Security solutionsICx Technologies: comprehensive, layered approach to security

At the recent ASIS exhibition and seminar, Homeland Security Newswire took the time to walk through the ICx Technologies booth. ICx develops and integrates advanced sensor technologies for homeland security, force protection and commercial applications. The company’s proprietary sensor technology detects and identifies chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) threats. On top of its broad CBRNE product line, ICx also manufactures ground-surveillance radars, thermal imaging cameras and command and control products for wide area surveillance and perimeter intrusion detection.

Comprehensive layered approach to CBRN security

One of the company’s products on display at ASIS was ThreatSense, a system which provides a comprehensive, layered approach to CBRN security. ThreatSense uses a variety of ICx products and technologies in concert to protect a facility’s critical infrastructure. The system monitors the air for aerosolized anomalies as well as the movement of radioactive sources through widely distributed rad-detectors.

“With its a-la-carte detection-layering abilities, ThreatSense allows security professionals to build out the best solution they see fit for a particular facility and set of threat scenarios,” said Chuck Call, ThreatSense manager at ICx Technologies.

Matt Birnbaum, vice president of detection sales and marketing, and Pat Dempsey, senior vice president of detection sales, continued the conversation commenting on the company’s chemical agent monitoring device and biological detection units. For bio-threats, the IBAC detects changes in biological material in the air in real time. Once a detection has been made, the device communicates with secondary samplers which take larger liquid samples for analysis and later identification. At this time, that sample must be sent to a lab for definitive results; a process which can take from an hour to a day. For chemical threats, mobile mass spectrometers can be set up within the facility to monitor the air for potential chemical agents, providing on-site detection and identification. In both cases, the initial presumptive data can trigger low-regret, precautionary measures such as communicating with the facility’s HVAC systems to shut down or redirect airflow in order to minimize the potential spread of a threatening agent. ICx works with clients as well as first responder organizations to develop assessment and response protocols to deal with any detection event.

One goal of the ThreatSense system is to distinguish hoaxes from real events, thus preventing disruptions while protecting occupants and assets. A Homeland Security NewsWire article reports on how Europeans businesses are losing approximately €17 billion a year in revenue owing to IT disruptions; on average,