Smiths Detection has received an order from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to supply CTX 9800 Explosives Detection Systems (EDS) for checked-baggage screening. The systems, which utilise computed tomography (CT) imaging, will be deployed to U.S. airports as security equipment upgrades or as part of enhanced security measures.

The CTX 9800 3D CT imaging technology detects and identifies explosives. The scanners can be incorporated into customised networking solutions and deliver operational efficiencies, including energy savings. Along with being certified by TSA, the CTX 9800 is also approved by the European Civil Aviation Conference as it meets the Standard 3 requirements.

Shan Hood, President of Smiths Detection Inc., said, “TSA’s continued use of CTX 9800 EDS in airport screening upgrades or expansions demonstrates Smiths Detection’s leadership in applying computed tomography to aviation security. This additional order for CTX 9800 EDS will enable even more U.S. airports to protect travellers while ensuring that security screening keeps pace with a growing number of passengers.”

This order follows a previous $70m order from the TSA announced in June 2018 for CTX 9800 Explosives Detection Systems (EDS) to be deployed at ten airports across the U.S.

According to the latest research by IHS Markit, the global market revenues from sales of intelligent ANPR devices are forecast to reach $800 million by 2022 and increase at a compound annual growth rate of 16.4 percent.

The types of applications where automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) can be used has increased and so has the range of offered functionalities. Advances in video analytics and processing power used in modern ANPR devices are reshaping the market says the research company.

(R)evolution in the industry

Speed enforcement devices can now offer more functions than ever before, such as seatbelt detection in vehicles and helmet detection for motorcyclists. The more advanced algorithms used in these devices rely on machine learning and deep-learning techniques to analyse recorded images for seatbelt or helmet presence. This recognition process is very complex, because the ANPR camera needs, for example, to differentiate the image of the seatbelt within an image with a lot of background noise, such as light reflections from the car windshield and shading and obstructed views caused by a driver using a sun visor. The advanced algorithms allow for real-time accurate object detection.

Detection of dangerous driving, which can tell whether a car is tailgating an emergency vehicle or whether it is driving between two lanes of traffic, is another important add-on feature enabled by analytics powered with artificial intelligence (AI).

Red light enforcement is another key ANPR application that has benefitted greatly from advances in analytics. Traditionally there was a need for two separate devices to be deployed in one location – one to read the licence plate of the car and another to record the red light. Modern devices with improved analytics are increasingly able to perform both tasks with a single device, which helps lower system cost and speed up the ticket processing for violations.

ANPR devices are now more likely to have analytics deployed on the camera. They do not require back-office processing software to perform their functions, which reduces the overall system set-up costs and lowers adoption barriers across many industries. Processing power improvements have allowed ANPR devices to become much more compact, further simplifying installation. Advances in video analytics have had a big impact on modern ANPR solutions, which has led to increasing adoption in access control and parking applications, including at hotels, hospitals and airports. These advances allow hotel chains, for example, to offer free parking to their guests at all associated hotels, not just the one where the guest is booked for their stay.

More data, more privacy concerns

Despite the great promise of advanced analytics, regulatory and practical considerations are the two main barriers to broader adoption of ANPR systems.

On the regulatory level, concerns over privacy will play an important role. As ANPR systems gather more data across industries, and additional devices are deployed in more locations than ever, the concerns over privacy of vehicle drivers run high. People are questioning why ANPR images are being recorded, as well as where they are stored and how secure they are. These concerns will have to be proactively addressed by manufacturers and installers alike, to help prevent a public backlash against these technologies.

On the practical level, the biggest barrier to adoption is still system cost. In countries where labour costs are quite low and the concepts of smart cities are not very well developed, the law enforcement agencies may prefer to continue conducting manual checks. Private businesses might not be willing to invest in training their staff in how to operate ANPR devices.

Onward and forward

Advanced analytics are transforming ANPR devices into multi-purpose detection systems, which fit very well with the concept of safe cities and smart cities, despite many other competitive technologies at the core of these systems. The next stage for ANPR systems, according to IHS Markit, is to integrate facial recognition with number-plate recognition. While these two functions have already been combined in some access control applications, the detection is still performed by two separate cameras, mostly due to installation angles and other practical factors. However, in the future, improvements in camera features and analytical algorithms could open the door to these two features combined into one single system, which would greatly improve the investigative capabilities of these devices.

Joost van der Willik, Managing Director of Nedap Identification Systems
Nedap – a leading specialist in long-range identification and wireless vehicle detection solutions – has appointed Joost van der Willik (35) as the new Managing Director of Nedap Identification Systems.

“For many years, Nedap Identification Systems has delivered cutting edge technology in various markets and verticals. I’m excited to team up with a global team of knowledgeable professionals, eager to pursue new heights by further inspiring our partner network and the clients that benefit from our technology on a daily basis.” said Joost van der Willik, Managing Director of Nedap Identification Systems.

Since the company’s founding in 1929, Nederlandsche Apparatenfabriek ‘Nedap’ N.V. has been manufacturing smart technical applications for the challenges of today and tomorrow, and selling them all over the world. Headquartered in Groenlo in the Netherlands, Nedap boasts a workforce of approx. 680 employees and operates on a global scale.

Kleve, November 2018

FUJIFILM has released Fujinon binoculars with exceptional performance: the TECHNO-STABI TS 12×28 has an image stabilizer, which can be used without a tripod, even at high magnification.

When normal binoculars are held by hand, distant objects can appear to tremble and blur. This is particularly distracting when working with high magnifications and dark scenery. The TS 12×28’s image stabilizer provides stable images even at 12x magnification. The vibration correction works precisely at an angular range of ± 3°. This makes it very possible to observe moving vehicles or ships.

Furthermore, the TS 12×28 has an extraordinary light intensity, which also produces sharp and high-contrast images for astronomical observations. This is achieved through multi-coated optics and phase-coated prisms. The focus is adjusted by means of a central focus wheel, which can be operated with one finger.

Thanks to the fiberglass-reinforced and compact plastic casing, the binoculars are lightweight, easy to handle, robust and waterproof. The power consumption is so low that one battery charge lasts up to 12 hours. The power saving mode also switches the device off automatically after 10 minutes. Therefore, the TS 12×28 is recommended for very long observations.

The application areas are unlimited, for example in sports, in nature, at concerts or on the high seas.

Links:

Product:
https://www.fujifilm.eu/eu/products/optical-devices/binoculars/techno-stabi-series#techno-stabi-ts12x28

Data sheet:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pdcctgx3ljo3msy/TS12x28%20sell%20sheet%201PP_FINAL%201-12-18.pdf

Images:

Techno-Stabi TS12x28 (white background)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9cxtse5c9cw5icu/FUJI-224_3QL.png

Techno-Stabi TS12x28 (black background, stylized)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hhtfqhmjztpcvwu/FUJI-224_Style_2.png

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjLw2m8_HAQ

Contact:

FUJIFILM Optical Devices Europe GmbH

Fujistraße 1

47533 Kleve

Phone: +49 2821 / 7115 400

E-mail: bino_eu@fujifilm.com

www.fujifilm.eu/fujinon

About FUJIFILM Optical Devices Europe GmbH

FUJIFILM has been producing award-winning lenses for many decades. It develops and produces innovative, cutting-edge solutions for almost any application in the entertainment industry, for security systems and in industrial image processing.

FUJINON binoculars are known worldwide. FUJINON binoculars are particularly popular in professional nautical environments, as well as in scenarios related to water sports, security forces, and nature/sky observers. Users will appreciate the optical quality in combination with the robust, lightweight and waterproof casing. For special requirements there are also sophisticated features, such as night vision and electronic image stabilization.

FUJIFILM Optical Devices Europe GmbH in Kleve is responsible for the sales, services and marketing of professional FUJINON lenses for TV and film productions, CCTV and Machine Vision as well as of FUJINON binoculars in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Critical infrastructures are radically transforming on an unprecedented scale, boosted by a rapid adoption of ‘smart’ operational technologies. Cyber security is a growing part of that evolution. ABI Research, a market-foresight advisory firm providing strategic guidance on the most compelling transformative technologies, forecasts security spending for the protection of critical infrastructures will hit US$125 billion globally by 2023.
Currently, defence contractors (Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Harris, Northrop Grumman), industrial OEMs (Honeywell, Siemens, Airbus, Rockwell, Boeing), tech leaders (IBM, Amazon, Microsoft, Verizon), and energy companies (Shell, Total, Exxon) are the big security spenders.

Three primary drivers are pushing better digital security in sectors such as utilities, transport, and healthcare: digital transformation and increased connectivity of operational technologies; democratisation of cyber attacks targeting critical infrastructure; and a maturing market for industrial and IoT security.

“Connected OT has enabled optimisation and greater efficiency for decades-old legacy systems, cutting costs and vastly improving operations for operators,” said Michela Menting, Research Director at ABI Research. But it has also introduced new vulnerabilities and opened new threat vectors to previously air-gapped technologies. The first specialised attacks against industrial control systems are over a decade old, and the attack tools and methods are accessible to even the most common cyber criminals. Fortunately, the cyber security industry has been working in parallel to address that security gap between IT and OT.

As a result, security solutions for industrial control systems and IoT have been fast maturing, rendering them more widely available and affordable. “So, while critical infrastructure operators face an expanding threat landscape, they also have greater choice and support in terms of digital protection of their OT and IT systems. Security budgets have increased significantly, which is encouraging news for those sectors which have long lagged in digital security,” Menting explained.

However, these positive developments face-off against several obstacles plaguing critical infrastructures: a macro-focus slowdown by governments regarding national cyber security strategies, especially in the U.S., and the E.U., continued resistance to cyber security regulation and sectoral information sharing, and cyber threat fatigue leading to general apathy regarding cyber security by the private sector. Many stakeholders view cyber security as a check-box exercise for one-time spending rather than investing on a continuous basis. “Consequently, while current security spending levels are significantly higher compared to just a few years ago, there is still significant room for further investment, both from an awareness and an implementation perspective,” Menting concluded.