The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science & Technology (S&T) Directorate has issued a Request for Information on existing tripwire sensor systems able to satisfy a host of requirements for operations in the northwest and northeast border regions of the United States.
Performance requirements for the ground sensors include being able to classify human versus non-human, a 95 percent probability of detecting a person crossing a designated area, localization to at least the length of a sensing region, report to the end user, and a false reporting rate of less than one per day for a one mile linear region.
DHS says the sensing portion of the tripwire would be above ground and must be able to operate for longer than a year on battery power. Detection ranges for the sensors must be at least 200 yards to over several miles depending on the terrain.
Given that the sensors would be exposed, DHS said camouflaging is required. In some cases the sensors will have to be disguised by inserting them into natural or man-made structures such as hollowed out trees or concrete bollards.
Data will be transmitted to a local Customs and Border Protection station or headquarters. [For more information: Sol. No. RFI-08-00001. Contact: Brenda Brady, contracting officer, 202-254-6771].