This year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas was notable, not so much for what was there as what has vanished. As Shelly Palmer so apply put it -- aisle after aisle of what used to fill stores like Best Buy are simply vanishing. As he explains it: "several aisles of products are disappearing because... there's an app for that. Point-and-shoot cameras, video cameras, music players, GPS systems, voice recorders, calculators, digital picture frames, and a hundred other products have all been rolled into smartphones and tablets."
Simply put -- the era of devices is coming to a close. That's not to say there won't be neat new phones, or iPads, or flatscreen TV's. Sure their will be. But the real innovation is shifting to software. If you need proof, just look at the number of sensors that were on display. Gadgets that hang off your network and connect a 'thing' to your software via a table or smart phone. Their were sensors to turn on and off lights, sensors to check the quality of the air in your home, devices to remotely lock and unlock your front door, sensors to tell you a plant needs water, and of course all kinds of sensors you wear to connect your body and its behavior to software. Measuring the steps you take, the stairs you climb, your heart rate, even your sleeping patterns.
The software that lives on your phone gets more interesting when it accesses real time information about the world -- and even MORE interesting when it accesses data about YOUR world.
So, what does this have to do with New York? Well, for some time now i've been saying that the future of software isn't about making nifty gizmo's or cool gadgets -- it's about connecting real-world industries and activities to the web. It's what I've labeled Hyphen-Tech -- the technologocal connection of software and industries at New York leads in. Among the most interesting areas for hyphen tech are Technology plus Media, Technology plus Advertising, Technology plus Finance, Technology plus Fashion. And now, I'd add to that list Health plus Technology. In worlds where tech is driving innovation around industries, being near those industries accelerates innovation and growth. New York is ideally suited to grow technology companies in these verticals and, in particular, in social media software where New York's diversity, population density, and frenetic pace helps people-powered software innovate in rapid cycles.
This year's CES officially heralds the change. Our devices are no longer connected as a novelty, they need to be connected. Our car needs to be able to tell us when it needs to be service, or plugged in. Our iPad needs to broadcast it's location and lock down it's data if stolen. Heck, as silly as it sounds -- I want my Fridge to let Fresh Direct know that i'm out of milk or running low on eggs. The science fiction future of our doctors providing health care via a webcam has arrived. Why wouldn't we want our doctors to be able to monitor our health if we have an issue that can be treated with timely adjustments to a dose of medication or an alert if a problem becomes more serious and requires an office visit.
New York has always been about ideas and innovation. But as long as the web was about infrastructure rather than software and industries, New York was going to be in second (or maybe even third) place. But in the new software-centric, industry connected world -- New York has a real shot at being number one. Now, that would be fun.
Soon, bus riders in East Baton Rouge Parish will be able to get real-time updates on smartphones and computers about the location of Capital Area Transit System buses.
CATS officials said they are putting the finishing touches on a series of technology upgrades they’re preparing to unveil at the end of the month — the most transformative change being the addition of GPS, or global positioning systems — on the agency’s 79 vehicles.
Brian Marshall, chief administrative officer for CATS, said the agency’s biggest problem has been long wait times and the uncertainty of when buses would arrive at stops.
“Now, that’s entirely taken away; now, there’s absolute certainty,” Marshall said. “We can let them know when a bus is coming up to a 15-second margin of error.”
CATS contracted with RouteMatch Software, an Atlanta-based company, about five months ago for $1.4 million.
The entirety of the contract, with the exception of operational costs, is covered by federal economic stimulus dollars.
Kiran Vemuri, planning manager for CATS, said the agency will pay about $15,000 a year in operational costs to run the system.
Vemuri said CATS has wanted to install the technology for more than three years, but has lacked the funds for operational costs and local matches. He said the passage of the 10.6-mill property tax in April in Baton Rouge and Baker ensures the agency is able to continue to support the service.
Customers waiting for buses will be able to pull up a live map that shows the destination of their bus, and an estimated time of arrival.
Each of the 59 buses and 20 paratransit vehicles, which are used for disabled riders, has been outfitted with a GPS; LED panels displaying approaching intersections and destinations; automated speakers that announce approaching destinations; and digital passenger counters.
The CATS terminal on Florida Boulevard is now outfitted with digital signs that will eventually tell waiting passengers how many minutes they have left to wait for the next bus. The terminal is also outfitted with two LCD monitors that mimic departure and arrival time screens in airports, with a complete list of route information.
Vemuri said eventually more monitors will be positioned when CATS establishes its new transfer centers in locations like Cortana Mall, the Mall of Louisiana and Southern University.
Vemuri acknowledged that a large segment of CATS’ ridership may not have access to a smartphone, but he said eventually CATS plans to expand the service to include text updates, so riders using a cellphones can text a number and receive an immediate response about how far away their bus is.
Marshall noted that the addition of GPS could encourage riders who have access to vehicles to try the bus instead.
The technology will also ensure that dispatchers at CATS know the location of each bus, allowing them to make adjustments if a bus is running late, Vemuri said.
Tim Quinn, executive vice president for RouteMatch, said his company’s software system is used in 48 states and more than 550 bus systems. He said that when the technology is added, systems typically see increases in ridership and overall rider satisfaction.
“There’s anxiety in not knowing, associated with public transportation,” he said. “Buses run late, airlines run late. The challenge is in not knowing, but this eliminates that.”
The technology also allows CATS to update many of its operational tasks, like scheduling and data collection. Where many of those tasks were done manually before, with Excel spreadsheets, now information is automated in their computer system.
“Everyone talks about GPS, but it’s really a small component as far as the technology,” Quinn said. “It’s creating the technology foundation so that CATS can scale up into all sorts of other things.”
GPS technology is something CATS promised it would add in its tax campaign last year. CATS officials said they would use the tax dollars generated for systemwide improvements and expansions that included more reliable service and eventually reducing wait times at peak hours from 75 minutes to 15 minutes.
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