Vision-Box Introduces Orchestra for Self-Service Passenger Experience

Vision-Box is introducing Orchestra, its management platform aimed at improving the passenger experience in airports and proving airports and airlines with more passenger information to enable more efficient operations. Orchestra is “the only common-use management platform bringing stakeholders together, building powerful business intelligence and helping to cope with soaring passenger numbers while offering a unique passenger-centric experience,” says Miguel Leitmann, CEO of Vision-Box. “Airports have to go digital. What really needs to expand is not physical space or resources, it is intelligence. And for that you need powerful orchestration.” Orchestra is behind the company’s Aruba Happy Flow 100 percent self-service passenger flow based on biometrics that was introduced at the Aruba Queen Beatrix International Airport in 2015. The platform uses facial biometrics as a single token, enabling a streamlined paperless journey from check-in to departure and beyond, the company says. It also says that transactional information on passenger flows helps airports plan for operations, understand tendencies, and anticipate events. “Orchestra provides the holistic, overarching airport view the industry has been looking for, managing self-service biometric-enabled touch-points to achieve a superb, streamlined passenger experience, and unlocking a world of security, efficiency and commercial benefits for those who want to offer superior service value for the passenger,” Leitmann says.

AS&E Introduces Three Scanning Systems at Mid East Show

American Science and Engineering [ASEI] has introduced three scanning systems at an exhibition in the Middle East, including a new system for screening cars at high throughputs. The CarView portal is a relocatable and screens cars and small vehicles to help secure special events, parking garages, and high-threat locations, AS&E says. The system uses Wave Shifting Fibers detector technology to simultaneously produce two top-down images, one based on dual-energy transmission and the other Z Backscatter technology to provide material discrimination and enhanced detection of organic threats. AS&E also introduced its next-generation Z Portal drive-through cargo and vehicle inspection system that now incorporates the company’s latest source and detector innovations in a more compact design to allow improved image quality at higher throughput in space-constrained locations. AS&E is also offering Tx-View as a dual-energy transmission option for its line of ZBV mobile cargo and vehicle screening systems. The option allows security personnel to simultaneously acquire dual-energy transmission images for detection of metallic threats and Z Backscatter images for detection of organic threats. Tx-View is self-contained in a trailer for storage and transport.

Elbit Launches Cloud-Based Applications Service for First Responders

Elbit Systems of America, a division of Israel’s Elbit Systems [ESLT] has launched the WideBridge Cloud applications suite, a set of secure applications delivering mission-critical voice, video, and data services that meet the evolving 3GPP Mission Critical Push-to-Talk standards for first responders. The company says the new suite gives emergency responders the communications tools they need to align with the 3GPP push-to-talk standards interoperable system using FirstNet 700 MHz, Band Class 14 LTE network and commercial LTE networks.

Intel in Alliance With DLT Solutions to Offer Federal Agencies Cyber Solutions

Intel [INTC] says its Intel Security unit has partnered with federal information technology (IT) solutions provider DLT Solutions to help meet the cyber security needs of federal agencies. The new strategic alliance includes development of a cyber lab between the two companies that will be housed within the DLT Innovation Center in Northern Virginia. The new partnership with Intel Security follows one announced earlier this month between DLT and the cyber threat hunting company Sqrrl, which enables DLT to bring the Sqrrl Enterprise solution to government agencies. “The federal government is projecting to spend $19 billion in the coming year to address cyber security requirements,” says Alan Marc Smith, president and CEO of DLT. “That’s a 35 percent increase year over year. With industry developing new and better cyber security solutions, DLT is leveraging “our in-depth customer relationships and knowledge of mission requirements to evaluate emerging technologies from across the IT landscape, from both well-established technology companies and the start up community,” he says. “This allows us to maintain within our DLT portfolio the solutions that best meet our customer needs.” Smith adds that the partnership with Intel “provides customers with a security-connected architecture supporting the entire threat life-cycle.”

Thales Completes Acquisition Of Vormetric

France’s Thales has completed its acquisition of the California-based cyber security firm Vormetric, saying the deal makes it a global leader in data protection. Thales paid 375 million Euros, or nearly $425 million at current exchange rates, for the Silicon Valley-based company. Thales says the deal accelerates its cyber security strategy. “The combination of Vormetric and Thales e-Security’s expertise will create a world leader in data protection and a reference in cyber security,” says Patrice Caine, chairman and CEO of Thales. “Today, businesses generate a rising volume of sensitive data for which Thales offers unparalleled protection solutions and services to answer the most demanding clients.” Thales expects Vormetric to have about $75 million in sales this year.