|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dear Reader,
Information and communication technology (ICT) plays an increasingly central role in our lives. For example, it can help us to compensate for mobility and sensory impairments. In emergency situations, ICT solutions can help to contain dangers and get us to safety in time.
In this issue of inside|out, we look at three examples where IT services can be pivotal. First, we will present our infrastructure and software solutions for indoor navigation, which indicate the best routes through the ETH buildings, particularly for people with limited mobility. Then, we will show how digital accessibility allows us to better support people with visual and hearing impairments. Finally, we will present solutions for alerting people on campus in emergency situations. We all hope such incidents will never happen, but we must nevertheless be prepared for them.
Warm regards,
Dr Rui Brandao
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Find your way quickly online: Ricardo Roch (ITS INFRA), right, shows Hans-Peter Dennler (ITS CCR) the way to his ETH destination on his smartphone. |
Barrier-free directions at ETH |
ETH Zurich is set to become barrier-free. ITS has been commissioned to provide the infrastructure for this project. All people, especially those with disabilities, should be able to access routes from A to B on their smartphones according to their needs. Various systems for providing solutions are now being tested in two pilot phases.
Before setting out to make barrier-free directions in its buildings available to all, ETH Zurich had already set up a Bluetooth Beacon network. The existing network, consisting of roughly 6,500 Bluetooth Beacons in the WLAN access points, will serve as a basis for people to navigate their way through the buildings using a smartphone. Since navigation requires indoor positioning, the right technology must be evaluated with regard to the existing network. The aim of the two pilot phases that have already started, is to find out which infrastructure and systems are best suited for this purpose. The main challenge here is to achieve the necessary positioning accuracy. The positioning network should additionally be available for all future uses of advanced location-based services that provide added value for different user groups. In addition to navigation for people with and without disabilities, assisting everyday operations with the transport of bulky goods is a central aspect of this project. Read more in the ITS Blog.
Armin Brunner, ITS INFRA
Hans-Peter Dennler, Project Manager ITS CCR |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Globus GridFTP |
| Globus GridFTP is a data transfer/sharing service between HPC centres. Scientific IT Services (ITS SIS) now offers the sharing service in Zurich on Leonhard and in Lugano on Euler. In addition to this, each institution can set up their own Globus node at their site if they are willing to contribute towards the costs. More about the services in the ITS Blog. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| From left to right, Manu Heim (ETH CC), Christian Schär and Luis Argüello (both ITS APPS) are doing their part to break down barriers and prevent them from arising in the first place. |
Digital accessibility |
In case you are wondering whether people with disabilities work digitally and use the internet, the answer is yes! In fact, they use the internet more often than average, as digital services increase their autonomy and independence. These services include public transport timetables, online shopping, information about degree courses, e-banking and social discussions.
People with disabilities are part of our society, including our academic society. ETH Zurich wants to be accessible to everyone as a place to work and study. This requires barrier-free services.
Thanks to special hardware and software, people with disabilities are able to move independently in digital spaces. When they use such assistive technologies, their performance and engagement are no different from those of people without disabilities. With the ETH project "Barrier-free communication" (TP11), we (CC, ITS and Campus Services) are working together towards the goal of making ETH's digital offerings as barrier-free as possible. We are revising ETH Zurich's most frequently used, central communication channels and web platforms based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
To read about our progress with the project "barrier-free communication", the challenges we face and how all of us can contribute to more accessibility in digital spaces, see the ITS Blog.
Christian Schär, Group Manager WCMS and Mobile Applications (ITS APPS)
Manu Heim, Project Manager Accessible Communication (ETH CC) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| New retention period for Zoom cloud recordings |
| From January 2022, recordings in the Zoom cloud are automatically moved to the Zoom cloud trash after two years and permanently deleted after another 30 days. This also applies retroactively to existing recordings. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The ETH team carried out the project completely virtually: Lio Rosenfeld Project Manager (ITS CCR), Elmar Coray Senior Software Developer (ITS APPS), Adrian Meier Section Manager Security and Roland Nisple Section Manager Fire and Explosion Protection (both ETH SSHE). |
Fire/evac & school shooting/barricading |
In the second half of 2021, a new mass alerting solution was put into operation as the basis for IAT (Information and Alerting Tool). This was done in close cooperation with the SSHE (Safety, Security, Health and Environment) administrative department, which commissioned the new solution. The new system alerts ETH employees via various communication channels (SMS, push app, landline phone, email, local evacuation systems) in the event of evacuation or barricading, depending on the situation and location.
The hybrid solution approach implemented with Atos, a leading provider of security and alerting solutions in Switzerland, also supports mass alerting completely independently of the ETH systems. The interfaces defined and developed by ITS Software Services (now ITS APPS) – technologies used include Spring MVC, RCP, Rest and SAP:PI-WS – optimally integrate the application components in the ETH solution and the Atos cloud. With almost 200 alarm plans with over 200,000 contact addresses, this is a core requirement for highly available and daily updated alerting.
The key success factor in the design and delivery of the solutions was close customer involvement throughout all the project's phase and the deliberate use of collaborative working methods. The project was carried out entirely virtually: "We were able to successfully incorporate our needs into the project from the beginning which allowed us to implement a future-proof solution with an intuitive user interface together with the specialists from ITS, which also supports alarm triggering from mobile end devices." explain Roland Nisple, Head of Fire and Explosion Protection, and Adrian Meier, Head of Security at SSHE. And many thanks to ITS: "The collaboration with ITS went smoothly and demonstrated the service-oriented mindset of our ITS colleagues."
For more information on what to do in case of evacuation or acts of violence on campus, see Fire and Evacuation and Violence on the Campus.
Lio Rosenfeld, Project Manager (ITS CCR) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Info about the ETH Doodle |
| ETH gives its members access to "Doodle Premium", which is an ad-free Doodle with the ETH logo. Doodle is an external service that is not operated by ETH and is constantly changing and expanding. Support requests should be sent directly to Doodle. For more information, please refer to the IT Knowledge Base. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Who’s familiar with this IT Find? |
Join us on a journey through time. We received this device after an ITS employee retired. Take a guess and discover more about this IT find.
Question: What object are we talking about here? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Informatiktage: Discover the programme now |
| The 2022 edition will take place from 28 March to 1 April 2022 and is aimed at school classes, teachers, children and young people. IT Services offer the programmes "Informatik-Expedition: IT Security und Hardware" (IT Expedition: IT security and hardware), "IT-Fitness für Lehrpersonen (IT Fitness for Teachers)" and "Gesichter in der IT und ihre Wege (Faces in IT and their journeys)", which allows IT experts to talk about themselves and their journeys (registration required). At D-INFK (Department of Computer Science), participants can also dive into and immerse themselves in the world of computer science. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
