New DHS technology garners honors

A new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) technology designed to increase situational awareness is garnering security industry plaudits.

S&T’s Immersive Imaging System recently received the R&D 100 Award, presented at the annual R&D 100 Conference, which highlights the 100 most exceptional innovations in science and technology from 2018.

The technology provides a more continuous means of surveillance in congested locations such as airport terminals, according to officials.

“Currently, there is a clear divide between monitoring pre-checkpoint, the checkpoint, and the secure area once passengers are cleared. In the future, we want to be able to look at the whole process, from the curb to the checkpoint,” John Fortune, S&T program manager, said. “The Immersive Imaging System will enable situational awareness across an entire airport terminal.”

Officials maintain the collaborative effort involving funding from S&T and
development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory could provide security practitioners with greater imagery than any prior camera system by collecting visual data that is both clear and comprehensive while offering high-resolution images.

S&T Portfolio Manager to Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) Jim Grove said the high-resolution camera array provides first responders and critical infrastructure owners with increased capability to identify threats and analyze incidents with better quality analytics as compared to today’s CCTV systems.

The goal is to provide requirements for analytical software and the development of a mobile version of the system, which could be used in crowded areas and high-risk events.