs
According to the report, data will continue to be the primary motive behind future cyber crime – whether targeting traditional fixed computing environments or mobile applications. Experts from across the IT security spectrum – from government to industry to academia – join GTISC’s call for closer coordination between the security industry, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), application developers and government regulators to safeguard the user community and hinder the spread of sophisticated cyber security threats.
“At GTISC, we strongly believe that a proactive approach to understanding emerging threats will help us develop more effective information security technologies and strategies,” said Mustaque Ahamad, director of GTISC. “The annual GTISC Security Summit on Emerging Cyber Security Threats and this report seek to give us a better understanding of the increasingly sophisticated cyber security challenges we will face in the years ahead. We wish to thank the esteemed members of the IT security community who assisted us with the creation of this report.”
More than 300 corporate executives, industry leaders and technologists from across the country attended the GTISC Security Summit on Emerging Cyber Security Threats, keynoted by Lt. General Robert J. Elder, Jr., Commander Eighth Air Force of the Barksdale Air Force Base. Following Lt. Elder’s address on “Global Operations and Mission Assurance in a Contested Cyber Environment” in the morning, Summit panelists engaged in a lively discussion moderated by IT Security Entrepreneur, Thomas E. Noonan. This year’s panelists, from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, IBM Internet Security Systems, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Cisco, Motorola and SecureWorks, helped to educate the audience on the proliferation of cyber threats, including those listed in the report, and highlighted possible countermeasures to safeguard the user and business communities.
To view the entire GTISC Emerging Cyber Threats for 2009 report or to watch a pre-recorded Web cast of the Summit, please visit http://www.gtiscsecuritysummit.com.
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Wednesday, October 15, 2008
GT Models Predict the Remaining Life of Mechanical and Electronic Equipment
New research at the Georgia Institute of Technology could soon make predicting the degradation and remaining useful life of mechanical and electronic equipment easier and more accurate, while significantly improving maintenance operations and spare parts logistics.
Nagi Gebraeel, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech’s H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, has developed models that use data from real-time sensor measurements to calculate and continuously revise the amount of remaining useful life of different engineering systems based on their current condition and health status. These predictions are then integrated with maintenance management and spare parts supply chain policies as part of an autonomous “sense and respond” logistics paradigm.
“Recent advances in sensor technology and wireless communication have enabled us to develop innovative methods for indirectly monitoring the health of different engineering systems,” said Gebraeel, who started working on this project at the University of Iowa. “This has created an environment with an abundance of data that can be exploited in decision-making processes across different application domains such as manufacturing, aging infrastructure, avionics systems, military equipment, power plants and many others.”
Gebraeel’s predictive models were detailed during two presentations on October 14 at the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences Annual Meeting. Funding for model development was provided by the National Science Foundation.
Because Gebraeel’s sensor-driven prognostic models combine general reliability characteristics with real-time condition-based signals, they provide an accurate and comprehensive assessment of a system’s current health status and its future evolution. These accurate predictions are then used to determine the most economical time to order a spare part component and schedule a maintenance replacement by accounting for different costs, including those due to unexpected failures, spare part inventory holding and out-of-stock situations.
Gebraeel began his research by monitoring the vibration and acoustic emissions signals from rotating machinery, namely bearings. He extracted degradation-based characteristics pertaining to key components on the machinery and used them to develop condition-based signals. Gebraeel then created stochastic models to characterize the evolution of these condition-based signals and predict the remaining life of these critical components.
After extensive experimentation and testing, results showed that his techniques can potentially reduce the total failure costs and costs associated with running out of spare parts inventory by approximately 55 percent. With such positive results, Gebraeel turned his attention to developing models for electronics. He recently began working with Rockwell Collins to develop adaptive models to estimate the remaining useful life of aircraft electronic components.
“Aircraft take off at ambient ground temperatures and quickly reach their cruising altitudes, where the temperatures tend to be below zero,” explained Gebraeel. “It’s these changes in temperature coupled with inherent vibrations that affect the deterioration and lifetime of electronic equipment.”
Gebraeel’s goal is to embed his prognostic methodology into key avionic systems so that decisions can be made about whether an aircraft is capable of carrying out a specific mission or if it should be assigned to a shorter mission or grounded.
Gebraeel is also working closely with Virginia-based Global Strategic Solutions LLC, which has funding from two U.S. Navy Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants. The focus of one of the grants is to advance the development of embedded diagnostics and prognostics to predict the remaining life distributions of electrical power generation systems on board U.S. Naval aircraft. The focus of the second grant is to develop advanced health monitoring and remaining useful life models for aircraft communication, navigation and identification (CNI) avionics systems used on the Joint Strike Fighter.
“The long term impact of all of these projects on human safety and maintenance costs will be tremendous, especially in the airline industry,” noted Gebraeel.
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Nagi Gebraeel, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech’s H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, has developed models that use data from real-time sensor measurements to calculate and continuously revise the amount of remaining useful life of different engineering systems based on their current condition and health status. These predictions are then integrated with maintenance management and spare parts supply chain policies as part of an autonomous “sense and respond” logistics paradigm.
“Recent advances in sensor technology and wireless communication have enabled us to develop innovative methods for indirectly monitoring the health of different engineering systems,” said Gebraeel, who started working on this project at the University of Iowa. “This has created an environment with an abundance of data that can be exploited in decision-making processes across different application domains such as manufacturing, aging infrastructure, avionics systems, military equipment, power plants and many others.”
Gebraeel’s predictive models were detailed during two presentations on October 14 at the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences Annual Meeting. Funding for model development was provided by the National Science Foundation.
Because Gebraeel’s sensor-driven prognostic models combine general reliability characteristics with real-time condition-based signals, they provide an accurate and comprehensive assessment of a system’s current health status and its future evolution. These accurate predictions are then used to determine the most economical time to order a spare part component and schedule a maintenance replacement by accounting for different costs, including those due to unexpected failures, spare part inventory holding and out-of-stock situations.
Gebraeel began his research by monitoring the vibration and acoustic emissions signals from rotating machinery, namely bearings. He extracted degradation-based characteristics pertaining to key components on the machinery and used them to develop condition-based signals. Gebraeel then created stochastic models to characterize the evolution of these condition-based signals and predict the remaining life of these critical components.
After extensive experimentation and testing, results showed that his techniques can potentially reduce the total failure costs and costs associated with running out of spare parts inventory by approximately 55 percent. With such positive results, Gebraeel turned his attention to developing models for electronics. He recently began working with Rockwell Collins to develop adaptive models to estimate the remaining useful life of aircraft electronic components.
“Aircraft take off at ambient ground temperatures and quickly reach their cruising altitudes, where the temperatures tend to be below zero,” explained Gebraeel. “It’s these changes in temperature coupled with inherent vibrations that affect the deterioration and lifetime of electronic equipment.”
Gebraeel’s goal is to embed his prognostic methodology into key avionic systems so that decisions can be made about whether an aircraft is capable of carrying out a specific mission or if it should be assigned to a shorter mission or grounded.
Gebraeel is also working closely with Virginia-based Global Strategic Solutions LLC, which has funding from two U.S. Navy Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants. The focus of one of the grants is to advance the development of embedded diagnostics and prognostics to predict the remaining life distributions of electrical power generation systems on board U.S. Naval aircraft. The focus of the second grant is to develop advanced health monitoring and remaining useful life models for aircraft communication, navigation and identification (CNI) avionics systems used on the Joint Strike Fighter.
“The long term impact of all of these projects on human safety and maintenance costs will be tremendous, especially in the airline industry,” noted Gebraeel.
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Thursday, October 2, 2008
Dr. Paul Judge Selected as Chair of Georgia Tech Information Security Center Industry Advisory Board
(BUSINESS WIRE)--Purewire, Inc., a Web security SaaS vendor that secures business and social interactions on the Web, today announced that its co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Dr. Paul Judge has been appointed Chairman of the Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GTISC) Industry Advisory Board.
The Industry Advisory Board was formed in September 2007. The Board provides strategic counsel to the Center faculty and students as it expands its position as a leading academic research organization in the field of information security. GTISC's advisory board members include 19 security and technology executives from top organizations in the IT industry and the global business community.
“Georgia Tech, and specifically GTISC, is an important contributor to the Atlanta technology community, with Atlanta being a major global player in information security,” said Dr. Judge. “I am eager to work alongside the distinguished members of the advisory board to help guide GTISC's research and educational direction based on insights from the front lines of the information security industry.”
"Our goal is to create research and educational programs that have real-world impact. By sharing their unique perspective on the security challenges that we face, the members of our industry advisory board play an important role in helping us achieve this goal,” said Dr. Mustaque Ahamad, director of GTISC. “Paul brings a diverse range of expertise to this appointment. He has an academic research background, proven track record of success in the security industry, and a specific knowledge of GTISC having been one of the first graduate students to come through the Center.”
The GTISC Industry Advisory Board will convene at the GTISC Security Summit, to be held October 15, 2008, on the Georgia Tech campus, to discuss critical issues impacting research and education. Members of the Board include:
* Dr. Paul Q. Judge - Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer, Purewire (Chair, GTISC Industry Advisory Board)
* Carl E. Banzhof - VP, Chief Technology Evangelist, McAfee
* George W. Cox - Strategist/Architect, Intel Corporation
* George L. Heron – Founder & President, Bluefin
* David Ladd - Manager, External Research Programs-Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft
* Steven Linowes - Chief Executive Officer, Damballa
* Sanjay Macwan - Executive Director with AT&T Chief Security Office, AT&T
* Edwin Marcial - Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, IntercontinentalExchange
* Sam Phillips - Senior Vice President, International Consulting, Bank of America
* Tom Place - Director, Information, Security & Reg. Com., The Coca-Cola Company
* Jon R. Ramsey - Chief Technology Officer, Secure Works
* Josyula "J.R." Rao - Senior Manager Security Dept., Thomas J. Watson Research Center, IBM
* Christopher Ray - CISSP-ISSMP, 2nd Vice President, Information Technology Security, Aflac
* Christopher J. Rouland - GTISC Adjunct Lecturer and former Chief Technology Officer of Internet Security Systems
* David Rowan - Senior Vice President and Director, Enterprise Technology Risk Management, SunTrust Banks
* Anthony Michael "Tony" Rutkowski - Vice President for Regulatory Affairs and Standards, VeriSign
* Darren Shou - Senior Manager, Symantec Research Lab, Symantec
* Caleb Sima – HP-SPI Dynamics; Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, SPI Dynamics
* Tony Spinelli - Senior Vice President, Chief Security & Compliance Officer, Equifax
* Aurobindo "Robin" Sundaram - Vice President of Information Security, ChoicePoint
* W. David Thomas - Vice President of Product Strategy, AirDefense
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The Industry Advisory Board was formed in September 2007. The Board provides strategic counsel to the Center faculty and students as it expands its position as a leading academic research organization in the field of information security. GTISC's advisory board members include 19 security and technology executives from top organizations in the IT industry and the global business community.
“Georgia Tech, and specifically GTISC, is an important contributor to the Atlanta technology community, with Atlanta being a major global player in information security,” said Dr. Judge. “I am eager to work alongside the distinguished members of the advisory board to help guide GTISC's research and educational direction based on insights from the front lines of the information security industry.”
"Our goal is to create research and educational programs that have real-world impact. By sharing their unique perspective on the security challenges that we face, the members of our industry advisory board play an important role in helping us achieve this goal,” said Dr. Mustaque Ahamad, director of GTISC. “Paul brings a diverse range of expertise to this appointment. He has an academic research background, proven track record of success in the security industry, and a specific knowledge of GTISC having been one of the first graduate students to come through the Center.”
The GTISC Industry Advisory Board will convene at the GTISC Security Summit, to be held October 15, 2008, on the Georgia Tech campus, to discuss critical issues impacting research and education. Members of the Board include:
* Dr. Paul Q. Judge - Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer, Purewire (Chair, GTISC Industry Advisory Board)
* Carl E. Banzhof - VP, Chief Technology Evangelist, McAfee
* George W. Cox - Strategist/Architect, Intel Corporation
* George L. Heron – Founder & President, Bluefin
* David Ladd - Manager, External Research Programs-Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft
* Steven Linowes - Chief Executive Officer, Damballa
* Sanjay Macwan - Executive Director with AT&T Chief Security Office, AT&T
* Edwin Marcial - Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, IntercontinentalExchange
* Sam Phillips - Senior Vice President, International Consulting, Bank of America
* Tom Place - Director, Information, Security & Reg. Com., The Coca-Cola Company
* Jon R. Ramsey - Chief Technology Officer, Secure Works
* Josyula "J.R." Rao - Senior Manager Security Dept., Thomas J. Watson Research Center, IBM
* Christopher Ray - CISSP-ISSMP, 2nd Vice President, Information Technology Security, Aflac
* Christopher J. Rouland - GTISC Adjunct Lecturer and former Chief Technology Officer of Internet Security Systems
* David Rowan - Senior Vice President and Director, Enterprise Technology Risk Management, SunTrust Banks
* Anthony Michael "Tony" Rutkowski - Vice President for Regulatory Affairs and Standards, VeriSign
* Darren Shou - Senior Manager, Symantec Research Lab, Symantec
* Caleb Sima – HP-SPI Dynamics; Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, SPI Dynamics
* Tony Spinelli - Senior Vice President, Chief Security & Compliance Officer, Equifax
* Aurobindo "Robin" Sundaram - Vice President of Information Security, ChoicePoint
* W. David Thomas - Vice President of Product Strategy, AirDefense
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