For most rural medical facilities, telemedicine – video plus broadband data links to large medical facilities in cities – is a literal lifesaver. From rapidly moving large images such as X-rays and CT scans to video conferencing between patients and remote specialists, broadband connections help to bring the latest medical information and techniques to small clinics and regional hospitals.

    

Universities have been on lockdown through the holiday break, and now it’s time for students to return to the classroom. With the return of students come sneaky ways hackers can bypass security.

Here are a few tips to keep them out:

    

In October 2016, a massive “denial of service” attack was orchestrated across the Internet by hackers. While denial of service attacks are not uncommon, this one attracted news attention because of its method – the hackers used IoT (Internet of Things) devices to gain access.

    

We couldn’t let 2016 slip into history without recognizing a milestone anniversary. Fifty years ago, research engineer Sir Charles Kao published his findings on fiber optic communications in a paper read by his peers.

Copper cabling was the transport medium of the day and what Sir Kao proposed was quite remarkable. His 1966 paper detailed experiments involving laser beams traveling down strands of optical glass fiber, which eventually earned him a place in history as the ‘Godfather of Broadband’.

    

The Industrial Internet of Things, or IIoT, will soon enter the mainstream of business and industry (see Fiber and the Industrial IoT). Unlike consumer IoT applications, security and reliability are not just important – they are critical in industrial applications.

    

By now, nearly everyone has heard of the Internet of Things, the latest buzzword in technology. From the fitness monitor that tracks your activity to the smart thermostat on your wall, IoT devices are becoming prevalent in society.

    

SCADA hacking is on the rise. We just learned of another attack on a water treatment plant in which hacktivists were able to change chemical levels through the SCADA system. 

    

In Part 1 of Fiber Brings Live Production Home, we discussed the complicated logistics – and costs - of taking a video production on the road. A viable and highly affordable alternative to taking all of your equipment and personnel with you on the road is to use a high-bandwidth transportation system such as leased or dedicated fiber optic links. This allows your editors to work in their own suites, where they are the most efficient, and keeps your valuable anchor talent in the main studio.

    

Taking a video production on the road is a complicated process – cameras, operators, sound people, remote producers, portable editing suites and miles of cable. Taking the show overseas further complicates the process, requiring shipments of large containers well in advance of the event, along with piles of paperwork and customs declaration forms. Adding to the cost are the transportation, lodging and meal requirements for the staff at the remote site.

    

There’s a tactical reason why fighter pilots need good vision. He who sees first, strikes first. But anymore, that kind of vigilance takes more than good eyesight.

 Today’s next-generation avionics include thermal and infrared imaging, better radar systems and enhanced surveillance systems that require the transference of huge amounts of data in real-time.