Weighing a little more than 7 ounces, the SPOT Satellite Messenger helps consumers request emergency assistance; notify employers, friends or family of their status; and allows them to visually track the messenger's location and progress on a computer using Google Maps and the SPOT Web site - independent of cellular coverage.
SPOT uses AA-size lithium batteries for complete portability, and when powered on, has a standby battery life of approximately 12 months. SPOT floats, and its rugged waterproof construction is engineered to withstand extreme environmental shock and temperature conditions.
SPOT provides GPS location coordinates that are accurate within 20 feet, and is available to the public starting Nov. 1, 2007, for $149. Service fees will start at $99, and monthly and multiyear options will be available at a later date.
Water Protection
GuardianBlue Early Warning System - the first and only early warning system for drinking water certified by the Department of Homeland Security according to the manufacturer - is designed to help cities protect their drinking water systems from terrorist contamination attacks and real- world events.
This technology also detects and provides alerts on unknown water quality deviations, so the system warns operators about foreign agents, unidentified contamination and operational events never previously encountered.
Image Training
The Mobile Training Lab from Pictometry International Corp., recently deployed in Florida, Minnesota and Texas, has more than 12 fully equipped laptops and a self-contained, wireless local area network. It lets Pictometry's professional trainers conduct hands-on training services on Pictometry's Electronic Field Study software, Pictometry Change Analysis and Pictometry's interface, to name a few, so those who use Pictometry images in emergency management better understand the tools.
Pictometry's Customer Technical Services Department provides training programs that can meet any requirement: small group settings, or complete statewide enterprise deployments involving hundreds of participants from multiple agencies. For a full list of products, visit the Web site.
Forecast Gadget
In September 2007, AccuWeather.com introduced a 15-day weather forecast gadget for iGoogle, Google's customizable home page. The gadget offers a wide range of information, including detailed radar, current conditions, hour-by-hour forecasts, and five-day and 15-day forecasts.
The forecast gadget can be expanded and collapsed to show as much or as little information as the user wants on a home page. The forecast gadget covers more than 2.7 million locations worldwide, and is compatible with iGoogle-supported browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari and Netscape.
Users can also add the Hurricane Center Watch Gadget, which lets users monitor tropical activity and get updates, including images and videos.
Radiation Detection
RadEye N - a portable pocket-sized radiation instrument developed by Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. - features advanced neutron radiation, contamination and dose rate measurement in a compact, lightweight package, and eliminates the need for cumbersome cables that often require two hands to operate.
The new monitor provides immediate and reliable verification of neutron presence, including cases of low gamma dose rates where current neutron detector product pagers indicate false neutrons. In addition to its high sensitivity, the RadEye N is lightweight (185g) and can be transported anywhere without affecting work performance. The RadEye N may be used by first responders including law enforcement officers to ensure harmful neutrons are not present during an incident.
For additional information on the RadEye N, please visit the Web site.
