Standardized Communications News

TE Connectivity (TE), a world leader in connectivity and sensor solutions, today announced a new Macro Sensors SSBR-937 Series CANBus LVDT Position Sensor with a  CANopen interface compliant to CiA 443 for subsea instruments. The CiA 443 CANopen profile offers more interoperable and standardized communications to network with devices from different manufacturers used on the ocean floor. The new submersible position sensor withstands deep sea environments with external pressures up to 5000 psi in excess of 1 million hours mean time between failure (MTBF), when encased in special alloys. The subsea CiA LVDT position sensor also offers extraordinary repeatability (error less than 0.01% of full range), regardless of offsets due to pressure and/or temperature.

Provider of business collaboration and communication solutions, Avaya, says it has signed a major deal with Cairo ICT 2013, which enables the Suez Canal Authority to move their full 15,000 communications ports to Avaya Aura® Communication Manager. In a move towards complete unified communications the Suez Canal Authority will be able to  improve employee mobility, centralizing the communications network with Modular Messaging technology that can 'find' employees and coordinates messaging across sms, email and voice services.

Under the Radar and also the higher profile Fast Response (FRC) and National Security Cutter (NSC) acquisitions is the U.S. Coast Guard’s effort to replace and upgrade its fleet of smaller response workboats. The building programs involve big money and substantial innovation. But, for all the progress being made, the failure of the federal government to come to a budget deal for the coming fiscal year could also put the brakes on some of the most innovative programs that the Coast Guard has ever embarked upon. In the meantime, it is full speed ahead with a three-pronged small boat program that could eventually involve as many as 650 vessels. The effort to recapitalize the Coast Guard never ends.

On February 4, 2011, the U.S. Coast Guard awarded two fixed price Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts to begin replacement of the current Response Boat-Small (RB-S) fleet, which is nearing the end of its ten-year service life. The contracts were awarded to Metal Shark Aluminum Boats of Jeanerette, La., and SAFE Boats International of Port Orchard, Wash. Under the terms of the contract, each builder will produce a minimum of one boat, based on a proven hull design, to be delivered in June of this year. The Coast Guard will test and validate each boat this summer.

U. S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced approval of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the Nation's first standardized management plan that creates a unified structure for Federal, state, and local lines of government for incident response. "NIMS gives all of our Nation's responders the same framework for incident management and fully puts into practice the concept of, 'One mission, one team, one fight,'" Ridge said. "I recognize the efforts of the dedicated professionals from state and local governments, law enforcement, the fire and emergency management communities, emergency medical services…