London-based start-up awarded DHS grant

The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently awarded CrowdVision Ltd. $160,902 to develop an airport passenger counting and measuring system for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Funding is for phase one of the project.

The company, a London-based startup, will lead a team that will integrate the three technologies currently used internationally into a single system.

The technologies are: CrowdVision’s computer vision and artificial intelligence is in use at London’s Heathrow Airport and measures staff and passenger activity. Copenhagen Optimization’s suite of forecasting and airport operations tools is in use at JFK Airport and provides research management and operations planning. iViu Technologies’ platform for indoor positioning technologies collects anonymous data through Wi-Fi sensors.

When the technologies are combined, CBP will be able to effectively count passengers, provide feedback and forecasting for resource allocation, and display accurate service times.

“CrowdVision’s single-system solution has the potential to significantly improve CBP’s ability to count, measure and forecast passenger arrivals in near real-time, which will also improve travelers’ experiences clearing through customs and other airport inspection areas,” Melissa Oh, S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program managing director, said. “We are looking forward to working with the integrated team to develop this system and explore other uses for this technology within DHS.”