CBP Conducting AM Radio Pilot to Inform Land Border Crossers

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has begun an AM radio broadcast pilot project at two land ports of entry in Texas to better inform the border crossing public. The pilots include the installation of AM radio frequency transmitters at the Ysleta port in El Paso and Lincoln-Juarez in Laredo. The pilot project is part of how the agency has transformed the way it is doing business at the land ports of entry the past few years through active lane management such as improved license plate readers, radio frequency identification technology, Ready lanes, better signage and trusted traveler lanes aimed at facilitating the entry process for travelers. The AM radio pilot is aimed at educating the traveler to be a more efficient traveler. The information broadcast will include bilingual reminders of document requirements and how to use high-tech travel cards, information about trusted traveler programs, basic border crossing rules and regulations and emergency travel information.

ActivIdentity Upgraded Card Management System gets FIPS-201 Recertification

HID Global’s ActivIdentity unit say that its ActivID Card Management System has completed a Service Pack 2 update and has been recertified by the FIPS-201 Evaluation Program to be compliant with NIST SP800-73-3. The updates will enable users to store their key history along with up to 24 certificates on their smart cards. This will allow customers to read older encrypted emails and documents even after a credential has been updated or replaced. These updates also include optional storage of the Iris Images Object and Discovery Object. The card management system was also recertified to ensure FIPS-201 compliance in accordance with HSPD-12.

Implant’s Benchtop Trace Detector Gets ASTM Certification

Implant Sciences Corp. [IMSC] say its Quantum Sniffer QS-B220 benchtop explosives trace detector has passed all tests of the ASTM E2520-07 Standard Practice for Verifying Minimum Acceptable Performance of Trace Explosive Detectors. The company says the test confirms that the system performs to the required standards of performance in the detection of trace amounts of explosives including TNT, RDX and PETN. The tests were conducted by the independent laboratory Cambridge Polymer Group. Implant says that non-Transportation Security Administration screeners and first responders can now purchase the benchtop detector “in complete confidence that it is an effective technology.”