G3ict is the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs

Wireless Emergency Communications State of the Technology (SOT) Conference 

Atlanta, Georgia, USA September 21-23, 2009

This FREE event will bring together stakeholders in a think tank environment to examine the potential of wireless communications technology for improving support and assistance for persons with disabilities before, during and after a natural or manmade disaster.  The target audience is the wireless industry, emergency management and public safety officials, broadcast and cable industry, individuals with disabilities, disability organizations, and researchers working on issues of emergency communications. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to participate in interactive sessions, weigh in on federal policy interventions, and view promising technology demonstrations. Our SOT conference in 2004 had 74 speakers, more than 200 attendees, and more than a dozen exhibitors, which included domestic and international representatives from government, regulatory agencies, state legislators, consulates, advocacy groups, and the wireless industry.  Fully one quarter of the attendees had a self-identified disability. 

For further information and/or to submit recommendations contact: 
Salimah S. MajorConference CoordinatorWireless RERC
404-894-8297 (office)404-791-9692 (mobile) 

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Wireless Technologies (Wireless RERC) is sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the U.S. Department of Education under grant number H133E060061. For more on the Wireless RERC visit:  http://www.wirelessrerc.org/. 

Call for Papers

The Wireless RERC State of Technology Conference on Wireless Emergency Communications brings together domestic and international stakeholders to examine the potential of wireless communications technology for improving assistance for persons with disabilities before, during, and after a natural or manmade disaster. The target audience is the wireless industry, emergency management and public safety officials, broadcast and cable industry, individuals with disabilities, disability organizations, and researchers working on issues of emergency communications.We are seeking papers on important topics and input on potential speakers for plenary sessions and workshops. In this light, we welcome industry studies, empirical research and policy analysis on topics related to wireless emergency communications, such as (but not restricted to):

Technological Issues

• Emergency Alert System (EAS) and/or the Commercial Mobile Alert Systems (CMAS) rulemakings or proposed hybrid solutions.
• Technological solutions for accessible emergency alerting.
• Barriers and opportunities to achieve accessible wireless emergency alerting.
• Public and private sector strategies for creating accessible wireless systems.

Disability Issues

• User needs to achieve accessible wireless emergency communications.
• Policy and regulatory actions needed to achieve accessible wireless alerts.
• Building social networks and collaborations to promote accessible mobile wireless systems.

Public Safety and Emergency Management Issues

• Assuring inclusion of people with disabilities in emergency scenarios.
• Emergency management technologies for interoperability and connectivity to the disability community.
• Deployment strategies by emergency management or public safety entities to provide emergency alerts over wireless networks.

In addition to the above topics, intersecting perspectives on the above issues as well as strategies for outreach, training or best practices of various concerned communities (e.g. disability, emergency management, wireless industry) are welcome for consideration.  Papers will be peer reviewed and those selected will appear in the published Proceedings of the Wireless RERC State of Technology Conference: Wireless Emergency Communications. Selected papers will be compiled in a proposed special edition of a selected peer reviewed journal.  For further information and/or to submit an abstract/paper proposal, contact the proceedings manager: Paul M.A. Baker, Ph.D.Proceedings Manager, the Wireless RERC State of Technology Conference and Director of Research, Center for Advanced Communications Policy (CACP), Georgia Institute of Technology

E-mail -[paul.baker@cacp.gatech.edu]/voice: 404.385.4618 

State of Technology Proceedings Timetable

• March 1 – Abstracts/paper proposals due in and sent out for blind review
• April 1 – Abstracts Acceptance Notifications sent out
• June 1 – Papers due in and sent out for peer review
• July  1 – Review results sent out for modifications
• August 31 – Edits due back to paul.baker@cacp.gatech.edu
• September 8 – Accepted paper abstract online
• October 16 – Conference Result write-up complete
• December 21, 2009– Final Conference Proceedings complete for publication