A Cloud-Based Mobile Computing Applications Platform for First Responders Chit Chung, Dennis Egan, and Ashish Jain Applied Communication Sciences Basking Ridge, NJ ajain@appcomsci.com Nicholas Caruso and Colin Misner US Army TARDEC Warren, MI colin.m.misner.civ@mail.mil Richard Wallace Center for Automotive Research Ann Arbor, MI rwallace@cargroup.org Abstract. A cloud-based Mobile Computing Applications Platform (MCAP) for enhanced situational awareness and mobile command and control for first responders is introduced. MCAP is a cloud-enabled platform for defining, developing, and deploying apps on smartphones, tablets, and in-vehicle computers. Unique differentiators of the approach include the use of COTS technologies for mobile computing and wireless networking to create a low-cost and sustainable program. A platform architecture that exposes a set of reusable mobile core services that fosters an eco-system of partners to develop feature- rich and innovative apps is discussed. Core services provide support for location, user profile, notification, authentication, content management, and device management. A public-private collaboration and governance model, an essential element for a healthy eco-system, is outlined. The current status of the MCAP program is presented, including experiences from user trials with several Michigan National Guard units. Keywords- first responder mobile apps; mobile apps eco-system; core services; mobile command and control; situational awareness; smartphones; cloud based delivery I. INTRODUCTION First responders currently rely on traditional, two-way radios on public safety bands to provide critical incident related information to operations centers and also for command and control communications. While the need to upgrade to systems that can communicate both voice and data is widely recognized, a cost-effective solution that interfaces with legacy radios and is open and interoperable by design is still missing. This stands in stark contrast to the mobile computing and communications capabilities now possible due to ever progressing commercial wireless broadband networks, smart hand-held devices, portable tablet computers, and on-demand access to cloud services. Further, consumer systems and devices are not only more capable, they are also at least an order of magnitude less expensive. We developed a cloud-based Mobile Computing Applications Platform (MCAP) to enable a novel approach for defining, developing, and deploying new capabilities for enhanced situational awareness and mobile command, control, communications, and computing (C4). The principal goal of MCAP is to establish an enhanced, interoperable communications capability for homeland defense and civil support responders that embraces the potential that is inherent in modern consumer and commercial wireless communication and computing systems. MCAP relies on an open and collaborative process that leverages Commercial/Government Off-The-Shelf (C/G OTS) systems to rapidly and cost- effectively deliver new capabilities. A key element of our approach is the platform architecture that exposes a set of core services to foster an eco-system of partners to develop feature- rich and innovative applications for first responders. The core services are enablers for interoperability of various applications developed using the platform. The core services detailed in this paper include a Location, Presence, and Availability Service; a Device Management Service; an Authentication Authorization and Access Control Service; a Notification and Messaging Service; and a User Profile and Directory Service. To further streamline rapid delivery of new capabilities, the core services are provided via cloud servers that gracefully scale from very small to large deployments and provide support for different instances for different administrative domains. This cloud- based hosting and delivery model is essential to the business case for creating a sustainable eco-system in the fragmented first-responder marketplace. In addition to the technical architecture, we also describe a public-private governance model that is critical for creating and sustaining the eco-system of responders, suppliers, and application developers. Indeed, the model is analogous to a commercial App Marketplace model. We demonstrate the technical feasibility of our approach using applications that were developed on the platform for improving situational awareness and mobile C4. In addition to applications developed under the MCAP Program, we also highlight how several COTS mobile apps (e.g., file sharing, collaboration, emergency information lookup, and navigation) were readily adopted into the MCAP suite with user training and well- specified methods and procedures. The ability to tap into the wider commercial Apps Marketplace demonstrates the viability and sustainability of our approach. This material is based upon work supported by the US Army TACOM under Contract W56HZV-11-C-0365. UNCLASSIFIED: Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release.