[03/08/06]
Intermec Inc. has joined Intel, Cisco Systems, Panasonic and Accela as a sponsor of a Digital Communities initiative to help municipalities take advantage of mobile and wireless computing systems to improve efficiency and responsiveness. The initial focus of the group's work is on six segments of the public sector where technology can provide significant benefits: criminal justice, public service and logistics, education, health services, first-alert response and public safety.
"Intermec's reliability and understanding of public sector mobile needs and opportunities are why we invited it to join Digital Communities," said Allan Rakos, Intel's worldwide Digital Communities program director. "The specialized knowledge, experience and products Intermec brings to the project will result in more complete and robust wireless computing solutions for communities that are working with us."
The Digital Communities team has created integrated applications to address the specific challenges and opportunities within each target segment. For example, building inspectors can increase productivity by using Intermec's CN30 mobile computers, Cisco's wireless mesh network and Accela's Land Management software to issue permits, process licensing, conduct code enforcement and other activities in real time. Applications such as this save time for field and clerical personnel and reduce administrative costs while increasing the responsiveness to citizens.
Digital Communities members are demonstrating their capabilities and providing more information in a nine-city tour that began this month. The tour is visiting Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC.
"Intermec's participation in the Digital Communities initiative further enhances the Cisco/Intermec relationship on a global scale," said Rick Clarkson, solution partner integration manager for Cisco Systems. "Together we provide a robust wireless platform that enables a variety of applications that solve real business problems for central and local governments."
State and local governments spent an estimated $83.3 billion on IT in 2005 and are investing nearly $700 million in municipal broadband wireless networks, according to recent reports. Digital Communities partners can help leverage and maximize these investments with proven mobile and wireless applications for public safety, permits, inspections, code enforcement, land management and many other public sector activities.
Intermec has a long history of helping state and local governments modernize operations and become more efficient. Intermec supplied outdoor wireless access points for one of the first municipal Wi-Fi networks in Long Beach, Calif., and recently provided rugged mobile computers with wide-area wireless connectivity to the Seattle Fire Department as part of a disaster response system, and to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to streamline inspections. Intermec has also completed numerous projects with defense and federal government agencies around the world, including a wireless bar code medical-supply tracking system that the U.S. Department of Defense credits with saving nearly $400 million and improving the quality of patient care.
To learn more about the Digital Communities initiative, visit www.govtech.net/digitalcommunities, a Web portal sponsored by the partners and Government Technology Magazine. The portal provides a place to share best practices and to provide news, case studies, white papers and other information of interest for government officials and administrators.
About Intermec
Intermec Inc., develops, manufactures and integrates technologies that identify, track and manage supply chain assets. Core technologies include RFID, mobile computing and data collection systems, bar code printers and label media. The company's products and services are used by customers in many industries worldwide to improve the productivity, quality and responsiveness of business operations. For more information about Intermec, visit www.intermec.com.
|
