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The Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex uses a variety of means to detect WMD
The Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex uses the latest -- together with the simplest -- technology in trying to prevent weapons of mass destruction from being smuggled through the port; among these means used: a $3 million high-tech screening ship, a radiation-detecting helicopter and a badge-carrying black Labrador retriever that can sniff out chemical and biological weapons
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U.S.-bound ship cargo to get more scrutiny
The goal of screening 100 percent of U.S.-bound cargo containers is may not be reached any time soon, but new cargo-reporting requirement stipulates that ocean carriers and importers submit additional details about U.S.-bound cargo twenty-four hours before it is loaded onto vessels in foreign seaports
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New high-precision chemical detector to be commercialized
A start-up launched by the University of Delaware is preparing to commercialize a high-precision detector -- a planar-array infrared spectrograph -- that can identify biological and chemical agents in solids, liquids, and gases present at low levels in less than a second
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New tool detects -- and neutralizes -- pathogens in mail
Using the mail as a tool for bioterror attacks may or may not kill many people, but it will paralyze a company or an organization; the psychological damage is incalculable; new tool offers mail-room protection
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DARPA updateDARPA seeking to improve bio-threat detectors
The agency is requesting proposals for a device that would enable faster, more accurate detection of a broad range of biological agents; DARPA hopes to create a biosensor that would identify viral and bacterial threats, and do so using a natural first-line of defense: human antibodies
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Reveal Imaging awarded $3.9 million for personnel inspection system
The company said it plans to use multiple sensor technologies and automation to avoid the need for human operators to separate threats from harmless objects using multiple monitors
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Backscatter technology: the future of airport security scanning?
Manchester Airport is testing backscatter scanning technology from Rapiscan; the Rapiscan system works by bouncing X-rays off an individual's skin to produce an outline image of the person's body
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Kachemak sees growing interest from military, law enforcement
Alaska-based Kachemak Research Development developed an advanced vehicles' undercarriage inspection system; the military and law enforcement are interested
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The cutting edgeImagining new threats -- and countering them
DHS air transport security lab is in the business of imagining new threats -- then developing the technologies to counter them; their dream? To build a "tunnel of truth" in each airport lined with hidden sensors, scanners, and rays; passengers would get zapped and sniffed as they passed, and would not need to take off their shoes, toss their liquids, or anything else
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Baggage screeningO'Hare gets grant for baggage screening system
DHS's push for better baggage screening at U.S. airports continues; the latest recipient of baggage screening upgrade grants: Chicago's O'Hare
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Princeton, Rice researchers develop new sensor for nitric oxide
Researchers develop new nitric oxide detector; the sensor could now be incorporated into a portable, shoe-box-sized system ideally suited for mass deployment in large-scale unattended sensor networks
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New York City to expand Ring of Steel's coverage
The system of surveillance cameras; license-plate readers; and chemical, biological, and radiological sensors that protect lower Manhattan will expand to cover mid-town
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DetectionNew advanced sensors developed
Queen's University Belfast researchers use Raman spectroscopy, which involves shining a laser beam onto the suspected sample and measuring the energy of light that scatters from it to determine what chemical compound is present; they mixed nanoscale silver particles to amplify the signals of compounds
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DetectionSmiths Detection, AeroVironment show chemical-sensing UAV
UAV technology combined with chemical sensors and advanced algorithms allow rapid aerial chemical detection and tracking
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Cheap, sensitive sensors could detect explosives, toxins in water
Terrorists could try to mix sarin into a reservoir or water mains; an electronic sensor that can instantly detect very low concentrations in water would be a desirable technology for staying ahead of potential attacks; Stanford researchers develop such a sensor
The Long View
TrendIndia to see a large, broad growth in expenditures on domestic security
A series of terrorist attacks, culminating in the coordinated attack in Mumbai last month, convinced both government and industry in India that more security -- much more security -- is required to cope with mounting threats to domestic peace; business opportunities abound for companies in IT security, biometric, surveillance, detection, situational awareness, and more
New chemical contamination wipe developed
New, nonwoven dry wipe material proves itself in cleaning up chemical warfare agents and toxic chemicals
Independent commission: WMD attack by terrorists likely
An independent commission of experts, set up by Congress as part of the recommendations by the 9/11 commission, concludes that terrorists will most likely carry out an attack with biological, nuclear, or other unconventional weapons somewhere in the world in the next five years
Small hand-held detector for security, health threats
Researchers develop the world's smallest detection system: The size of a shoe box, the complete mass spectrometer identifies tiny amounts of chemicals in the environment
DHS to use TeraView's terahertz technology in chemical detection
Goodrich chose U.K. terahertz technology specialist TeraView for developing a DHS-sponsored chemical detection system for government and public buildings, and on the battlefield
Stimulus packageInitial $50 million of stimulus package for airport security awarded
DHS announced the award of the first $50 million out of a total of $1 billion made available by the stimulus package for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA); money will fund explosive detection systems and advanced technology X-ray units that will streamline baggage screening at U.S. airports
