John Lawlor

Imagine the scene: you are driving alone at night (video link) in an isolated area somewhere in Europe and you have a very bad crash, leaving you seriously injured and unable to communicate with anyone or to use your telephone to call the emergency services. Your chances of dying in such a situation would be quite high. Now, thanks to a new system to be implemented across Europe, help may be at hand in the form of eCall, an electronic service that will automatically call local rescue services by dialling 112 and providing information on the exact location of your vehicle, using its GPS coordinates.

Time saved = lives saved

It is shocking to learn that some 35,000 people died and 1.5 million were injured in about 1.5 million accidents on European roads in 2009. That’s almost 100 killed every day of the year and over 4,100 injured! Furthermore, the cost of this road carnage to the EU economy amounts to a staggering €160 billion per year. Any system, therefore, that can help to reduce these horrifying statistics, save lives and reduce injury has to be welcomed.

The eCall system is like a “black box” that activates when a vehicle airbag activates or when there is a sudden severe impact in the vehicle. It can also be activated manually so that, if a driver witnesses an accident, an emergency call can be made. Once activated, the system calls the local emergency service and creates both a voice and an automatic data link. The automatic data link sends the exact location of the accident (using GPS co-ordinates), the type of vehicle, direction of travel, and other relevant information for the rescue services. The voice link enables the occupant, if he or she is capable of doing so, to communicate directly with the emergency operator and provide further information about the accident.

According to the EU, the eCall system should enable emergency services to cut accident response times by 50% in rural areas and by 40% in urban areas. This improved response capability could save up to 2,500 lives a year and mitigate the severity of tens of thousands of accidents. It also has the potential to save some €20 billion annually if the system were fitted in all cars in the EU.

Despite the fact that the system is almost ready to roll, there are a number of barriers to be overcome before it can be successfully deployed across Europe. The first step is to fit all new cars with the eCall system. Next, telecoms operators must be able to identify calls from the eCall system and transmit the automatic data to the nearest emergency centre. Finally, emergency centres must be capable of receiving and processing the automatic data from the vehicle. Not all emergency centres can do this at present.

To overcome these barriers, the EU is taking steps to raise awareness of the eCall system and to fund pre-deployment projects. It is also considering implementing regulatory measures to require that the system is fitted in all new cars; that telecom operators can transmit emergency calls and data to emergence centres and that emergency centres are upgraded to handle eCall efficiently. The EU is also running a public consultation process until 19 September 2010 to collect the opinions of stakeholders and EU citizens on the issue. This is in the form of a short online survey that only takes minutes to complete (it only took me three minutes), so why not have your say?

20 EU member states and three non-EU states have formally supported the eCall system and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU); four are getting ready to sign and Ireland has stated support for eCall’s mandatory introduction but has not yet signed the MoU. In addition, over 100 other organisations are also committed to eCall’s introduction. These include car manufacturers BMW, DAF, Daimler, Fiat, General Motors, MAN, Porsche, Peugeot-Citreon, Renault, Scania, Volkswagen and Volvo. Other signatories include insurance companies; electronics companies; local authorities, and telephone operators. No Irish organisations are represented among the signatories.

There is some information available on the Irish Department of Transport website outlining Ireland’s position. The Department notes that, in November 2009, a study for the European Commission (PDF 4.2 Mb) indicated that eCall has a greater potential to save lives and reduce serious injuries if deployed on a mandatory as opposed to a voluntary basis. In late 2009, the Department undertook a stakeholder consultation with specialist interests in Ireland including the Road Safety Authority.  The consultation resulted in a clear preference for a more proactive approach at EU level (MS Word) on eCall.  At the EU Transport Council in December 2009, the Minister outlined the results of the stakeholder consultation on eCall, namely that there was support for its mandatory introduction in all road vehicles.

What do you think about eCall? Would you like to see such a system implemented in Europe? Should Ireland sign the MoU and get our telecoms operators and other stakeholders involved? Are there potential privacy concerns with such an in-vehicle telematics system and related technologies? Are privacy concerns mitigated by the benefits of the system? Please leave a comment and let me know.

Further information on eCall is available through these links:

Fact Sheet (PDF); eCall Video (Windows Media); eCall Toolbox; eCall FAQ (PDF)

ICT research in Europe is set to get a major boost in 2011 with the announcement today by the European Commission of a call for proposals for research projects worth 1.2 billion euros.

The projects will include a number of Public Private Partnerships:

The future Internet
ICT for energy efficient buildings
ICT for the fully electric vehicle
ICT for factories of the future.

These four projects have a combined budget of 220 million euros. Details of other budget provisions are available here (PDF).

All documentation is available through the links above. The deadline for submission of proposals is 2 December 2010.

The research funding is part of Europe’s Digital Agenda (launched in May 2010) and is the first significant increase for EU ICT research in more than 10 years. The digital agenda has seven priority areas:

1. Creating a digital Single Market
2. Greater interoperability
3. Boosting Internet trust and security
4. Much faster Internet access
5. More investment in research and development
6. Enhancing digital literacy skills and inclusion and
7. Applying information and communications technologies to address challenges facing society like climate change and the ageing population.

Further details on the Digital Agenda and the seven priority action areas are available here.

The Commission expects that SMEs will benefit from the work programmes funded from the research funding, which will be welcome in the current economic climate.

There are many opportuities for funding available on the EU Information Society website, which is always worth keeping an eye on. Let’s hope the research under these calls is successful and leads to an improvement in the lives of European citizens. We still have a long way to go to catch up on our American and Asian competitors.

It is a fittingly bleak morning in Skerries. A low canopy of grey cloud shrouds the area, a strong southerly gale batters the land, rain dampens the spirit and the barometer has plunged to a deep low. Sadly, a fine rider, #32, Myles Byrne, was killed in the Grand Final at the Skerries 100 motorcycle road races yesterday. The races were cancelled after the incident.

Many in Skerries and district – and, I am sure, all those who attended the Skerries 100 road races over the weekend – will wish to join me in extending condolences to the family of the fallen rider and to his team, fellow riders, friends, supporters and fans. And, at this sad time for them, our thoughts will also be with the fine members and supporters of the Loughshinny Motorcycle Supporters Club, who organised such a marvellous event over the weekend. A spectator was injured in the incident and is being treated in hospital. I wish him a speedy recovery.

Motorcycle road racing is a dangerous sport and claims some lives every year. The great Joey Dunlop, his brother Robert, local man Martin Finnegan, Gary Dynes, Andrew Neill, Richard Britton, Darran Lindsay, and many more have lost their lives while pursuing their passion and, at the same time, delighting and entertaining spectators and fans of the sport.

I am sure that, as in the past, this latest death will lead to some calls for the sport of motorcycle road racing to be banned. When I see the incredible speeds – up to about 160 mph – these powerful bikes achieve on the narrow 2.9-mile circuit above Skerries town, I sometimes wonder at the sense of the sport myself. How these riders control their mighty machines at such speeds amazes me and I would certainly not like any of my children to join the sport. So I am torn between my sadness at yesterday’s tragic incident and the great enjoyment I get out of watching the bikes roar past my garden every year. You see, I have the great privilege to live on the course.

It seems to me that motorcycle road racing is, for those who participate and for those who follow it, more than simply sport – it is a passion and an innate driving force. You can feel it when you visit Skerries. The town and countryside are steeped in road racing history and in modern tales of great achievements; bitter losses; mechanical failures; stuck gears; close calls; weekends away; sore tumbles; bales of hay; annual hedge and grass trimming; pot-holed roads on the circuits; arguments at committee meetings; local rivalries; great friendships and mutual respect. The town has many local heroes to follow and admire: 99, David “Yomo” Yeomans; 20, David “Hammer” Lumsden; 65, Michael Sweeney; 96, Andrew Farrell; 73, Derek Costello and the Howard Brothers: 33, David and 75, Damien. I’m sure I have omitted some local riders and, if so, I apologise. And, of course, we will never forget the late Flying Finn, #45 Martin Finnegan.

While a lone rider mounts the bike and braves the hairpins, brows, hollows, leaps, and potholes on the track, road racing in Skerries is really a community sport. Even people like me (I started watching it because I am locked in my garden for one wonderful weekend every year), who were not reared in the sport, have come to love it in large numbers. I had never seen the sport until I came to live in Skerries and now look forward every year to the first Saturday in July and to September for Killalane.

A brave rider has tragically fallen. Let his fellow comrades – the warriors of the road – decide the future of their great pursuit. The decision should be theirs. Going on past evidence I am sure that the sport will live on and that the Skerries air will reverberate once again to the thunderous roar of Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha and the great classic engines. I hope that I will continue to hear those engines roar, smell the rubber burn, taste the octane, see the sun glint on chrome and steel, and feel the rush of wind caress my face as the bikes speed over the wonderful Skerries 100 track. I wish all riders safe passage and trust that each of them – winners, runners-up and also-rans – will remember their fallen comrades as they seek glory in one of the greatest sports on earth.

May Myles find peace and may his family and friends find consolation. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

I am speaking at a Microsoft and PM Centrix event tomorrow on Trinity College’s experience of implementing Microsoft Project and Project Server in the Information Systems Department. The title of the event is “Microsoft Project: An Intuitive and Easier Way to Complete Projects” and takes place in the Westbury Hotel, Grafton Street, Dublin. Registration begins at 08.30 and admission is free. Click here for further details of the event.

The slides from the above presentation have now been uploaded to slideshare here:

Below are my slides from the presentation to the CIO-Connect event on Social Media on 20 May last in Dublin. You can also find them on SlideShare.

Feedback to the presentation was very positive and I’d particularly like to thank Barbara Dosseter, Delivery Director of CIO-Connect for this very generous comment, which she posted on her LinkedIn profile:

“In Dublin’s fair city where… I saw the BEST presentation/discussion on Social Media yet. Given by John Lawlor of Trinity College at the CIO Connect lunch – Creating Collaborative Conversations. Practical and as a tenured IT person John dealt with the realities and concerns. His factors for success – Speed & Flexibility, Ease of Use, Demand Driven and Individual Value First. I am going to revisit the presentation because there was soooooo much meat in it. Thank you John, you’re a true advocate and truly inspiring.”

If you would like to discuss Social Media for your organisation, please contact me directly; if you’d like to share your own experience of implementing or championing Social Media, please leave a comment below.

The latest newsletter from Information Systems Services in Trinity College Dublin has just been published online. Read about the latest developments, including:

• Message from the Director
• Report from the Programme Management Office
• News from the Helpdesk
• College Network Enhancements
• New Email and Calendar Service for Staff
• Student Attendance System for School of Nursing and Midwifery
• Wireless Roaming Using eduroam
• New Counselling Service System
• Research Support System Update
• Training Courses in June.

If you would like further information on anything in the newsletter, please contact me or leave a comment here.

This interesting and very cleverly done video had had over 70,000 views since being posted in the past few days on YouTube. It is also generating the usual mix of light and heat in the accompanying comments.

Whatever one’s personal views about Social Media, I think it would be foolish to ignore the reality and the potential (for good and bad) of these new means of communication. In both my work and personal lives, the use of many types of Social Media has become a daily reality and, in some cases, a virtual necessity. I share the privacy concerns of many people and also share their aprehension that these media could be used for ill-intentioned purposes. But these concerns – particularly about badly intentioned uses – could apply to any technology. Should that stop us from using them? I suggest not.

The arguments in the YouTube comments about some inaccuracies in the video are, in my view, irrelevant. Although most of the content has been published in different formats before (see, for example, the excellent slideshare presentation by Hareesh Tibrewal of Social Wavelength that covers much of the same material), what is important is that the video sends a very powerful message that Social Media are increasingly important phenomena in our work and personal lives.

On 20th May next, I am giving a talk to CIOs in Dublin (see Upcoming Events on the top right) on how Trinity College is implementing and using a variety of Social Media tools for teaching, collaboration, sharing, promoting the College, etc. Why not come along if you are in Dublin? Further details are available from Cio Connect. I’d love to see you there.

What are your views on the use of Social Media? Are you an enthusiastic adopter or a sceptic? Can you see only good, only bad, or a mix of benefits and drawbacks? If you have experience of using Social Media in a personal or work context, why not share your thoughts here by leaving a comment?

Eight practical steps to project success

A failed project can lead to loss of revenue and opportunity; failure to achieve business goals; diversion of resources from other activities; sapping of staff morale and, perhaps, even business failure. So, as projects become more complex and critical to business performance, how do you improve your chances of success?

Follow these eight  simple steps to achieve great results in your projects.

Continue reading ‘Planning For Success: The Basics Of Good Project Management’ »

How To Ensure Business Continuity After A Disaster

When things are going well, or when you’ve no obvious problems, it can be easy to forget the risks your business faces every day.  These can include fire, flood, theft, equipment failure, network failure, human error, computer viruses or industrial action. Preparing a business continuity plan (BCP) can help to ensure ongoing business operation, and even survival, following a disaster.  A BCP serves two main purposes.  Firstly, it helps to prevent a disaster or security failure, or reduces its impact to a tolerable level.  Secondly, it helps you to resume operations after a disaster.  So, if you want to stay in business you should prepare a BCP before a disaster happens.  And that means now!

Continue reading ‘Don’t Let A Crisis Put You Out Of Business’ »

I went along this evening to a pretty full lecture theatre in Trinity College’s Science Gallery to listen to Venky Narayanamurti of the Harvard Kennedy School speaking on the subject of science, technology and society. He is a man clearly passionate about his topic and spoke with conviction, vigour, animation and not a little humour. Venky spoke about the great inventors – Edison, Watt, Einstein, Pasteur- and how invention and innovation come from applied science, research, experimentation, use cases and what he termed “grand challenges”. He spoke passionately about the need for an understanding of science among our leaders and hailed Obama’s commitment to the sciences in his inaugural speech:

“We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.”

Vekny spoke about how innovation does not always have to come from inventing something new, but can also come from finding new and imaginative ways of using something that already exists. He cited the case of Ushahidi, an open source, ”crowdsourcing” system that uses simple mobile technology, such as phone, SMS, and web, combined with geolocation and mapping software on the Internet to track emergency and crisis information. Ushahidi is a fantastic example of how collaboration and innovation, coupled with existing technology, can come together to solve real world problems. It was used in Kenya to map incidents of violence and peace efforts throughout the country based on reports submitted via the web and mobile phone after the 2008 elections. It was used in India to monitor elections and it was used in Washington DC to deal with the aftermath of their snow this year. It is now being used to monitor the crisis in Haiti after the earthquake.

In question and answer following his speech, Venky’s answer to one question stuck with me. Asked about invention and about how and whether people should focus their efforts, Venky said, ” You can’t be everywhere, because then you are nowhere.” How true.

It was a wonderful evening in the Science Gallery and I look forward to attending more lectures there. The lecture was recorded, so I hope it will find its way to YouTube or iTunesU.

If you were at Venky’s lecture and would like to add your thoughts, please leave a comment and add to the record.  If you have used Ushahidi, or know about the application, I’d also love to hear from you. And, finally, if you have had experience of crowdsourcing, please share your thoughts and experience here.