Attacks involving nuclear devices or materials are among the terrorism scenarios that raise the most concern. For that reason, technology that can effectively detect smuggled radioactive materials is considered vital to U.S. security.
March Networks, a global provider of intelligent IP video solutions, recently announced that Christchurch International Airport Ltd. in New Zealand has standardized on the company’s IP video surveillance solution to support safety and security requirements across its operations.
SightLogix Inc., was recognized on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer. The story, which aired on Friday, March 2, highlighted that 1,300 perimeter intrusions have occurred at US airports since September 11, 2001 and how airports are deploying technology to combat the potential for security breaches. ABC News discovered SightLogix while researching proven technologies for airport perimeters.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John S. Pistole recently announced the expansion of TSA Pre✓ to...
Tampa International Airport (TPA) will soon feature the latest security upgrades from G4S Technology.
Cobalt Light Systems has received European approval for its INSIGHT100 bottle scanner, which enables aircraft passengers to carry liquid items larger than 100-milliliters once more.
Cobalt Light Systems has received European approval for its revolutionary INSIGHT100 bottle scanner, which enables aircraft passengers to carry liquid items larger than 100ml once more. Airports could now allow passengers to take items such as water, cosmetics, perfumes and duty free through airport security channels from as early as 2013. The current ban on items over 100ml in hand baggage can only be lifted when airports are able to effectively screen quickly and without opening the containers. INSIGHT100 screens individual bottles in less than 5 seconds to determine whether there is a security threat.
An evaluation by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has confirmed 100-percent video analytic accuracy of the SightLogix SightSensor thermal camera system in the challenging environment typical of many airports.
The FAA's Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) program will bring enhanced surface situational awareness and advanced warning of potential runway incursions to nine U.S. airports for increased safety and efficiency.
A bill signed into law by the president Jan. 3 means Soldiers in uniform and their families may soon have an easier time moving through security screening lines at the airport.
There are not many topics that can invoke more mass fear in the general public than threats against major U.S. airports.
The Transportation Security Administration announced eight airports which are set to receive recently purchased millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology units.
When a wounded U.S. military veteran passes through Newark Liberty International Airport, there is a good chance that Lead Transportation Security Officer Randal Habick of Brick, N.J., is alongside, serving as a personal guide through the airport.
Globally, the growing dependence on transportation networks has made transportation infrastructure among the most important assets to protect.
Digital security specialists, major European electronics makers and experts in biometrics are working together to make passport control at airports faster.
FutureSentry, a developer of automated detection solutions designed to enhance security, today announces that its First Responder solution was selected to provide perimeter security at a world-renowned air enthusiast’s show in Oshkosh, Wis.
The coalition will serve as a unified voice on issues relating to security technology.
The cameras combine full HD resolution images with low light operation and color reproduction to provide an advanced level of detail for surveillance applications.
The Security Products New Product of the Year Award honors the outstanding product development achievements of security equipment manufacturers whose products are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to improve security.
G4S Secure Solutions will provide services at 20 airports, including Vancouver International Airport.
Two Cornell University researchers have developed a device that can detect anthrax and other pathogens, as well as provide basic genetic information from human samples, and it it all fits in a container no bigger than a small suitcase.
Have you been to an airport lately? The security business is booming, and TSA agents are out in full splendor, screening passengers left and right. Nobody gets by the security agents staffing the front gates.
Optex's Redscan system warns pilots and hangar operators when a plane comes within eight feet of the hangar walls.
Exercising its large-scale security integration capabilities, Diebold, Inc. is managing the installation, integration and maintenance of a complex security software system for the new World Trade Center (WTC) site in New York City.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John S. Pistole recently announced that TSA will begin installing new software on TSA’s millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machines -- making upgrades designed to enhance privacy by eliminating passenger-specific images.
Using a crystal ball to protect homeland security might seem far-fetched, but researchers at Wake Forest University and Fisk University have partnered to develop crystals that can be used to detect nuclear threats, radioactive material or chemical bombs more accurately and affordably.
Security managers at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada are poised to benefit from a reduction in operating costs with the July 1, 2011 deployment of the recently constructed tailgate prevention system featuring T-DARR stereo vision technology developed by Newton Security Inc.
Columbus Regional Airport Authority (CRAA) oversees the operations of Port Columbus International Airport, Ohio, which manages commercial service flights; Rickenbacker International Airport, which handles cargo and passenger charter flights; and Bolton Field, a corporate and general aviation airport.
If you have used any means of public transportation recently, you’ve probably noticed that security measures have been stepped up. In the aftermath of U.S. forces’ operation to kill al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, many Americans share anxiety of a retaliatory terrorist attack.
Stanley Black & Decker recently announced that it has made an offer to acquire all of the outstanding common stock and warrants of Niscayah, a commercial security and monitoring company specializing in electronic security services and solutions based in Stockholm, Sweden, for SEK18.00 per share in cash.
A new survey commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association, shows significant majorities of frequent business and leisure travelers would pay up to $150 to enroll in a trusted traveler program.
INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble told in civil aviation industry leaders early this month that it is up to airlines to properly screen passengers' ID documents if national government fail to do so.
NABCO Inc. recently announced that Philadelphia International Airport has purchased a NABCO Suspect Luggage Containment Vessel (SLCV), an innovative security solution that will strengthen the facility’s defense capabilities against explosive threats.
L-3 Security & Detection Systems announced recently that its ACX 6.4-MV, a next-generation Advanced Technology (AT) X-ray system, meets European requirements for Liquid Explosive Detection Systems (LEDS), which qualifies the system to screen for liquid explosives at airport checkpoints.
NICE's open platform integrates information from over a dozen safety and security systems into a cohesive command and control platform, to streamline operations and improve real-time situational awareness in one of the world's busiest airports.
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano recently announced the release of FY 2011 grant guidance and application kits for 12 DHS grant programs totaling $2.1 billion to assist states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments, non-profit agencies, and the private sector in strengthening the nation's ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.
The company will maintain FAA security systems at more than 1,000 locations.
U.S. Unisys Security Index finds concern rises to highest levels ever following WikiLeaks incident, new unrest in the Middle East and national and financial security threats.
It’s rare for me to stick up for TSA in an airport setting, but I had to laugh the other day as I flew from Charlotte to Dallas, reading about a former Miss U.S.A., howling that a federal agent had “molested” her.
Invisibility appears to be the next possible advance in the use of Terahertz radiation in medicine, security and communications.
The Port of Boston is working with the University of Southern California on a pilot program that uses computer modeling to randomize the Coast Guard's patrol schedule, essentially optimizing its use of the port's limited resources to protect critical infrastructure.
IndigoVision’s integrated end-to-end IP Video solution has been used for a more than 3,700 camera surveillance system in the new Terminal 3 at Delhi International Airport.
The lightweight handheld sensor system with remote display screen provides an ultra-wideband (UWB) radio frequency beam that can detect a variety of live objects concealed inside a container.
Codebench has formed a partnership with Quintron Systems Inc. to provide the federal government and its agencies with a high-assurance access control solution that meets guidelines as outlined by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology.
A professor at the University of Missouri has created a millimeter wave scanning device that can create and display images in real time. It has the potential to ease the stress of airport security lines, speeding them up and reducing the number of pat-downs.
Smiths Detection recently announced that it would be providing X-ray screening equipment to the 2011 Military World Games in Brazil. We sat down with Eduardo Parodi, the company’s director of sales and marketing for Latin American and the Caribbean, to get some details on the games, the systems Smiths’ would be deploying and the high-profile world of event security.
NICE Systems Ltd. recently announced that the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has placed a multi-million dollar order to expand its NICE implementation. DFW will be deploying NICE’s IP video surveillance solution and the NICE Inform incident information management solution.
Six airports located throughout Mexico, Colombia and Costa Rica have selected L-3 to address their passenger, hand-carried and checked-baggage screening requirements.
Workers could be charged with sexual assault, labeled sex offenders.
The AVATAR kiosk uses non-invasive artificial intelligence and sensor technologies to gauge suspicious behavior.
The science similar to the type used in airport body scanners could soon be used to detect everything from defects in aerospace vehicles or concrete bridges to skin cancer, thanks to researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Flying may still be the best -- or at least fastest -- way to get from Point A to Point B in the United States, but anyone who’s done it lately can aver that the process is not without its hassles.
Franco P.L. van Heijningen recently joined Honeywell as the general manager for its Vindicator Technology business, which focuses on critical assets and personnel within the government, military, commercial and industrial markets. His 30 years of career experience has crisscrossed the globe, with positions at consulting organizations in Asia and the Netherlands. We sat down with him to talk about infrastructure security.
American Science and Engineering Inc. recently announced a research and development contract award under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate’s Small Business Innovative Research program to design and build a prototype to screen general aviation aircraft.
Lumidigm has announced that Verimetrics has selected Lumidigm’s Mercury and Venus fingerprint readers as its preferred biometric platforms for SmartProfile deployments in a wide range of environments, including hospitals, emergency response vehicles and retail stores.
IndigoVision has added two new regional sales managers for the Pacific Northwest and Great Plains, and the Southeast and Caribbean regions. More additions are planned in the coming months to enhance service and support the IndigoVision Certified Partner organization as well as provide end-user customer knowledge and awareness of the IndigoVision brand.
The frequency of suicide terrorism has increased in recent years, with more than 90 percent of all suicide attacks from 1970-2008 occurring between 2000 and 2008.
The early report posted by the Itar-Tass news service also says 130 people were injury by the explosion at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport at 4:32 p.m. Monday local time.
JILA researchers have developed a laser-based source of terahertz radiation that is unusually efficient and less prone to damage than similar systems. The technology might be useful in applications such as detecting trace gases or imaging weapons in security screening.
The Department of Homeland Security R&D award provides $2.2 million for system development.
IMS Research recently released its prediction of hot trends in the security industry for 2011.
The Canadian Air Transportation Security Authority is upgrading airport checkpoints with multi-view systems.
Twelve of the company's X-ray screening systems meet the agency's requirements.
Morpho Detection Inc. announced the fourth delivery order of Itemiser DX to the TSA of more than 1,200 additional Itemiser DX desktop explosives trace detection systems.
There are many challenges to creating an effective security program in any airport infrastructure. Technology plays a significant role in any robust airport security initiative and, when deployed properly, can help security personnel address potential vulnerabilities in a more timely fashion, in addition to increasing effectiveness overall. With this in mind, airport officials seek out new technologies that help them meet these goals while maintaining high levels of protection for passengers and employees.
Seldom when the federal government speaks do I believe what I hear. Officials brought this distrust upon themselves through years of pulling our collective leg on issues that affect the American public, or when they’ve failed to issue information that concerns us, the citizenry.
Alexandre Alahi, a Ph.D. student in the Signal Processing Lab at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)used open-source software released online just days after the Kinect’s launch to develop a new, patented algorithm that leverages multiple Kinects instead of just one to detect crowds -- even in the dark.
Magal Security Systems Ltd. has received $1.7 million in three repeat orders in the last part of the year.
Devon Samuels allegedly used his clearance to move cash and guns through security at an Atlanta airport.
Hoyos Corporation will partner with Herta Security to implement iris-scanning technology in airports to deal with airline security issues and create a more-secure process from check-in to boarding.
NICE Systems recently announced that the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has implemented NICE's open platform situation management solution, NICE Situator, in its new Security Operations Center.
RFID reader technology deployments expand role in the accelerating buildout of the worldwide e-Passport, e-Visa and e-ID infrastructure.
Cardiff Airport has replaced its surveillance capability with a new IP video system from IndigoVision. Operated by TBI Abertis Airports, Cardiff Airport is the national airport of Wales with passenger traffic reaching more than 1.6 million in 2009. It is an important business and charter airport offering flights to domestic and European destinations, as well as connecting flights onwards to worldwide destinations.
A new Financial Times/Harris Poll in the United States and the five largest European countries looks at air travel safety and security and finds an overall sense of safety prevails.
The behavioral analytics technology in the AISight platform is ideally suited for complex environments, including busy airports.
The blogosphere lit up in mid-October when Michael Roberts, a pilot for Houston-based ExpressJet Airlines Inc., refused to submit to a full-body scan or a manual pat down at Memphis International Airport. At issue were the advanced imaging technology (AIT) scanners the airport had only recently installed in place of traditional metal detectors at security checkpoints, manned by employees of the Transportation Security Administration.
ComSec International LLC, an independent provider of cargo screening services and consultation, recently has started advising shippers, carriers, freight forwarders and other companies involved in supply chain management to begin tentative planning for new federal air cargo screening requirements.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced that 100 percent of passengers on flights within or bound for the United States are now being checked against government watchlists -- fulfilling a key 9/11 Commission recommendation a month ahead of schedule. The TSA reached 100 percent watch list matching for all domestic airlines on June 22.
The American Federation of Government Employees -- the union for TSA workers across the country -- has heard from its Transportation Security Officer members that while most passengers are understanding of the new TSA security procedures and recognize that TSOs are not the ones who created those procedures, there have been a few instances where passengers have become angry, belligerent and even physical with TSOs.
Oberthur Technologies has been selected to provide its ID-One PIV smart card to members of CLEAR, Alclear LLC's Trusted Traveler program.
Passenger John Tyner’s recent refusal to undergo x-ray scanning at airport security has led to 80,000 hits on Youtube and sparked huge debate over screening procedures. However, a skyscanner.com survey of international travelers found that less than a third of passengers disapproved of the scanners.
Emerging economies in the Asia Pacific region, with have high infrastructure growth, flourishing trade and tourism, have surged cargo and air traffic, which also increases threats.
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano outlines increased security measures taken after the thwarted terrorist attempts to being down cargo planes.
The system, coupled with such scanning technologies as X-ray and radiation, uses recognition technology to identify cargo.
Mike Cleary, president of U.S. Airline Pilots Association, recently wrote a letter to members saying that TSA has not provided “credible specifications for radiation emitted by the machines.”
Morpho Detection Inc., part of Morpho, Safran group’s security business, recently announced it has been contracted to install four CTX 9400 DSi explosives detection systems (EDS) by Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), the operator of Hong Kong International Airport.
DHS released a statement Friday regarding increased security measures due to the explosive devices found on cargo planes.
L-3 Security & Detection Systems announced recently that it was awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract with a ceiling of $325 million by the Transportation Security Administration to supply next-generation Advanced Technology (AT) X-ray systems to screen carry-on baggage at security checkpoints.
Colorimetric sensor array can quantitatively detect even very low levels of triacetone triperoxide vapor.
“Deploying advanced imaging technology at these airports strengthens our ability to protect the traveling public in the face of evolving threats to aviation security,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.
Aimetis Corp., a provider intelligent IP video management software, recently announced that Munich Airport has expanded the use of Aimetis Symphony video surveillance to Terminal 2, bringing the total cameras under Aimetis management to 1,900.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, all aspects of air security have been a top priority for governments, businesses and the public. New and emerging terrorist threats now necessitate that airport detection be as adaptable, proactive and evolutionary as possible. Long gone are the days of simple metal detectors and unconcerned passengers. Airport security has become one of the most daunting technological challenges facing experts today.
In mid-2009, a fiber optic intrusion detection system was installed on McAllen-Miller International Airport's perimeter fence. The system, known as Secure Fence, was developed by Future Fibre Technologies and, one year on, the airport's security department reports the system has performed impressively.
Air cargo shippers and forwarders say the industry still has a long way to go in screening shipments after meeting a government mandate to screen 100 percent of all cargo on U.S. passenger aircraft by Aug. 1, according to a report in The Journal of Commerce.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced an award of $938,000 to Rochester International Airport (RST) for the construction of new in-line baggage handling systems designed to enhance TSA's efforts to strengthen security at airports.
Security Products magazine, the only integrated product magazine reaching the entire security market, announced the winners of its 2010 New Product of the Year Award at the publication’s premiere Virtual Event today.
South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach International Airport serves more than 1.5 million travelers each year to and from one of the most popular golfing destinations in the United States. The airport is host to six major U.S. airlines. To accommodate the growth the area has experienced, the airport replaced its legacy security system, which was no longer servicing its needs, with intelligent field hardware and smart-card readers with bidirectional encryption.
Airport officials reviewed five security management systems in detail prior to making a selection for their new system. Based on scalability, ease of use and operation, along with the lower cost of maintaining the system, they chose AMAG’s Symmetry SMS. Airport officials highlighted how secure the system was from end to end and the enhanced video integration that the new system offered. They replaced their old analog video system with a digital system that is seamlessly integrated. The IP solution is one of the first all-digital security systems in the southeastern United States.
When entering an airport, travelers can’t help but reflect back on the events of Sept. 11, and how things have changed since then.
In recent years, travelers have gained the ability to check in for their flight online, change their seat and download an electronic boarding pass to a PDA. It’s also possible to check the flight status from a PDA before leaving for the airport. The rapid advancements in technology have enabled passengers to be more efficient and informed. But has airport security changed or evolved?
Milestone Systems open platform IP video management software is being used by Fraport AG to improve both security and operational excellence at Varna and Burgas Airports in Bulgaria.
The Transportation Security Administration recently announced the airline industry has met a key requirement of the 9/11 Act by screening 100 percent of air cargo on domestic passenger aircraft.
While airports worldwide struggle to maintain security and regulate access to restricted areas, some facilities have found a solution by implementing the most advanced and accurate identification technology available: biometrics.
The Administrator for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) John S. Pistole recently visited Boston Logan International Airport. As Pistole begins his tenure with the agency, he announced his top goals and priorities.
With summer travel season hard upon us, specialists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have helped create two new standards designed to increase safety as we rush from gate to gate in crowded mass transit centers. Their efforts will help to fortify against potential bomb threats in the nation's transportation centers.
Two Belgian airports have recently deployed integrated IP video technology from IndigoVision, as part of infrastructure and new passenger terminal projects.
ADT Security Services recently announced that it has completed work on new digital networks allowing the two major international airports serving the Washington, D.C. area to migrate to the latest generation of video surveillance cameras.
In March, the Transportation Security Administration began deploying 150 backscatter imaging technology units, which were purchased with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, in airports across the country. By the end of the year, TSA plans to deploy about 450 of the imaging technology units.
Avigilon, provider of high definition and megapixel video surveillance systems, announced that one of its customers, Love Field Airport in Dallas, is being showcased today to a delegation of airport executives from Latin America.
Infinova recently announced that Infinova's Ethernet networking video matrix switchers with a Video-over-IP option allows the surveillance system at Kuwait International Airport to meet the demands of three individual security authorities. The system includes a combination of 130 Infinova PTZ dome cameras, mini domes and fixed cameras.
IndigoVision’s IP video technology is at the heart of a fully integrated security solution for the new passenger terminal at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport.
Infinova recently announced that, as part of a $63.1 million construction project, Uzbekistan’s Navoi Airport is installing Infinova PTZ and day/night high-resolution cameras to watch over one of central Asia’s newest Free Industrial Economic Zones (FIEZ).
In response to the failed Christmas Day bombing by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Transportation Security Administration has mandated enhanced screening measures at airports nationwide for U.S.-bound passengers traveling from or through state sponsors of terrorism and other countries of interest.
Genetec announced recently that the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has selected and has recently completed installation of Genetec’s Omnicast IP video surveillance as part of a major video system upgrade.
The government security market is a growing multi-billion dollar business. To address a host of new security requirements, the security industry has partnered with the government to develop new security standards and capabilities. New requirements have led to opportunities in the physical access control systems and the identity management markets.
A new Financial Times/Harris Poll of adults under 65 finds support for increased security measures after the attempted bombing of a plane on Christmas Day. Majorities of those surveyed in the United States (64 percent), Great Britain (62 percent), Italy (58 percent), France (58 percent), and Germany (53 percent) as well as 46 percent of Spaniards and 44 percent of Chinese all agree that body scanners that X-ray the full body should be introduced at airports.
DVTel Inc. recently announced that Mineta San Jose International Airport has upgraded its security system to a DVTel intelligent Security Operations Center (iSOC), a completely IP-based video surveillance solution.
The dramatic increase in airport-security spending over the past decade has maximized traveler safety, but we still have a ways to go. Airports pose unique challenges for surveillance systems, not only due to their sharp focus on passenger safety, but also because they encompass very large spaces. In fact, nine of the top 20 largest facilities on Earth are airports.
Fine Airport Parking in Tulsa, Okla., is much
more than just a parking facility.
The Real ID Act is a federal law passed in 2005 that created new security, authentication and issuance standards for state driver's licenses and ID cards. Once the law is enacted, only cards that meet federal standards can be used for official purposes, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, including boarding commercial airline flights and entering federal buildings and nuclear power plants.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced recently that it is expanding the random use of Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) technology at airports nationwide as an additional layer of security.
Lincoln Park Airport is a 200 acre privately-owned public use airport located two miles north of Lincoln Park, N.J. With updated homeland security guidelines, the airport recently received state funding to obtain new security cameras.
Although passenger security is most often in the national spotlight, cargo security is just as important. That's why TSA mandated that 50 percent of all cargo carried aboard narrow-bodied passenger aircraft had to be screened for explosives by February 2009.
Talk within the ranks of the security industry often focuses on air cargo security in regard to ground handling and transportation. There's good reason for concern, according to a report issued by the Office of the Inspector General within the Department of Homeland Security.
Remember 2005, when you could still board a plane with shampoo in your bag, toothpaste in your purse, a can of soda in your hand? Do those fluid memories hurt right down to your denture cream?
Vicon Industries Inc., a designer and producer of integrated IP video surveillance and access control systems, and SimplexGrinnell, a provider of fire and life-safety systems, have recently completed installation of an integrated video security system at Fairbanks International Airport in Alaska.
The Transportation Security Administration is still without a leader now that White House nominee Erroll Southers has withdrawn from consideration.
Pelco management recently announced that Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Ethiopia -- Ethiopian Airport Enterprise (EAE) -- has chosen Pelco Inc. by Schneider Electric as the provider for its digital video recording.
A regional Midwest airport needed a way to automate gate security and deliver wireless video surveillance traffic from remote locations back to its monitoring stations. It had an inefficient and outdated system to protect the gates that consisted of access points that would require hands-on updates at each location every time there were personnel changes.
Nearly half of American leisure travelers feel that airport passenger screening techniques are inadequate. In the national State of the American Traveler survey conducted this week by Destination Analysts, 47 percent of American leisure travelers reported they either "Agreed" or "Strongly agreed" that airport screening techniques were not sufficient. Only one-in-five travelers believe that passenger screening is adequate.
Several recent airport incidents have shown that technology alone will not provide proper security. One must consider personnel and security procedures as well.
Installing a deeply integrated security solution will provide the best security protection for airports of all sizes. The key to success lies in working with a manufacturer that partners with the security consultant, integrator and airport security manager to meet current and future requirements.
The Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the airport oversight and operations department for the City of Los Angeles, has awarded Unisys a security systems consultant contract to design and manage implementation of an integrated security environment for the organization’s three airports.
Smiths Detection recently announced Seattle-based Jetsream Freight Forwarding Inc. has purchased a HI-SCAN 100100T-2is X-ray system to meet Transportation Security Administration (TSA) air cargo screening mandates.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently announced the release of application guidance for the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) totaling an estimated $253 million -- funds for state, local and territorial governments and private sector entities to strengthen the nation’s transportation infrastructure and protect the traveling public from acts of terrorism and other major disasters.
Gemalto recently announced that it has surpassed 25 million smart card-based identity credentials shipped to the U.S. federal government.
The airline industry now has another well documented use for RFID -- baggage tracking.
Looking ahead to 2010, Unisys predicts that government and commercial organizations will take a more proactive approach to security, implementing new measures to verify identity and protect confidential information. Financial institutions and defense agencies will lead the charge, with ports and other organizations quickly following.
An agreement was announced recently between Los Angeles World Airports and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security which secured $150 million in federal funds for a key security project at Los Angeles International Airport.
L-3 Security & Detection Systems announced recently that the Transportation Security Administration has approved the ProVision active millimeter wave advanced imaging technology system for use in aviation checkpoints.
A new report by computer scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology demonstrates that iris recognition algorithms can maintain their accuracy and interoperability with compact images, affirming their potential for large-scale identity management applications.
While a majority (57 percent) of Homeland Security professionals say America is safer now than it was before the September 11 attacks, 75 percent believe the country will experience a similar terrorist attack in the next five years -- and Americans aren’t prepared, according to a recent survey commissioned by the National Homeland Defense Foundation and Colorado Technical University.
March Networks, a provider of intelligent IP video and business analysis applications, announced recently that the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service has selected the Company's VideoSphere solution to enhance its security operations in multiple airports across the country.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has named Michael A. Scott as federal security director (FSD) for New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
Genetec announced recently that Denver International Airport in Colorado has selected Omnicast, Genetec’s IP video surveillance solution, to secure their 53 square-mile facility. Ranked the 10th busiest airport in the world in 2008 for passenger traffic by Airport Council International, DIA officials were looking to upgrade an outdated analog system to a newer and more advanced network-based solution that they could evolve as newer technology emerged.
Airports exhibit one of the most complicated scenarios to administer restricted-area access control, identity verification and issuance of an access credential. Various airline employees, vendors, third-party contractors and tenants need to be authenticated at all times, and their physical access rights must be controlled and managed dynamically based upon their role and policies affecting their access.
Today's airports are as critical to homeland security as they were in the months following Sept. 11, 2001. Airport security officials have implemented new protocols and installed sophisticated scanning technology, while travelers have grown accustomed to more stringent security procedures— from removing shoes to the ubiquitous baggies of approved liquids.
Major airports typically have more than 1,000 cameras installed at and around their buildings and runways. Their security personnel often monitor facility perimeters with CCTV cameras as well, but these devices may be inadequate in truly keeping a close eye on potential risks.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has been selected by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to write a new standard for airport security. Called Digital Communication in Security (DICOS), the standard will enable the prevention, detection, and response to explosive attacks by standardizing the screening of checked bags and other threat risk detection attributes at airports and other security areas.
AMAG Technology and Entrance Controls will partner to provide a security management solution for Portland International Airport’s (PDX) new parking structure and office building. Port of Portland will install a Symmetry Homeland Security Edition System in the new structure which will consist of seven stories of parking space with an additional three top stories of Port office space. The new parking structure will triple PDX’s long-term parking capacity.
With the establishment of the TSA, airport security has grown in prominence as the most visible aspect within the realm of homeland security. In the United States, the checked baggage market is nearing critical mass, witnessing a slow decline. On the other hand, the checkpoint screening market is poised for steady growth due to increased focus and spending in this segment by TSA.
GVI Security Solutions, Inc., a provider of video security surveillance solutions featuring the complete Samsung Electronics line of products, announced that their Samsung Electronics cameras have been selected for an extensive, ongoing video surveillance upgrade and expansion project by a major United States based air freight operator.
The O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, is undergoing a major security project upgrade, adding to an existing DVTel video surveillance system already installed in the domestic and international terminals.
About 700 cargo containers, some weighing as much as 80,000 pounds, flow to and from the rail yard at the international marine terminal in Norfolk, Va., each day. In the months leading up to the Christmas season, that number can surge to more than 900 containers per day.
The Cayman Islands are a popular Caribbean getaway, so it’s not surprising that Owen Roberts International Airport is extremely busy for its size. Located on the southwest end of the largest island, Grand Cayman, the airport handles approximately 1 million passengers through its five boarding gates and facilitates 30,000 takeoffs and landings each year. The airport’s current 60,000-square-foot terminal has been welcoming passengers since 1985.
Pivot3 recently announced that the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport selected Pivot3 Serverless Computing for a project that transitioned its highly critical surveillance environment from analog to digital while preserving the existing investment in analog cameras.
Prevailing international aviation rules mandate 100 percent screening for outbound carry-on baggage. Modern screening techniques involve X-ray or other imaging systems combined with chemical sniffers for scent or trace detection, physical search and permissible item restrictions. During the process of going through security, it is easy to associate a problem bag with its owner to resolve any violations.
ADT Security has won the contract to provide the access control and video surveillance security systems to the new terminal 3 in Indira Gandhi International Airport, slated to open in March 2010.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released application guidance for more than $500 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) preparedness grants for fire station construction, port and transit security -- funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
JetBlue Airways' new Terminal 5 accounts for 30 percent of JFK International airport's total traffic with its 26 gates, capable of handling more than 500 flights daily. Keeping a watch on an estimated 20 million passengers per year who pass through 40 ticket counters and the central security checkpoint— the largest in the United States with 20 screening lanes—was a challenge for the JetBlue security team in planning the terminal's surveillance system.
Orsus recently announced it has partnered with Israeli-based systems integrator Orad to implement Situator at two airports in the Republic of Cyprus, Paphos and Larnaka International Airports.
Passengers encouraged to book travel using name on government ID.
Munich Airport, officially named Franz Josef Strauss Airport, is located 28 kilometers northeast of Munich, Germany. Munich Airport is the second busiest airport in Germany in terms of passenger traffic (34.5 million in 2008), after Frankfurt International Airport.
American Science and Engineering Inc. recently announced the introduction of two new Gemini Parcel Inspection Systems: Gemini 7555 and Gemini 100100. These systems along with the Gemini 6040 provide customers with a selection of systems to inspect everything from mail, baggage and break-bulk cargo within mailrooms, lobbies, checkpoints, airports, high threat facilities and other security-sensitive areas.
With thousands of packages moving through its European hubs every hour, security has always been a top priority for DHL Express, an international road-, air- and rail-based courier and express service.
Sarnoff Corp., a provider of iris imaging technology, recently announced it has been selected by the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to test its Iris on the Move (IOM) Portal iris recognition system.
Security directors face large problems in large facilities. Officials at airports, seaports, industrial facilities and other large installations deal with a unique set of security problems. They also have a unique set of limitations. They must protect against a variety of security threats, many of which are unknown, and they must address these issues with limited manpower. They also are dealing with creative enemies who are always adapting and enhancing their sly methods.
We are receiving a phenomenal response to our IP Summit, scheduled for March 11, at GovSec. The interest generated and number of registrants has been impressive but also anticipated.
Recent headlines have confused U.S. electronic passports -- the passport books with the blue cover and the small gold e-passport icon -- with the new U.S. Passport Cards and Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDL) already being issued as border crossing credentials by some states.
Quantum Secure recently announced it has deployed its SAFE software suite for Toronto Pearson International Airport, the busiest airport in Canada.
Aimetis Corp., a provider of intelligent IP video surveillance software, recently announced that Aimetis Symphony will be installed as the video surveillance software platform in Munich Airport’s Terminal One.
I'll be the first to admit that security checks are a hassle.
Many of us arrive at the airport extra early, not simply to catch our flights, but to factor in getting through security.
Ensuring the safety and security of air travelers and airport resources is becoming increasingly important, and both federal and state homeland security offices are making upgrading and enhancing security measures at airports a top priority. Organizing appropriate surveillance for such a large area is a daunting task for officials and requires an abundance of manpower and cutting-edge technology to ensure thorough protection.
Xtralis, a provider of intelligent fire detection and security solutions, recently announced that its VESDA Very Early Warning Aspirating Smoke Detection system has been chosen by BAA to help ensure the safe transit of passengers through the baggage halls of the recently opened Heathrow Terminal 5 in London.
Facial recognition systems perform some very challenging tasks such as checking an individual’s photo against a database of known or suspected criminals. The task can become nearly impossible when the systems acquire poor facial images -- a situation that occurs all too often in real-world environments.
An airport security program under way at Baltimore's Thurgood Marshall International Airport “has put a new emphasis on the need for greater use in airports of stronger identity verification technology,” according to Paul Onorato, president of the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations.
The Department of Homeland Security recently announced the issuance of the Secure Flight Final Rule, which shifts pre-departure watch list matching responsibilities from individual aircraft operators to the Transportation Security Administration and carries out a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission.
There's something fishy at the Port of Los Angeles. Other than being the nation's largest port, it is using X-ray equipment manufactured in China.
Security convergence has taken a major step at Miami International Airport with Ericsson Federal’s completion of a large-scale customized installation of an integrated digital video, audio and access control system. The deal also represents a substantial inroad by a telecommunications company into security contracting, pointing to the growing significance of large-scale networking experience in security work for major infrastructure points.
Airport officials at the Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport in Temple, Texas, can now watch over ground crews and protect military assets using a wireless video surveillance network.
Pixim Inc., provider of image sensors and processors for enterprise security cameras, announced that Sunell Group, provider of advanced security and surveillance system products in China, has installed approximately 200 Pixim-powered security cameras in China's Kunming Airport.
IDO Security Inc., developer of the MagShoe “shoes-on” weapons metal detection system, recently announced that the company’s products have been installed in the main terminal at Ben-Gurion International Airport, Israel’s busiest airport and one of the most secure in the world.
The operator of the world's eighth largest airport and Germany's largest employer, Fraport AG, has implemented Novell identity and security management solutions to achieve a single point of control for thousands of identities and secure IT resources at Frankfurt Airport.
QinetiQ North America's Technology Solutions Group recently announced the Transportation Security Administration deployed its new mass transit security solution at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) to enhance security measures surrounding the Republican National Convention.
Recently, a Southwest Airlines pilot was the first aircrew member to be screened by the Transportation Security Administration using an advanced biometric screening system.
Lumenera Corp., together with Searidge Technologies, recently announced a partnership to provide specialized cameras for Searidge’s suite of airport surface movement control solutions.
Airports are bustling international hubs, some providing services to hundreds of thousands of people from diverse locations on a daily basis. Overseeing airport security is an extremely complicated task, not just in the airport itself, but also on the airplanes.
March Networks, a provider of intelligent IP video and business analysis applications, recently announced that Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) International Airport in the United Arab Emirates has selected the VideoSphere intelligent video management solution to enhance passenger and asset security in its main terminal and adjacent facilities.
GE Security Inc., a business of GE Enterprise Solutions recently announced its Homeland Protection business installed 12 GE Security CTX 9000 DSi advanced baggage screening systems at Beijing Capital International Airport’s (BCIA) Terminal Three as part of the city’s infrastructure investment for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
CryptoMetrics Inc., a provider of critical infrastructure and key asset protection systems, announced recently a contract with the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to deploy a state-of-the-art, face recognition-based wanted person detection system at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
To increase passenger and personnel safety, Miami International Airport (MIA) selected Ericsson Federal to supply, deploy and execute systems integration of a high-capacity digital communication and video surveillance system.
The Transportation Security Administration recently announced expanded deployment that will bring Advanced Technology X-ray (AT) and Passenger Imaging to 21 of the nation's busiest airports by the end of 2008.
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport has partnered with Siemens Building Technologies to install AMAG Technology’s Symmetry Homeland Security Management System throughout the entire airport.
As the largest air transport group in Spain, Iberia Airlines was interested in improving safety in aircraft-only areas, heightening security in the wake of a 2006 car bombing, and preventing theft in its 200,000 square meter facilities. Unhappy with its existing CCTV security system, the organization turned to video analytics software developer Agent Vi when upgrading its security system.
Clear, the fast pass for airport security, announced that its lane has opened at Salt Lake City International Airport.
American Science and Engineering Inc. recently announced that its privacy-enhanced SmartCheck Personnel Screening System will be used by the Transportation Security Administration in its next pilot test of passenger screening systems at Los Angeles International Airport.
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) has awarded Unisys Canada Inc. a contract to supply, integrate and manage a new identification management system, using fingerprint and iris biometric technology to verify the identities of airport workers at 29 airports throughout Canada.
Syagen Technology Inc. conducted a trial deployment of its Guardian Explosives Trace Portal system, in collaboration with the John Wayne, Orange County Airport in California.
ESP Group and ObjectVideo recently announced the companies have partnered to provide a complete video surveillance system with embedded video content analysis to 40 Norwegian airports.
The inconveniences— and absurdities—that travelers face just to get through that checkpoint line seem to increase each year.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, our nation has been obsessed with air-travel security. Terrorist attacks from the air have been the threat that looms largest in Americans’ minds. As a result, we’ve wasted millions on misguided programs to separate the regular travelers from the suspected terrorists—money that could have been spent to actually make us safer.
The Department of Homeland Security recently announced improvements aimed at strengthening aviation security while decreasing the hassle factor for travelers.
Smiths Detection, part of the global technology business Smiths Group, recently announced the first deployment of its Advanced Technology (AT) X-ray systems in the United States.
There’s safety (and security) in numbers -- especially when those numbers are random. That’s the lesson learned from a DHS-sponsored research project out of the University of Southern California. The research is already helping to beef up security at LAX airport in Los Angeles, and it could soon be used across the country to predict and minimize risk.
Before Sept. 11, 2001, perimeter security provided an extra barrier of protection for an airport and its people—typically from hijackers and vandals. Although that is still true, there is now an added threat. Today, we cannot afford to let a terrorist or attacker get near airport facilities, people or passengers. In all too many cases, getting close is all they have to do.
GE Security Inc. and Moscow International Airport Domodedovo recently announced GE’s Homeland Protection business has been chosen to provide two integrated advanced technology CTX 9000 DSi/XRD 3500 system-of-systems explosives detection solutions to the airport.
One of the first reactionary attempts to bolster security after 9/11 occurred at airports. Immediately after air service was reinstated, the public saw uniformed Marines armed with M-16s at every security checkpoint, concrete barriers at each entry point, security guards ransacking passengers’ luggage and, of course, taller fences going up around airfield perimeters. As with most things in life, an unexpected event usually generates an unexpected— and sometimes irrational— response. Such was the case with the nation’s aviation facilities.
The last thing you want to find out while flying from one city to another is that airport security has been compromised. With so many people choosing flights as a preferred mode of transportation, airport security is paramount.
Today’s airports are at the frontline of homeland security. Checking for shoe bombs, banned liquids and suspected terrorists are part of the daily routine for airport security personnel. In fact, airport vulnerability has become such an issue that the Department of Homeland Security assigns the airline industry its own threat level designation. For example, airports can be assigned to threat level orange, meaning “High Risk of Terrorist Attacks” while the rest of the nation is at yellow, or “Elevated Risk.”