RML, AMI Introduce Walk-Through Explosives Detector
RML Industries and AMI Research and Development, LLC, have introduced the SEE-QR walk through security system that uses low power AM radio waves to detect explosives on a person. The system uses Stimulated Emissions Quadropole Resonance to detect explosives without creating an image of a person, eliminating privacy concerns while improving security, the company’s say. The companies displayed the SEE-QR at the Counter Terror Expo in London in April.
Lockheed Martin Delivers Palm Print ID Capability for FBI System
Lockheed Martin [LMT] last month delivered the latest capability for the FBI’s next-generation biometric database, providing the agency with improvements in its ability to search latent fingerprints and a new palm print identification system. The Next Generation Identification (NGI) now includes 10-print fingerprint searches, the Repository for Individuals of Special Concern, which provides law enforcement authorities in the field the ability to quickly search against as few as two fingerprints of wanted persons or others of special interest, and the latent fingerprint and new palm print capabilities. NGI is an improvement beyond the previous Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System biometric search and matching system as it provides a larger database, more accuracy, new capabilities and faster response times. Lockheed Martin says the new National Palm Print System contains latent palm prints that can now be searched on a nationwide basis for the first time and in a matter of minutes. Palm prints make up about one-third of all latent prints. MorphoTrak, a business unit of France’s Safran Group, is providing the biometric matching algorithms and search capability to Lockheed Martin under Increment 3 of the NGI program.
U.K. Agency Approves Smiths Detection’s MMTD for Explosives Trace Detection
Smiths Detection says that the U.K. Department of Transport has approved the company’s Multi-Mode Threat Detector (MMTD) as an explosives trace detection system in particulate mode to inspect cabin and hold baggage, cargo and passengers. The handheld system is designed to rapidly detect and identify explosives, narcotics, chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals. The system can quickly switch between particle and vapor mode to optimize threat detection.
Smiths Detection Opens New Training & Service Center in U.S.
Smiths Detection has opened a new Training & Service Center for the Americas at its U.S. headquarters in Edgewood, Md. The company says the facility will improve product training and service capabilities for customers throughout North and South America. Product training and service will focus on the full range of Smiths Detection’s CBRNE and X-Ray technologies. The center will also handle parts orders, return material, and field service dispatch and scheduling.
Sandia Develops Fertilizer that Can’t Detonate a Bomb
An engineer at Sandia National Laboratory has developed a fertilizer that helps plants grow but can’t detonate a bomb, providing an alternative to ammonium nitrate, which is an ingredient in most improvised explosive devices used in Afghanistan. Ammonium nitrate was also used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Sandia says it is making the fertilizer freely available. The engineer, Kevin Fleming, added a compound that separates the ammonium and nitrate ions, which typically cling together weakly. Adding iron sulfate to the mix of ammonium and nitrate prevents the ammonium and nitrate ions from binding when someone tries to alter the fertilizer to make it detonable when mixed with a fuel.
Animetrics Introduces Subscription-Based Facial Recognition System
Animetrics has unveiled ID Ready, a subscription-based online facial recognition service for smaller law enforcement departments. Law enforcement personnel upload a 2D photo to Animetrics’ servers and the ID Ready system applies facial feature point detection to find the face and specify the parts. The service takes a grainy, partial view, angulated 2D facial image, applies 2D-to-3D algorithms and corrects the pose of the face, and makes it ID Ready for most any facial recognition system. “ID Ready essentially takes a bad image and makes a mug shot out of it,” says Paul Schuepp, CEO of Animetrics.
GD Cyber Unit Launches New Malware Detection Product
General Dynamics [GD] says its Fidelis Cybersecurity Solutions unit has introduced Fidelis XPS Vector, a new product that provides comprehensive detection, analysis and prevention against inbound malware and associated command and control traffic. “We developed Fidelis XPS Vector to help customers target inbound malware, a tactic that is increasingly being used to attack enterprises,” Tom Lyons, vice president of product management of GD Fidelis Cybersecurity Solutions. “In this cost-effective product, Fidelis XPS Vector provides customers the unique ability to look at all network traffic, applications and content entering or exiting their networks, including web, e-mail, messaging and even previously unknown, customized traffic.” The company says XPS Vector includes an integrated management console and network sensor that starts detecting malware as soon as it is installed.