Pictures of the Future    Fall 2006

Ready for Action

Siemens is developing new solutions that not only improve the security of telephone connections in emergencies, but also make chasing criminals easier.

In the brilliant early morning light of the Arabian Gulf tires can be heard screeching as robbers make their getaway from the scene of a crime. An alarm sounds in the police control center, and images of the getaway car appear on a video wall 12 m wide. Cameras at each crossing follow the speeding vehicle until it disappears into an underground parking garage. The video screen now shows a 3D image of the building. Points show where the police should be posted. The first patrol car approaches ...

One of the most modern police control centers in the world was opened in Dubai on September 20, 2006. All of its equipment was delivered by Siemens, including communications and security systems, information processing and operations control software. To add to the 115 cameras it already has, the Emirates police force has installed 732 new ones – many on the roofs of high-rise buildings. Their resolution is so high that they can zoom in on people until the latter fill the screen. Helicopters equipped with cameras send images to ground sites using microwaves. The city and its streets are stored on a computer in 3D, as are hundreds of buildings. "This comprehensive system would not have been possible without the cooperation of several Siemens Groups," says Asim Sukhera, project leader at Siemens Communications (Com).

The telephone system, with its call distribution and recording functions, comes from Communications, the hardware and servers with PCs from Fujitsu-Siemens and the security-related components are from Building Technologies. Combating crime and dealing with emergencies as quickly as possible requires reliable and direct communication. To provide this, Siemens developed the HiPath Command Control Center solution, which allows operations to be coordinated down to the smallest detail. Monitors display all the relevant data at all times.

Around the world, similar centers are cropping up. For instance, in the Chinese city of Nanning (population more than six million). And all across Finland, emergency calls are now taken via new command centers from which police, fire department and paramedic services operations are controlled. Jukka Altonen, head of development at the administrative office for emergency call centers in Finland, says the Siemens solution is unique: "When people need help, it’s unbeatable." When a center receives an emergency call, the caller’s name and location immediately appear on the monitor—complete with a road map. The control system makes operational suggestions and checks to see which vehicle is in the area. It just takes a click to alert the vehicle.

"Determining the exact position via satellite is crucial," says Matthias Stump. "Only then can operations be planned accurately—whether chasing criminals or coordinating support forces during floods." Large operations in particular often suffer from poor coordination. So it’s Stump’s job to sit down with customers to work out where they need new technology. "Existing systems are often not replaced, but just extended," says Stump, emphasizing one of HiPath’s strengths. It can connect an old analog radio system with new "Tetra"digital police system. Various radio and communications standards can be integrated, such as WLAN. Tetra has already been introduced in several European countries. Its greatest strength is that calls can be made to individuals, or a group of people can be connected with each other. "In the past, one radio call would go out to everyone," says Stump. But thanks to Tetra, callers can define exactly who they want to talk to on the HiPath monitor.

Robust Networks. But even the best communications solution is of no use if connections or crucial components fail, for example during floods. Whole regions can then be cut off from the outside world. Experts therefore want to make future telephone and data networks less vulnerable to disruption. The idea behind this system is simple: Instead of having fixed networks linked solely via central stations, it should be possible for ad-hoc networks to autonomously organize themselves in just seconds. Future mobile radio networks will be flexible enough to bypass non-functioning stations. That will probably involve a network that covers up to 50 km and is based on the WLAN or WiMAX standard. Messages will then hop on to the network via a multihop connection using mobile phones, laptops or access points.

Among the most effective tools against communication blackout are mesh networks. These are used to connect various WLAN or WiMAX islands with one another. In the future they too will set themselves up through self-organization. "In an emergency we could replace broken network nodes with mobile WiMAX mesh nodes," says Dr. Rainer Sauerwein from Siemens Corporate Technology (CT), who is responsible for developing wireless mesh networks. Mounted on emergency vehicles, these mobile network nodes could be used to replace destroyed communication infrastructure.

The system’s developers at CT are currently working on securing mesh networks against attacks. Communication protocols also need to be quick and powerful enough to integrate mobile nodes—transmitters on rescue vehicles, for example—in such a manner that even high-demand services such as Internet telephony are possible.

Dr. Christian Schwingenschlögl of CT is working on making the large amount of data these systems have to process as manageable as possible. "It’s right at the start, when emergency support personnel are being directed to their operations sites, that an enormous amount of information hits the system," he say. Schwingenschlögl is developing algorithms and protocols to spread the load and allow data to be distributed accordingly. It will still be some time before this technology is ready for market.

Meanwhile, back in Dubai, communications are working perfectly. Patrol cars have surrounded the criminals. A map in the control center shows their position and where roadblocks should be mounted. The robbers don’t have a chance...
                                                                                                                 Tim Schröder