Network-based Alarm System Sends Silent Alert -- Campus Technology

Cybersecurity

Network-based Alarm System Sends Silent Alert

By Dian Schaffhauser
04/09/08

A Spokane, WA company has developed a computer network-based alarm system that allows users to trigger an emergency alarm through their computers to send a silent alert to all other users logged into the same network. Pentad Systems' LANalarm could complement text messaging-based notification systems, which tend to have a lag between the time the emergency is communicated to administrators and the notification is actually sent out to participants.

LANalarm has multiple alarm types, which are set off with a couple of keystrokes. The first alarm type is a "Help Me" alarm. This signifies an emergency where help is needed in a particular office. The second alarm type is a "Please Evacuate" alarm. Triggering this alarm will alert all office personnel to evacuate in an orderly manner. A third alarm option is a "Lockdown" alarm, which alerts users to stay in their rooms or offices and lock the doors.

When the alarm is initiated, an alarm panel flashes on user screens. According to an article in the Spokane Journal of Business, only an IT administrator can shut the alarm off once it is triggered, preventing a user from simply shutting it off without really noticing it.

Company President Randy Nichols told the Journal that the software has been tested at a Washington state agency in a pilot project. He said the program was also in use in private schools in the Spokane area and would be tested by a school district shortly.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

E-Mail this page

Printable Format

Featured

4 Ways Universities Are Using Google AI Tools for Learning and Administration

In a recent blog post, Google shared an array of education customer stories, showcasing ways institutions are using AI tools like Gemini and NotebookLM to transform both learning and administrative tasks.
Complete College America Launches Center to Boost Data-Driven Student Success Strategies

National nonprofit Complete College America (CCA) recently launched the Center for Leadership, Institutional Metrics, and Best Practices (CLIMB), with the goal of helping higher education institutions use data-driven strategies to improve student outcomes.
New Anthropic AI Models Demonstrate Coding Prowess, Behavior Risks

Anthropic has released Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4, its most advanced artificial intelligence models to date, boasting a significant leap in autonomous coding capabilities while simultaneously revealing troubling tendencies toward self-preservation that include attempted blackmail.
Researchers Develop AI-Powered Method for Business Process Redesign

Researchers have developed a novel AI-powered approach that enables non-technical users to modify complex process models through simple conversations with chatbots.