From the U.S. Government Accountability Office, www.gao.gov Transcript for: GAO: Internet of Things at the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Description: This video provides an example of Internet of Things technologies in use by the federal government. It features an overview of a hands-free mooring system used by the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. Video footage provided by Cavotec. For more on the federal government's current and planned use of Internet of Things technologies, see our report (GAO-20-577). Related GAO Works: GAO-20-557, Internet of Things: Information on Use By Federal Agencies Released: September 2020 [ Narrator: ] The Saint Lawrence Seaway has connected U.S. and Canadian ports to the world since 1959. Relying on canals, channels, and locks to get shipping vessels from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean and back again.  [ Video of ships, locks, yellow sensors moving vertically on lock walls, and cameras] In 2019, the two U.S.-run locks implemented a system that uses Internet of Things connected sensors and vacuums to control and monitor ships as they navigate locks. The hands-free mooring system uses sensors to monitor the pressure between the vacuum padsthat control the ship and the ship itself. Additional sensors monitor the distance between ship and the walls of the lock. [ Video of computer monitors, displays, and cables ] This information is fed to the control tower where personal oversee the ships in the lock and can operate the lock remotely. [ Worker outside of a pickup truck, operating a portable electronic device ] For example, if the vacuum pads lose pressure the control tower personnel can stop the process.  According to the staff, the system has resulted in faster transit time through the locks and contributed to greater safety for workers around the lock.  This is just one example of how the federal government is using the Internet of Things. For more and to learn about the benefits challenges and related policies check out report GAO-20-577.