Saturday, June 29, 2013

Gems of Opportunity: Governmental Software Concept: "True Virtualized Municipalities" (TVM)



Hello All,

This is my one entry for the series I call "Gem of Opportunity" by elaborating on potential conceptualizations of my own making. That provides a novel solution if not a market opportunity at hand for those bold enough to seize the day.

Today's governmental software system concept I'll coin as a "True Virtualized Municipality" or (TVM) for short. It encompasses a software development platform utilized for IT (Information Technology) departments of a county to local city municipality. Its functions are manifold from the government, commercial, to residential services using both a virtualized and augmented reality system in a 3D to at times a 4D (ie Time) landscape. Serving at large city planners, city workers, 1st responders (ie Police, Firefighters, Paramedics), larger corporate entities, small businesses, and finally the general tax paying public.





For instance, take what "Google Maps" has offered to the general public at large on a national basis across America. Be it by satellite views down to a local city street level layout. Although with sometimes outdated pictorial views in a 360-degree environment. Even now "Apple Computers Inc." is seeking to compete with "Google's" software mapping application for its own mobile and tablet computer customers.

Now picture (pun intended) a system more comprehensive than today's "Google Maps" used by the county or local city governments. Where the public works department by means of the IT office manages a small to larger virtualized city landscape. Be it in 3D to 4D real time or near real time scanning. Take for instance the "City of Hollywood" California for the city district of "Rodeo Drive" wants an added protective informative layer to such a famous luxurious landmark. If not "New York City" overlooking the "Wall Street District" as another example of a pivotal cityscape that can utilize a virtualized protective informative layer in 3D to 4D cross purposes. The entire virtualized city landscape will be drawn to nearly full scale if at all possible. Meaning down to the foot if not otherwise down to the blade of grass in the city park. Abandoned areas be it scrub woodlands or other derelict structures that are in ruins located in blighted neighborhoods will also be showcased.

Taking various Data Sourced Inputs that are constantly streamed into the "True Virtualized Municipality". Providing an onion skin approach to overlapping layers of piped in informational dynamics. Such as: Satellite Telemetry, Local Dopler Radar weather scans perhaps utilizing local weather TV station resources, geological surveys, all Cellular Tower GPS inputs from fixed structures, Water Management surveys, Chemical / Biological Hazard sensor data, Airport Authority aerial traffic and weather forecasts, Local Traffic Authorities Live Cameras such as on highways and intersections, All outward to street level private security cameras belonging to corporate or small business owners (ie Banks & ATM machines, Jewelry stores, Various retailers, Gasoline Stations, etc...) In a manner to mimic what the "City of London" does in Great Britain with their CCTV's utilized by police authorities. However having a secondary layer of a real time or near real time scanning of public spaces. To aid the virtualization of an urban landscape into 3D modeling purposes.

Providing metadata points that are more than informational or statistically based. That also provides a colorful canvas (real time scanning) to the skeletal template of the city urban plan as its been laid out. Consider it a very Functional Virtual City Sandbox, not unlike those developed by game designers. Like in the popular "Grand Theft Auto Series or Saints Row" line of simulated game sandboxes. In the beginning, the very 1st generation of such a software system will only provide viewpoints of a phantom camera much like "Google Maps". Where the camera utility zooms in and out as desired by the user of such a map application. Later software generational versions can include pedestrian or vehicular avatars. Although these avatars can not become anonymous in the usage of such a software system. Meaning those logged in via a computer system within a public general space. Be it by a mobile device or other misc platforms such as in a public library terminal. Will need to have a registered account with your very real identity included (ie drivers license, voter registration, birth certificate, etc...) The reason being as long as a registered user is logged into such a publicly available system via their mobile device. Located within the public general spaces as in mostly outdoor locales they may be deemed as an observational asset. (ie cases of public safety) This will certainly become a "Civil Rights" hotbed issue within democracies. Where safeguards of a "checks and balance" system may need to be included so as to avoid privacy issue abuses. From those with sufficient clearance to access such navigational data points of citizens within the software (TVM) system. (ie police & city workers)

An example of an observational asset by an ordinary registered citizen logged into the "True Virtualized Municipality" system. Let's say they are walking in the back streets of a residential neighborhood. Where a rainfall downpour takes hold during inclement weather. When the citizen huddled near a tree notices the local drainage sewer system is handling the deluge in a poor manner. Street level flooding begins to take hold so the good Samaritan sends an alert to be it by voice, text, or captured photo Image into the (TVM) system. Where the artificial intelligence begins to scan the locality to determine if a legitimate local flash flood is indeed occurring. Satellite telemetry if at all possible scans the local street level to see if the local municipal drainage is up to snuff. Measuring the rainfall downpour velocity and how quickly if at all the sewer drainage system is coping. If there is indeed a flash flood in mere seconds after the good Samaritan logged his alert call into the (TVM) system. A local weather advisory goes up of a flash flood in such and such street neighborhood is occurring. All nearby pedestrians and those in vehicles driving that are logged into the (TVM) system receive an audio alert of a nearby flash flood.

Another example of an observational asset by a logged in registered citizen again as a pedestrian at a public traffic intersection. A freak auto accident collision occurs between 2 or more cars. Whilst the typical person is dialing 911 emergency. Those public registered citizens can send a voice, text, or in this case a 911 Image alert into the (TVM) system. All through the mobile device camera uploading the image-tracked by GPS signifying its for such and such traffic intersection. Again if the artificial intelligence core hasn't already picked up on such a local 911 alert of an auto accident. It begins to sweep for ancillary good Samaritan (TVM) voice, text description, and certainly Image alerts. Where it begins to paint a very near real time visual image that is piped into police, fire rescue, and paramedic emergency vehicles. So the 1st responders can get a "Big Brother" eye in the sky image of the intersection auto accident. To plan for the minute or so available best practices in order to breach such a scenario. Again for the above example, local traffic can become diverted via alerts issued by the artificial intelligence of the (TVM) system. To nearby vehicular traffic and so forth.



Other applications of the "True Virtualized Municipality" software system is to alter how in many instances we interact with the 2D Internet of today. Whereby future Internet websites will become migrated into a 3D environment via similar applications of the (TVM) system. For example, a local City Hall will become rendered in a virtual 3D scale with real time or near time scans of the general public entering and exiting such a building. The virtual City Hall in 3D will become its own website for users from the Internet. At the margins of the 3D website can be all the bells and whistles of app features. Including plugins of social media services of Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, etc...

Entering such a public governmental building with one's phantom camera or in later registered avatar software versions. One encounters the very real scanned lobby with an office directory at the back wall. Those offices open to the general public a user clicks on the office directory link and is magically transported to such an office. Where they're greeted by the real person receptionist at her desk like if it was an incoming phone call. In this case, it'll be the phantom camera or the registered citizen by their real proper name. If a waiting line exists in such an office than both local real people and virtualized people are lumped together. As in a first come, first served basis waiting line that is both real and virtualized. Eventually, the real waiting line in an office may be done away with if the virtual waiting line proves popular and successful. Where the only people in such a city office will be the city workers at their real desks and their augmented reality desks within the virtual office scape. So if a clocked in city worker can be tracked like today's GPS-enabled vehicle fleets out on the public roads. However, in this case, it's for security purposes, or if someone has taken an excessive bathroom break. City workers based on security clearance may be able to access additional private city office floors or what have you within the 3D enabled City Hall. So instead of having to go up and travel 2 floors and deliver a file in person. The city worker via the (TVM) system can digitally transmit files, voice messages, etc.. to a person's particular desk. Consider it another layer of communication beyond that of the standard email, phone, SMS text, or social media platform.

Also, any additional public government television channels can also be piped into such a (TVM) system. Be it for publicly held local city council meetings. That logged in registered citizens can petition to speak in audio and video (ie a Skype plugin), or type messages in a text when making their case. By delivering a pointed remark on any particular standing issue. Considering it a form of civic participation from the general interested public.

Now consider every residential registered citizen of the "True Virtualized Municipality" system. Has their real home property converted into a 3D website of its own standing. Where again users from the Internet that happen to know you personally can visit your very real 3D Home Page. (it gives the home page real significance this time and not the symbolic Internet lingo of today) On your personal 3D home property exterior website again at the margins, each user is offered apps and plugins to utilize by their own customizations. Be it social media plugins of Facebook, Twitter, Blog sites, etc... Every registered user will also receive their own municipal email address account. The address will be locked to the physical property address so the name of it may be very generic by street address. Much like your real mail box sitting at street level or within an apartment complex. Emails received at such a municipal street address will be typical. Such as everything sent to you by snail mail via the postal system will also receive a parallel digital email message. For example drivers license renewals, property tax assessments or payments due, election days and results, local water and sewage bills, boiled water advisory, sewage spill advisory, local flood and tornado warnings, etc...

Not to leave the larger commercial enterprises out of the loop be they larger franchise outlets down to the local small business owner. Their business property address will also become their own 3D website showcasing the real exterior of their business operation. Where local small to corporate business owners can migrate their E-Commerce Operations be it for retail or business to business supply chain needs. Consider a retail customer entering your 3D business outlet website via their mobile smartphone device that happens to be registered to the (TVM) system. They can browse in full 3D merchandise that is actually on your real store outlet shelf such as at a Walmart locale. By means of sensors on the store shelves or any indoor store cameras. Let's say they're at the electronics television section and are considering buying an LCD Tv. They click on the TV and watch as the product information is displayed to them. The customer can switch television channels to broadcast local Tv stations. Now the customer borrows a virtual copy of your LCD Tv and situates it inside a virtual mock-up of their own exact living room layout. After they tweak the placement setting of the LCD in their own prior scanned home using (TVM) utility tools. They want to see what the LCD Tv packaging will look like when its removed out of the box. Where they watch a quick video of a store employee removing the product out of the box. As in an instructional video in how to configure the LCD Tv stand. With any such pertinent product information when using custom settings via a remote control set up. Of course, savvy retail customers can go bargain shopping via the (TVM) system. Entering any of a litany of local 3D business websites of electronic stores searching for the best price.

Later versions of the "True Virtualized Municipality" software system can provide upgrade tiered packages to commercial and residential address customers. To improve the look and functionality if so desired of their 3D exterior property address websites. All of this can be administered by the local municipality via the public works section such as the IT department. That is the commercial software vendor that developed the (TVM) system by partnering in customer support for the local city or county government. The local government can decide to keep all of this in-house in order to generate additional revenue streams to the local treasury. Besides the usual fare of collecting taxes, fees, etc... If kept in-house the local government IT departments will need an increased authoritative mandate from the State government with infrastructure outlay of capital expenses as it is needed. Otherwise, the State or local county government can elect to receive all this support outside of the software developer that built such a system from scratch. To open it up to private commercial contract vendors by an open bidding process to implement it for a local municipality. In conjunction with partnerships with additional city government services such as tie-ins with first responders.

The "True Virtualized Municipality" software system is designed to be from the ground up an additional overlay of digitized mechanisms. To aid and support the delivery of local government resources as they are needed. Moreover, it will also receive qualified support for commercial and residential needs as they appear over time into the implementation of such a platform. This is clearly the future where the Internet of today can develop into tomorrow. Leaving behind in many instances the vestiges of the atypical 2D environments when interfacing with the technology of tomorrow practically on our doorstep here today.

Ivan "Atrayo" Pozo-Illas, has devoted 21 years of his life to the pursuit of clairvoyant automatic writing channeling the Angelic host. Ivan is the author of the spiritual wisdom series of "Jewels of Truth" consisting of 3 volumes published to date. He also channels inspired conceptual designs that are multi-faceted for the next society to come that are solutions based as a form of dharmic service. Numerous examples of his work are available at "Atrayo's Oracle" blog site of 11 years plus online. Your welcome to visit his website "Jewelsoftruth.us" for further information or to contact Atrayo directly. 

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