The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently conducted an evaluation of current and emerging smoke alarm technology responses to common residential fire scenarios and nuisance alarm sources. Their findings have been released in a report that can be found here.

"Wireless" has been a key word in everyone's vocabulary for sometime now. Wireless usually refers to voice and data whether it be celluar telephones or connection of laptop computers to an organization's network without the use of a hard-wired infrastructure. Now wireless is invading the realm of A/V (audio/video). Some projector manufacturers, such as Sharp and InFocus, have had wireless devices for some time. And more manufacturers will jump on the bandwagon with the implementation of higher speeds afforded by IEEE's 802.11g (which is compatible with the slow 802.11b). But the A/V market will see the greatest impact from the new standard, 802.16a, that will allow wireless transmission of audio and video up to a range of 30 miles. [Read More...]

Security is a major topic of discussions these days. Most of the discussion revolves around physical protection of buildings and other facilties. However, another area of security that Architectural and Engineering companies need to be specifically concerned about is access to their corporate networks. Recently is was announced that a signficant flaw was discovered in regard to unauthorized access to versions of Windows Operating Systems (OS) including NT, 2000, XP, and Server 2003. Although security breaches in Windows software is nothing new, this announcement is accompanied by a warning from the Homeland Security Department that activity by hackers has recently been much higher than in the recent past. There is growing concern that a broadbased attack of corporate networks may be in the works. Read the Homeland Security Department's Advisory (Potential For Significant Impact On Internet Operations Due To Vulnerability In Microsoft Operating Systems (UPDATED) - July 30, 2003) on this vulnerability and learb what you can do to prevent unauthorized access to your network from external sources in Microsoft's MS03-026 Security Bulletin.