Conventions

Once you see all those black-and-yellow keyhole logos scattered around the convention center, you know you’re at a Security Industry event. ISC West is the International Security Conference and Exposition, and they’re there to remind you that you have plenty of stuff you want locked away and kept safe. There was much to learn about how to do that. There was a Security Cloud Computing panel, a discussion about how physical security applications can reduce cost and create value by leveraging the internet Cloud. Other panels explored novel techniques like video analytics, biometric technology and Personal Emergency Response Systems. Feeling secure now? You earned some out-of-town fun, like the scenic motorcycle and sports-car ride through the Valley of Fire and Hoover Dam area, raising funds for volunteer groups and publicly paid first-responders who take courses on safety-related issues. Stay safe, now, y’hear?

“Full name? CTIA Wireless 2011. 300,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space (10% more than last year!) featured all of 1,000 companies showcasing wireless applications, solutions, hardware and software. The show claims to be the nation’s premier wireless event, representing a trillion-dollar global marketplace that brings together wireless and converged communications, wireless broadband, mobile web and more besides. (HOW big? Well, you know how it is: a trillion bucks here, a trillion bucks there, pretty soon you’re into big money). Who’s there? Service operators, retailers/distributors, applications providers, enterprise and vertical market users, content providers and mobile web companies. With next generation networks on the horizon, the proliferation of applications and the adoption of wireless in enterprise and verticals, the wireless and converged communications marketplace is growing exponentially. When he started up that internet thing, Al Gore simply had NO IDEA where it would all end up…

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“The NFMT 2011 Conference program featured 120 educational sessions that were free to the facilities management professionals attending the show. From assets to heating/cooling zones and everything in between, NFMT sessions covered all the main topics of interest to the facilities management business. Keynote and other address topics included “”Energy Audits vs. Retrocommissioning”", “”Getting the Most Bang for your Buck: What Makes Enterprise FM Technologies Successful?”", “”From Communication to Transformation: Leveraging Technology to Manage Your Facilities”" and “”The True Cost of Aggressive Preventative Maintenance on Exterior Services”". No-one seemed to have any specific thoughts on managing facilities consisting of new but empty buildings, devoid of owners or tenants because of the recent downturn. A pity, as this is already an all-too-common occurrence in places like South Florida and Nevada…

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And you thought the aviation industry was all “Come Fly With Me” and “Up, Up and Away”? Fly in to the Cygnus Aviation Expo, to give it its full name, and you’d see there’s more to running an airline than that — and not all of it reflects the fabled Romance of Flying. This industry would never have gotten off the ground if it wasn’t for preconditioned air, potable water systems, lavatory services, tow-bars, hosereels, hoists, baggage chutes and passenger boarding bridges with solid tires, to name but a few of the mundane everyday items you’ll have to have if you want to be “flying the friendly skies”. We were particularly struck by what a good idea the Wing Walker mid-air collision avoidance system was, since fender-benders in the eponymous “friendly skies” can make those skies noticeably less friendly. The Going Green Pavilion offered attendees a showcase of green technologies to help make environmentally-friendly business decisions in aviation and its related services. Up, up and awaaaay!

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, and SPIE Photonics West is the world’s leading photonics, laser and biomedical optics event. Industrial applications such as laser-assisted manufacturing and Micro/Nano Fabrication were a hot topic. Papers were presented on biomedical optics and biophotonics, lasers and their applications, integrated optoelectronics… and there was even a green photonics virtual symposium, which brought together the latest developments in a broad range of photonics applications across Photonics West. There was an educational and vocational development aspect to much of what went on at the show. Visitors to the job fair came prepared to discuss their skills and talents with industry leaders, who were there to encourage them to sign for courses as well as for job openings.