DHS S&T, National Labs, NY Partners Conduct Air Sampling Study
The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, MIT’s Lincoln Lab and various Department of Energy National Labs along with various partners in New York from Oct. 18 to 29 conducted an above and below ground air sampling study around New York City to better understand air flow to help urban areas prepare for and recover from incidents involving hazardous materials. “The goal of these tests it to deliver actionable information to emergency preparedness planning authorities for potential wide-area release of dangerous chemicals or biological materials,” says Kathryn Coulter Mitchell, acting director of S&T. “Lessons learned now will help refine and verify airflow and dispersion models that will inform response protocols and keep out citizens, critical infrastructure including hospitals, police and fire stations, and our transit systems safe.” For the testing, sampling and sensor equipment will be set up at more than 120 subway stations and outdoor locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Islands. Small quantities of non-toxic material will be released in several stations and above ground locations to validate airflow and transport models and the relationship between the subway and street-level environments.
Leonardo Introduces New Autonomous License Plate Reader
Italy’s Leonardo has introduced the ELSAG Street Sentry, an economical autonomous license and number plate reader for agencies of all size. The low-cost, solar-powered, pole-mounted reader reads plates around-the-clock on city and neighborhood streets to identify suspect vehicles and provide data to officers for real-time interdiction and investigations. The Street Sentry can be deployed at a single location or multiple sites to create a plate reader safety net in an area.
DHS Tests Algorithm for Prohibited Item Detection in Checkpoint CT
The machine learning-based algorithm meant to automatically detect prohibited items was tested this summer by the Transportation Security Administration in an active airport security checkpoint, showing encouraging results. The Automatic Prohibited Item Detection (APID) algorithm was developed by Leidos [LDOS] under the DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s Screening at Speed program and tested for two weeks at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas to get feedback from Transportation Security Officers to inform future requirements, including user interface improvements and further maturation of the algorithm. The APID algorithm is aimed at better detecting non-explosive items such as guns and knives. Currently, checkpoint computed tomography (CT) operators must review each image of carry-on bags and personal belongings manually for non-explosive prohibited items. If ultimately successful and certified, the APID algorithm is designed to integrated with checkpoint CT systems already in operation at U.S. airports, flagging potential threats for TSOs, reducing the need for manual reviews and speeding throughput at the checkpoint.