Mobility has transformed the federal government, and new technologies that don’t factor in the requirements of this reality risk being obsolete on arrival, according to Dr. Tim Hoyt, deputy director of the National Center For Telehealth & Technology (T2), Defense Centers Of Excellence (DCOE), DoD. “Whether that’s a training platform or an actual in-the-field interventional platform, they have to think first about, ‘How is this going to work on a mobile device?'” Hoyt stated in a recent interview with FedScoop managing editor Billy Mitchell.
With mobile capabilities, however, come necessary data protection precautions. Attack surface grows as new devices — each with unique risks and vulnerabilities — are introduced into federal networks. To safeguard data, agencies need to ensure their security strategies are maturing at the same rate that emerging mobile technologies are introduced. Hoyt explained that DoD has addressed many mobile security risks by limiting mobile users to whitelisted apps (approved software), and restricting what employees are permitted to store and access on their government-issued devices.
The potential benefits of federal mobility are many — Hoyt is also hopeful about immersive technologies, particularly for use in operations training. DoD agencies are already leading the way in embracing mobile immersive technologies, shifting from live tactical training to solutions like Samsung Gear VR. Hoyt sees additional opportunities for immersive training technologies, as well: “There is so much mandatory training that we in the government — both on the military and the civilian side — have to complete on an annual basis,” he explained. Replacing standard classroom training with immersive training experiences could better engage adult learners and prepare personnel for the scenarios they will encounter in the field.
Watch the video to hear more of Hoyt’s thoughts on the intersection of mobility, security and innovation, and stay tuned to Samsung Insights’ federal government coverage for additional videos.
