Digital Government
The Camera's (Human) Eye
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has kicked off a research project to develop systems imbued with something that only exists in the animal kingdom: visual intelligence. The name of the project? The <a href=https://www.fbo.gov/download/ef9/ef9960d732bf796e6557916b4adf3ea9/DARPA_Minds_Eye_Industry_Day_Announcement_15March2010_(2).pdf>Mind's Eye</a>.
Digital Government
Groups back proposed electronic health record definition
But many physicians voice skepticism about the use of digital patient files, a key initiative in the Obama administration's stimulus package.
Digital Government
It Was War of the Worlds Again
Television viewers in the Republic of Georgia thought for a few panicky moments on March 13 that the country had come under attack by Russia for the <a href=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/10/world/main4336544.shtml>second time since 2007</a>.
Digital Government
F-35: The Stripped Down Version
The Pentagon will end up paying Lockheed Martin Corp. between <a href=http://armed-services.senate.gov/statemnt/2010/03%20March/Fox%2003-11-10.pdf>$95 million</a> and <a href=http://armed-services.senate.gov/statemnt/2010/03%20March/Sullivan%2003-11-10.pdf>$131 million</a> for each next generation F-35 fighter -- or 60 percent to 90 percent more than the original advertised sticker price.
Digital Government
Army, Air Force mine databases to manage evacuations of wounded
Systems balance the need to remove injured soldiers with the safety of medevacs, help design better armor and prepare medical teams for when troops arrive at hospitals for treatment.
Digital Government
VA Still Recovering from Bug?
I'm picking up strong signals that the Veterans Affairs Department has yet to <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100304_9977.php>fix the bug in its electronic health data exchange</a> with the Defense Department and may not until next week rather than on March 9 as predicted.
Modernization
Delays in satellite programs push Navy to look elsewhere
Service considers leasing capacity on Australian and experimental birds.
Digital Government
The Travails of Joint Radios
The Joint Tactical Radio System, in development since 1999 when I only had a few gray hairs, failed another series of tests last year at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Digital Government
VA chief pledges acquisition streamlining
Eric Shinseki seeks authority to centralize purchasing and to create new senior-level positions to oversee acquisition.
Digital Government
Sign Up for the Bataan March
Last year, I hiked in the <a href=http://www.bataanmarch.com/>Bataan Memorial Death March</a> and <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/03/the_army_got_it_right.php>considered it one of the top 10 events of my life</a>, a day where those old fashioned words comradeship and camaraderie rang true.
Cybersecurity
VA investigating security breach of veterans' medical data
In violation of department policies, physician assistant allegedly conducted an unauthorized download of two sets of clinical records in an attempt to conduct research, according to sources.
Digital Government
Security Breach Déjà Vu at VA
Oh my, when will they ever learn at the Veterans Affairs Department? I have heard from well placed sources that the VA inspector general may start an investigation into how and why an employee of the VA medical center in Atlanta downloaded patient clinical data to a personal laptop.
Digital Government
Don't Ask, and Ye Shall Recieve
Roger Baker, the chief information officer at the Veterans Affairs Department and <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2010/02/vas_66_billion_man.php>the $6.6 billion man</a>, will get a few more shekels to spend in fiscal 2011 if the Senate VA committee and the Republicans on the House VA committee get their way in the long budget process.
Digital Government
Army plans to create huge enterprise e-mail system
Contract would consolidate nearly 1 million accounts onto one platform and outsource the program to cut the $400 million the service spends on managing current systems.
Digital Government
Transparency for Vets
The <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090401_5914.php>transparency thing</a> touted by President Obama in his first full day in office evidently does not apply to all patient safety alerts issued by the Veterans Affairs Department.
Digital Government
Navy awards contracts to build prototypes for shipboard network
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman will compete to produce what the service terms a revolutionary change in its information technology systems.
Digital Government
Eastern Airlines Lives!
Although Eastern Airlines went bankrupt in 1991, the Federal Aviation Administration for some reason decided to illustrate the cover of its 78-page 2010 "Portfolio of Goals" <a href=http://www.faa.gov/about/plans_reports/media/FY10%20Portfolio%20of%20Goals.pdf>report</a> with a photo of the venerable DC-9 operated by the long-defunct carrier.
Digital Government
Glitch prompts VA to shut e-health data exchange with Defense
Response to software bug, which mixed up patient information or provided incomplete records, showed safety checks worked and the system will be fixed by March 9, Veterans Affairs CIO says.
Digital Government
Certification for iPhone and Android?
Apple's iPhone and smart phones built around Google's Android operating system make for yummy application development platforms, but their use in the federal government -- especially the Defense Department -- has been restricted because neither the iPhone nor Android phones have received security accreditation from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. But Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Sorenson, the Army chief information officer, indicated at a press briefing on Wednesday that that situation may soon change. He said Apple and Google are making progress in getting their gizmos certified to the Federal Information Processing (FIPS) 140-2 cryptology standard needed for use on federal networks.
Modernization