Potentially Polluting Marine Sites GeoDB: An S-100 Geospatial Database as an Effective Contribution to the Protection of the Marine Environment

Potentially Polluting Marine Sites (PPMS) are objects on, or areas of, the seabed that may release pollution in the future. A rationale for, and design of, a geospatial database to inventory and manipu-late PPMS is presented. Built as an S-100 Product Specification, it is specified through human-readable UML diagrams and implemented through machine-readable GML files, and includes auxiliary information such as pollution-control resources and potentially vulnerable sites in order to support analyses of the core data. The design and some aspects of implementation are presented, along with metadata requirements and structure, and a perspective on potential uses of the database

Liberty versus safety: a design review

It is our contention that when designing against terrorism, it is important to fully understand both terrorist perpetrator techniques and terrorism prevention principles and to establish the myths and realities about ‘fear of terrorism’, before catalyzing new design innovations. This paper assesses the requirement for designers to mediate issues of user liberty versus security. We assess the troublesome design tradeoffs between accommodation of users and exclusion of terrorist misuse and abuse linked to bicycle parking, using the Conjunction of Terrorism Opportunity framework. We include the case study of the Biceberg automated bike parking system in relation to the fitness for purpose versus resistance to terrorism debate

Mobile AME: A Handheld Application to Support Decision Making for Ammunition Personnel

Wireless technology and the emergence of handheld devices provide new ways to deliver and present information. In the military setting, availability of needed information can be crucial during the decision-making process, especially in a war zone. This paper describes the extension of a Web-based ammunition encyclopedia system developed for the U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center (DAC) called the ammunition multimedia encyclopedia system (AME). The extension, known as Mobile AME, exploits handheld technology to provide Quality Assurance Specialist Ammunition Surveillance (QASAS) personnel with access to needed ammunition information via a personal digital assistant (PDA). The focus was on developing a highly usable system that supports QASAS decision making and training in choosing the best practices to properly handle an ammunition item including Discarded Military Munitions (DMM). This paper discusses the motivation behind Mobile AME, design and development of the system, and future directions

Semiotics:Semantic model-driven development for IoT interoperability of emergency services

Modern early warning systems (EWSs) use Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies to realize real-time data acquisition, risk detection and message brokering between data sources and warnings' destinations. Interoperability is crucial for effective EWSs, enabling the integration of components and the interworking with other EWSs. IoT technologies potentially improve the EWS efficiency and effectiveness, but this potential can only be exploited if interoperability challenges are properly addressed. The three main challenges for interoperability are: (1) achieving semantic integration of a variety of data sources and different representations; (2) supporting time- and safety-critical applications with performance and scalability; and (3) providing data analysis for effective responses with personalized information requirements. In this paper, we describe the “SEmantic Model-driven development for IoT Interoperability of emergenCy serviceS” (SEMIoTICS) framework, which supports the development of semantic interoperable IoT EWSs. The framework has been validated with a pilot performed with accident use cases at the port of Valencia. The validation results show that it fulfils the requirements that we derived from the challenges above.</p

Safety and Mission Assurance Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Definitions

This NASA Technical Handbook compiles into a single volume safety, reliability, maintainability, and quality assurance and risk management terms defined and used in NASA safety and mission assurance directives and standards. The purpose of this handbook is to support effective communication within NASA and with its contractors. The definitions in this handbook are updated when the definition of the acronym or term is updated in the originating document

Developing Mine Action Legislation - A Guide

This document is intended to assist governments, mine action professionals and others to develop national legislation to coordinate and regulate “mine action“ in a country affected by landmines and/or unexploded ordnance (UXO). It identifies the principal elements to be included in such a law and the issues which should be considered in its preparation. The information in this document is based upon the conclusions and recommendations of A Study of National Mine Action Legislatio

Prosecuting Alleged Terrorists by Military Commission: A Prudent Option

President Obama has announced that the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay will be closed by January 22, 2010. He has also said that at least some of the detainees facing criminal prosecution will be tried in military commissions. The system of military commissions established by President Bush after the 9/11 attacks, as well as the one which Congress enacted in 2006 following the Supreme Court’s Hamdan decision, were widely criticized as being unproductive and not meeting international legal standards. The Congress has, very recently, revised the rules and procedures for military commissions to make them fair, effective and much more like those used for courts-martial. This article compares and contrasts trials in revised military commissions with trials in federal district courts. It concludes that a combination of both forums would best serve the President, and that military commissions are still a prudent option for prosecuting some detainees where there are security and admissibility of evidence concerns

S-4B stage storage plan

Saturn S-4B stage storage pla

Potentially Polluting Marine Sites GEODB: An S-100 Geospatial Database as an Effective Contribution to the Protection of the Marine Environment

Potentially Polluting Marine Sites (PPMS) are objects on, or areas of, the seabed that may release pollution in the future. A rationale for, and design of, a geospatial database to inventory and manipu-late PPMS is presented. Built as an S-100 Product Specification, it is specified through human-readable UML diagrams and implemented through machine-readable GML files, and includes auxiliary information such as pollution-control resources and potentially vulnerable sites in order to support analyses of the core data. The design and some aspects of implementation are presented, along with metadata requirements and structure, and a perspective on potential uses of the database.Los sitios marinos potencialmente contaminantes (PPMS) son objetos o zonas de fondos marinos que pueden producir contaminación en el futuro. Se presenta un fundamento para y un diseño de una base de datos geoespacial para hacer un inventario y manipular los PPMS. Creada como una Especificación de Producto de la S-100, se especifica mediante un diagrama UML de fácil lectura y se implementa mediante ficheros GML (de marcaje geográfico) legibles por máquinas, e incluye información auxiliar como recursos para controlar la contaminación y sitios potencialmente vulnerables, para apoyar los análisis de los datos fundamentales. Se presentan el diseño y algunos aspectos de la implementación, junto con los requisitos y la estructura de los metadatos, y una perspectiva sobre los posibles usos de la base de datos.Les sites marins potentiellement polluants (PPMS) sont des objets situés sur le fond marin, ou des zones du fond marin, qui sont susceptibles dans le futur de relâcher de la pollution. La raison d’être et la conception d’une base de données géospatiales visant à inventorier et à manipuler les PPMS sont présentés. Conçue en tant que spécification de produit de la S-100, elle est définie via des diagrammes UML lisibles par l’homme et mise en oeuvre via des fichiers GML lisibles en machine, et elle inclut des renseignements auxiliaires, tels que les ressources anti-pollution et les sites potentiellement vulnérables, aux fins d’appuyer les analyses des données de base. La conception et certains aspects de la mise en oeuvre sont présentés, en même temps que les exigences et la structure des métadonnées, et une perspective sur les utilisations potentielles de la base de données

HSE Procedure for Deep Drilling & Workover Operations: Proposal for a drilling company operating in the middle east

The purpose of the hereby document is to implement a procedure that will be suitable to the deep drilling and workover operations carried out by the Deep Drilling Group from XYZ Company. Also is intended to obtain a uniformed document that will be a reference to all Contractors and Subcontractors working under The Deep Drilling Group. The document will, obviously, be complemented with specific XYZ HSE procedures that are part of the actual management system implemented and which are a very useful source of information. Nevertheless, the information and recommendations compiled on the document do cover most of the needs for a safely operation, and they do comply with international industry best practices and regulations. Besides the HSE Procedure, which is the main subject of the thesis, it is also possible to get an overview of industry HSE matters, information related to the oil industry in a Middle East Country, using Kuwait as reference, and a specific overview of the HSE status in the XYZ Company. From practical side, the document directs the reader to an annexure were a full HSE procedure for drilling and workover operations is available for consultation and use