Dancing robots at the LinuxTag
When five little robots demonstrate their legerdemains, then stand of Aldebaran Robotis is always surrounded tightly. The robots of the French company are about 60 cm tall and bribe with tremendous agility and diverse program variety. The participants already had the opportunity to be convinced at the opening event of the LinuxTag, when five little NAO-robots performed a little dance. At the exhibition booth in hall 7.2b they demonstrate what else – apart from dancing – they can do, a few times a day. Interested parties find out from the stand team, that currently more than 2,000 NAOS are used in 45 countries for research and educational purposes. Since 2011, there are more than 200 software-developers in 25 countries, who work on more than 400 application projects. As programming languages or software-platforms the following are suitable: C++, Python, Java, .NET, MATLAB and Urbi.
(Hall 7.2b, Booth 278, Contact: Oana Dorita, Phone: +33-177-371797, e-mail: odorita@aldebaran-robotics.com, url: www.aldebaran-robotics.com)
Navit is now also available on the iPhone
Among the novelties of the project Navit is the iPhone port, an Open Source navigation software with offline operation. “Our navi-solution now also works on the iPhone” informs Martin Schaller of the Navit-project the visitors. “Apart from that, it is interesting that we have started collaborating with GENIVI®. It is a non-profit organisation, specialised on the standardisation of in-vehicle-infotainment. “The Example-Navigation-Component is therefore delivered by us. GENIVI defined the application interfaces and realized them according to those guidelines.” One of the basic advantages of the Navit-Sollution isit’s independency from the hardware. In addition, Schaller highlights another interesting project; currently, the Brandenburg State Police is using five specialized patrol cars with integrated Multi-PC-Softwaresolution for mission control. “In this occasion, our navigational component is an essential part of the system. It is used to navigate the action forces to the scene of crime. This year’s target is raising the number of these cars in the field on up to 30.” adds Schaller.
(Hall 7.2a Booth 101, Contact: Martin Schaller, Phone: +49-8456-917696, e-mail: cp15@navit-project.org, url: www.navit-project.org)
Office 2.0 raises high expectations
“In May 2008, five self-employed Linux-administrators initiated the Office 2.0 located in Berlin-Neukölln, a Non-Profit-IT-Office community, based on the principles of the Open-Office-Movement.” Co-initiator Dennis Kersten told us. Cumulative, in both of the buildings, located at the area of the district heating plant Neukölln, 1.300 squaremeters of space are available for use. This space is segmented in round about 800 square meters office space and 150 square meters terrace; in addition, there are three kitchens, a communal room and a conference room of approximately 45 square meters. The office 2.0 is currently being used by round about 60 Open Source-Experts, such as Soft- and Hardware developers, Administrators and Interface Designers. Due to the high interest, the last stage of expansion was started about half a year ago. Till September 2012, 150 additional square meters of office space will be available in the attic. Karsten especially stresses the high level of support Office 2.0 experienced from the side of the area-owning district heating plant as well as the business development corporation Neukölln. Self-employeds are, for example, able to resign from their leasing contracts in one month’s time. Non-Profit-Organizations are highly welcome to use the conference room for free, issues Kersten.
(Hall 7.2b, Booth 264, Contact: Dennis Kersten, Phone: +49-30-20005860, e-mail: info@buero20.org, url: www.buero20.org )
BSI reveals current IT-Security-Sollutions
On the LinuxTag 2012, the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) showcases latest IT-Security-Solutions, based on Freier-, Libre- and Open Source-Software. (“FLOSS”). Among the highlighted applications and latest project revelations there are the Security-Scanner “Open VAS”, GNOME’s “Kolab”-connected “Evolution”, the “mapWOC” Software for website Security-checkups as well as the “SiVoIP”, a Voice-ocer-IP-Telecommunications-System for safe, encrypted VoIP-communication. In addition, trade fair visitors are able to inform themselves about free software and latest trends and topics in IT- and Cyber-Security. “Kolab”, for example, offers the centralized administration of e-mails, dates, contacts and tasks and thereby simplifies the collaboration of companies and authorities. The Open Vulnerability Assessment System, a Software-Suite for network-wide security-checkups, is presented in its newest version OpenVAS-5.
(Hall 7.2a, Booth 151, Contact: Nora Basting, Phone: +49-228-9995825777, e-mail: presse@bsi.bund.de, url: www.bsi.bund.de )
About the LinuxTag
The LinuxTag is Europe’s leading exhibition and conference on topics relating to Linux and Open Source. The four-day event has been taking place since 1996, annually on the Berlin fair grounds since 2007. It offers updates for professional users, decision makers, developers, beginners and the community. The LinuxTag association is the ideal host for the event and is doing so alongside with the Messe Berlin VLC. For more information please visit http://www.linuxtag.org/2012/en.html.