XML Web Services: VoiceXML and Phone Directories

1
XML Web ServicesVoiceXML and Phone Directories

• Brand Niemann
• XML Web Services Evangelist
• US EPA Office of Environmental Information
• April 16-18, 2002

2
Overview

• 1. XML and XML Web Services
• 2. EPAs Where You Live
• 3. Multi-channel Dissemination of the LEPC
  Database
• 4. XML Content Network and VoiceXML Presentations
  and Recognitions
• 5. Phone Directories as XML Web Services
• 6. Contact Information

3
1. XML and XML Web Services

• XML is a standard for preserving and
  communicating information encoding, tagging,
  and internationalizing that will be everywhere.
• Web Services provide communication between
  applications running on different Web servers
  that will bring the Internet to its new level.
• XML Web Services are applications running on
  different devices that communicate XML data using
  XML messages.
• Interoperable XML Web Services
• http//www.ws-i.org/Community.aspx

4
2. EPAs Where You Live

• Enter your zip code to retrieve environmental
  information about your community
• Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPCs)
  provide a forum for emergency management
  agencies, responders, industry and the public to
  work together to understand chemical hazards in
  the community, develop emergency plans in case of
  an accidental release, and always look for ways
  to prevent chemical accidents. Local industries
  must provide information to LEPCs about chemical
  hazards, LEPCs are required by law to make this
  information available to any citizen who requests
  it. You can make a difference by attending an
  LEPC meeting or joining your LEPC.
• Please Note Currently we have over 3000 listings
  in our LEPC Database. It is our goal to provide
  the most current and accurate information. We
  look to the LEPC community to help us
  successfully meet this goal. Please forward any
  changes or corrections to Dana Robinson. These
  changes will be incorporated and updated monthly.

5
3. Multi-channel Dissemination of the LEPC
Database

• 3.1 Field Names
• 3.2 Web
• 3.3 Print
• 3.4 CD/DVD
• 3.5 XML Web Service
• 3.6 Telephone
• 3.7 Digital Talking Books

6
3.1 Field Names

• LEPC Name
• Street
• Address2 (e.g. P.O. Box)
• City
• State
• Postal Code
• First Name
• Last Name
• Phone
• Email
• LEPC ID
• Edit Date
• Idmarplot (geo-reference from the LandView
  MarPlot Mapping System)

7
3.2 The Webhttp//www.epa.gov/ceppo/lepclist.htm
8
3.3 Print(on demand)
9
3.4 CD/DVDhttp//landview.census.gov/
10
3.5 XML Web Service FileMaker Prohttp//www.file
maker.com/xml/overview.html
11
3.5 XML Web Service XML Query Output
http//130.11.53.73/lepc/FMPro?-dbLEPC.FP5-forma
t-fmp_xmlzip_lepczip_code22181-find
12
3.6 Telephone A Voice Browser http//www.voicexml
.org/, http//www.w3.org/Voice/
13
3.6 Telephone Tellme VoiceXMLhttp//www.tellme.c
om

• The fastest way to get any U.S. forecast
• 1-800-555-TELL.
• Say Weather, then a city and state, or enter the
  zip code, to interrupt say stop, and for extended
  forecast for your city, say Tellme More.
• National Directory Assistance
• 1-800-555-1212.
• Utah Department of Transportation 511
• Automated real-time information on traffic, road
  conditions, and public transportation (December
  2001).
• Added event schedules, driving directions, and
  up-to-the-minute news and announcements for the
  2002 Olympics.

14
3.6 Telephone Tellme Studio VoiceXML
http//studio.tellme.com/
15
3.6 Telephone VoiceXML Web Servicehttp//130.11.
53.73/brand.vxml
16
3.6 Telephone VoiceXML Web Service1-866-745-7735

• Welcome to the E. P. A. Local Emergency Planning
  Committee finder.
• Please speak or touch-tone your 5 digit Zipcode.
• 84040
• Here are results for the Zipcode 84040.
• The L. E. P. C. nearest to you is listed in the
  E. P. A. database as follows. Davis County. At
  Davis County Sheriffs Department located in the
  city of Farmington.
• Thank You for calling, goodbye.

17
3.7 Digital Talking Books http//www.loc.gov/nis/
niso, http//www.daisy.org

• Also called DAISY or NISO Books for the DAISY
  (Digital Audio-based Information SYstem)
  Consortium and National Information Standards
  Organization.
• Well-organized collections of computer files
  produced according to specifications published by
  DIASY and NISO
• Medium-independent information access based on
  open standards (W3Cs XML and SMIL)
• Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language.
• Three Principal Types of Players
• Computers, personal digital assists (e.g.
  BrailleNote), and specialized stand-alone
  hardware players (Victor by VisuAide and Plextalk
  by Plextor). Also Victor Trekker A GPS for the
  blind.
• American Foundation for the Blind, AccessWorld
  (see next slide)
• Janina Sajka, Director Technology Research and
  Development Governmental Relations Group.

18
3.7 Digital Talking Bookshttp//www.afb.org/aw/AW
0203toc.asp
19
3.7 Digital Talking Bookshttp//www.visuaide.com/
victorpro.html
20
4. XML Content Network and VoiceXML Presentations
and Recognitions

• 4.1 Content Network of XML Web Services
• 4.2 Universal Access Collaboration Expedition
  Workshop, February 19th
• 4.3 GSA Senior Management, March 6th
• 4.4 2002 Federal CIO Council Showcase of
  Excellence Award
• 4.5 FedWeb 2002 Tutorial

21
4.1 Content Network of XML Web Services

• Building Peer-to-Peer XML Content Networks of
  Web Services for Federal Scientific and
  Statistical Data and Information FedStats.Net
  and Beyond
• The recent GSA Office of Intergovernmental
  Solution Newsletter, Issue 11 XML Applications
  in Government
• http//www.gsa.gov/Portal/content/pubs_content.jsp
  ? content OID120147contentType1008PMGZ1
• http//www.gsa.gov/attachments/GSA_PUBLICATIONS/ex
  tpub/11-BLNiemann-EPA_7.htm
• NXT 3 P2P Platform from NextPage, Inc. provides
  not only XML Web Services and an XML Registry and
  Repository, but high-level data coordination and
  collaboration across distributed content.
• NextPage is unique in the content management
  market in its distributed approach. NXT 3
  virtually connects the distributed information
  sources and makes them appear integrated to the
  user.
• Esther Dysons Monthly Report, Volume 20, No. 1,
  22 January 2002
• http//www.eventure.com

22
4.1 Content Network of XML Web Serviceshttp//fed
gov.nextpage.com
23
4.1 Content Network of XML Web Services
http//www.nextpage.com
24
4.2 Universal Access Collaboration Expedition
Workshop, February 19th http//ioa-qpnet-co.gsa.g
ov/UA-Exp
25
4.2 Universal Access Collaboration Expedition
Workshop, February 19thhttp//people.internet2.ed
u/ghb/coexp/
26
4.3 GSA Senior Management, March 6th

• GSA Senior Management, March 6th
• Excellent demonstration of emerging technologies.
• Suggest pursuing with Blue Pages and Geospatial
  One Stop so the Blue Pages could become spatially
  enabled which will help to voice enable them.
  Also pursue with Recreation.Gov.
• See Section 5.

27
4.4 2002 Federal CIO Council Showcase of
Excellence Award

• Finalist at FOSE, March 19-21, Washington, DC
  Convention Center
• http//www.fose.com/Events/showcase.html
• Special Award for Innovation from Mark Forman and
  the Quad Council
• http//gcn.com/vol1_no1/daily-updates/18224-1.html
  
• Federal Computer Week, March 18th
• Six Emerging Technologies That Could Change the
  Way Government Works
• A voice from the near future
• http//www.fcw.com/articles/2002/0318/cov-tech2-03
  -18-02.asp

28
4.4 2002 Federal CIO Council Showcase of
Excellence Award

• This project was an interagency and
  government-private industry partnership team
  effort under the auspices of the Federal CIO XML
  Working Group (http//xml.gov) and the GSAs
  Universal Access Collaboration Expedition
  Workshops Program as follows
• Peter Gattuso (202-564-7993), Chemical Emergency
  Preparedness and Prevention Office (CEPPO), U.S.
  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), LEPC Web
  Development.
• Greg OConnell (301-941-1853), Jim Stilwell
  (760-723-8253), Art Clarke (415-378-4554), David
  Weiden (650-930-9000), TellMe Networks, Inc.,
  TellMe Network Services.
• Jerry McFaul (703-648-7126), US Geological
  Survey, FileMaker Web Server.
• Bruce Law, Mark Fredrickson, Jonathan Jarvis,
  Craig Brown, and Simon Chung (801-768-7500),
  NextPage, Inc., NXT 3 P2P Platform Software and
  Services.
• Brand Niemann (202-260-2510), Office of
  Environmental Information, U.S. Environmental
  Protection Agency (EPA), FedGov Content Network
  Development and Management and XML Web Services
  Training.
• Janina Sajka (202-408-8175), Director Technology
  Research and Development Governmental Relations
  Group, American Foundation for the Blind, Project
  Advisor.
• Susan Turnbull (202-501-6214), Office of
  Governmentwide Policy, US General Services
  Administration, Project Advisor.
• Owen Ambur (703-358-2138), Co-Chair, Federal CIO
  XML Working Group, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife
  Service, Project Advisor.

29
4.5 FedWeb 2002 Tutorial

• Web Content Authoring and Management Tools with
  XML
• May 20, 2002, 9 a.m. 12 noon, Natcher Center,
  NIH, Bethesda, MD.
• http//www.fedweb.org/2002preconftutorials.htm
• Attendees have the opportunity to provide content
  for XML-ization prior to the tutorial to be used
  in the tutorial as time permits.
• http//130.11.44.140 (XML Web Services Training
  and Pilots)
• In coordination with the Federal Web Content
  Managers Forum.
• http//www.hud.gov/library/bookshelf15/webcontentm
  gr.cfm

30
5. Phone Directories as XML Web Services

• 5.1 U.S. Blue Pages
• 5.2 Visionary Goals for the Blue Pages
• 5.3 Coordination with the E-Gov
• 5.4 Blue Pages XML Web Services Pilot Project
• 5.4.1 Las Vegas Blue Pages Listing
• 5.4.2 Strategy
• 5.4.3 NXT 3 Query for XML
• 5.4.4 Tellme Demo
• 5.4.5 Acknowledgments

31
5.1 U.S. Blue Pageshttp//bp.fed.gov/
32
5.1 U.S. Blue Pages(print)
33
5.2 Visionary Goals for the Blue Pages

• Owen Ambur
• Use agency databases, gather and maintain with
  e-forms, geo-reference, provide access by Web and
  telephone, and include Frequently Asked Questions
  and Documents
• 1-800 Say-The-Word The X.500 Blue Pages Key to
  Stockholder/Customer-Accessible Government
  (12/13/97)
• http//users.erols.com/ambur/BluePage.html
• Additional Requirements for the Blue Pages Data
  Collection Maintenance System (11/2/98)
• http//users.erols.com/ambur/bluepgs.html
• Susan Turnbull
• Extending Digital Dividends Public Goods and
  Services that Work for All, September 2001, GSA
  Office of Governmentwide Policy, 36 pp.

34
5.2 Free Access to Health and Human Services
Information (211)http//www.211.org/interactive2
0map.asp
35
5.3 Coordination with the E-Govhttp//www.fgdc.go
v/geo-one-stop/index.html

• Recreation One Stop (Recreation.Gov)
• In discussions with Charles Nethaway, Director,
  Special Services and Web Development, National
  Business Center, US Department of the Interior.
• Geospatial Information One Stop
• Blue Pages Team met on April 4th with John
  Moeller, Federal Geographic Data Committee Staff
  Director
• Encouraged to go forward with effort using FGDC
  metadata standards and become part of the
  Geospatial One Stop Portal.
• Suggested GSA become a member of FGDC with the
  lead for Locator Services and participate in the
  Open GIS Consortium

36
5.4.1 Las Vegas Blue Pages Listing

• Fields 7
• Functional Listing
• Organization
• Sort Order
• Indent Level
• Listing
• Area Code
• Phone Number
• Records 1129

37
5.4.1 Las Vegas Blue Pages Listing
38
5.4.2 Strategy

• Formed Blue Pages XML Pilot Team from members of
  the VoiceXML Team.
• Met with GSA Staff and Contractor (SAIC) to
  discuss pilot goals and data needs.
• Decided on three-pronged approach
• VoiceXML for ideal Blue Pages database.
• VoiceXML for current best possible Blue Pages
  database.
• XML from current sample BluePages database.

39
5.4.2 Strategy

• CIO Councils Strategic Plan
• Goal - Interoperable and innovative
  Governmentwide IT initatives.
• Objective Establish the use of open,
  standards-based architectures.
• SCOTS Standards-based commercial off-the-shelf
  softwares (XML and XML Web Services).
• Use XML and VoiceXML for virtual integration and
  updating across the contributing agencies and
  multi-channel distribution (Web, CD-ROM, print,
  telephone, and accessible devices).

40
5.4.2 Strategy

• A National (INCITS) Standard for directory and
  contact information that supports multi-channel
  dissemination?
• Phases
• XML-ization of content (Syndication automatic
  reuse of content on Web sites).
• Muti-channel dissemination of content.
• Updating by Web and telephone.
• Approaches
• RDBMS to XML direct.
• Modify/repurpose RDBMS for more optimal XML uses.
• Define new Markup Language and collect new
  database.

41
5.4.2 Strategy

• US EPA Pilot Node (Owen Amburs vision)
• Agency databases e.g. LEPC.
• Geo-reference e.g. LEPC.
• Gather and maintain with e-forms e.g. LEPC.
• Provide access by Web and telephone e.g. LEPC.
• Include Frequently Asked Questions and Documents
  e.g. Environmental Node on the FedGov Content
  Network.
• Print XML to PDF - Use new XML Formatting Objects
  (FO) Standard.

42
5.4.2 Strategy

• Architecture
• Integrator Node (NXT 3)
• Agency Nodes (NXT 3)
• Directory (RDBMS-to-XML Content Adapter)
• Frequently Asked Questions (Web pages XML
  Index)
• Frequently Requested Documents (Native file
  formats like PDF, etc. XML Index)
• State, NGO, etc. Nodes (NXT 3)
• Same as above.

43
5.4.3 NXT 3 Query for XML

• Any or all of the fields can be filled in the
  query form.  NXT 3 will take the query, run it,
  and return an XML output to the browser /
  application.  A sample output is attached, but
  you should use the interface (sample_702.xml). 
• All queries will result in a phone number.  The
  corollary to that is that entries without a phone
  number will not currently appear. 
• Web site entries associated with agencies
  currently will not be available to the user. 
• Currently, the number of entries returned is 10. 
  This can be adjusted easily via the form. 
• As the queries forms are now developed, any
  other blue book database can be added easily, and
  can be queried on multiple servers resulting in a
  single XML return output similar to the one
  returned from the above URL.

44
5.4.3 NXT 3 Query for XMLhttp//198.60.24.176/NXT
/gateway.dll?ftemplatesfndefault.htmvidbluepa
gesallNPUSERNAMEblue_user
45
5.4.3 NXT 3 Query for XML
46
5.4.3 NXT 3 Query for XML
47
5.4.4 Tellme Demo
Familiar Web Architecture
48
5.4.4 Tellme Demo
Back-end Integration and VoiceXML
49
5.4.4 Tellme Demo

• 877-728-8355
• S Welcome to the US Government Blue Pages
  Directory Your one stop directory for
  government services in your local area.
• S Please say the city and state you'd like
  information for, or hang on, while I get
  information for Washington, DC.
• U Las Vegas, Nevada
• S OK, Las Vegas, Nevada. Here are your choices.
  When you hear the one you want, just say it.
• S Agriculture, Commerce, Courts, Defense,
  Education, Emergency Services, Energy,
  Environment, Immigration Customs, Law
  Enforcement, Parks Recreation, Health
• U Health
• S Here's a list of choices in Health. When you
  hear the one you want, just say it.
• S AIDS hotline, Adoption, Cancer Treatments,
  Child Safety, Drug Alcohol Treatment
• U AIDS hotline
• S The phone number for the national AIDS
  hotline is 800 342 2437. Once again, the
  phone number is 800 342 2437.

50
5.4.4 Tellme Demo

• 877-728-8355
• S Would you like to get another number in the
  Health category?
• U Yes
• S Here's a list of choices in Health. When you
  hear the one you want, just say it.
• S AIDS hotline, Adoption, Cancer Treatments,
  Child Safety, Drug Alcohol Treatment, Food and
  Drug Administration, Hepatitis Hotline,
  Immunization, Medicare
• U Medicare
• S Alright, Medicare. For general information
  about Medicare, say general information. To
  find out if you're eligible, say eligibility.
  To replace a lost Medicare card, say, lost
  card. To get information about available
  Medicare plans, say available plans. Or to
  report Medicare fraud, say report fraud.
• U general information
• S The phone number for Medicare general
  information is 800 633 4227. Once again, the
  number is 800 633 4227.
• END CALL

51
5.4.5 Acknowledgments

• Owen Ambur, Co-Chair, CIO XML Working Group.
• Keith Thurston, Acting Deputy Associate
  Administrator, GSA Office of Information
  Technology.
• John Moeller, Staff Director, Federal Geographic
  Data Committee.
• Janina Sajka, Director, Technology Research and
  Development, American Foundation for the Blind.
• Susan Turnbull, GSA Office of Governmentwide
  Policy.
• Bonnie Seybold, GSA Federal Technology Service
  Office of Service Delivery.
• Fred Zupka, GSA Federal Technology Service Office
  of Service Delivery.
• Tadgh Smith, Program Manager, Blue Pages, .GOV,
  and FSTU, SAIC.
• Simon Chung and Craig Brown, NextPage, Inc.
• Greg OConnell, Art Clarke, Jim Stillwell
  Eugene Koh, Tellme Networks, Inc.
• Brand Niemann, US EPA Office of Environmental
  Information.

52
6. Contact Information

• Brand Niemann. Ph.D.
• USEPA Headquarters, EPA West, Room 6143D
• Office of Environmental Information, MC 2822T
• 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
  20460
• 202-566-1657
• niemann.brand_at_epa.gov
• EPA http//161.80.70.167
• Outside EPA http//130.11.44.140