They began to install surveillance cameras at polling stations of Russia for the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for March, 4th. Over 91 thousand polling stations are going to be equipped with web cameras to provide live translation at a specially designed data portal. They allocated 13 billion rubles (433 million dollars) for this purpose from the federal budget in hope to eliminate the possibility of fraud during the elections.

Hardware-software complexes are produced at Kraftway factory in the Kaluga Region while Rostelecom is responsible for telecommunications. Let’s see how it all happens.

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Russian companies Sitronics and Kraftway have been chosen to produce hardware-software complexes.

Sitronics produces Lenovo laptops and Logitech web cameras.

Kraftway in Obninsk is going to produce 25 thousand hardware-software complexes.

Kraftway is the largest IT company in Russia. It is located in the city of Obninsk and specializes in computer body and final product production.

For their hardware-software complexes, they use computer platform Fujistu.

Each complex includes a PC, two HD video cameras, monitor, battery and active USB extenders.

Desktops. They are going to deliver sets into 65 regions of the country.

Software installation.

Logitech web cameras.

Records made at each polling station will be kept on the hard disk of the computer for one year after official publication of the results of the elections.

At least two web cameras will be installed at each polling station. One will record the hall and ballots distribution while the other will show the ballot box.

Each component of the complex undergoes an inspection and examination before being transported to the polling station.

Each person who has a computer and Internet access will be able to watch the elections on line.

The system has been designed to provide 1.2 million viewings at the same time, 25 million viewings during the day and 60 thousand synchronous viewings for each web camera.

However, each person wanting to watch the elections live will have to register at the portal from February, 1st till March, 3rd stating the number of the polling stations he/she is interested in.

February, 2nd is the deadline for the compexes to be delivered.

At the factory, they also produce information terminals ‘Electronic government’.

“Rostelecom”.

The information terminal provides access to all state, regional and municipal services through the united state service portal gosuslugi.ru. It features a screen, printer, cash acceptor, plastic card reader, check printer, video camera, microphone and sound system for video and audio communication.

With its help, people can make an electronic application for a service, contact the call center, pay taxes and fines in cash or with their banking card.

They plan to install imformation terminals around the country in the nearest future.

Polling station 472, Detchino Village, the Kaluga Region.

Data will be transmitted over ADSL (Asymmetric digital subscriber line). Permissible minimum speed is 1 M.

Inside the polling station.

After the elections, they plan to use the equipment for video conferences or Unified State Exam, for example.

Each Rostelecom branch office will open its call center.

Here, they modernize and expand backbone network.

Fixing a cable laid in the 70s.

Meanwhile, they run optical fibre cables to another polling station in Obninsk. By the way, due to the elections, even most remote villages of the Russian Federation will be provided with Internet access.

They will be installing the equipment until the day of the elections but on February, 1st they are going to open a web site where people will be able to watch polling stations live.

Location: Obninsk

via victorprofessor