Better Resources to Mitigate Explosive Threats
ExPRT’s landing page summarizes ETA’s mission and describes the database. It also provides a ‘contact us’ widget for SMEs who want to request access and includes a calendar of events so that they can network with each other.
Database users have access to a comprehensive research library that includes both completed and ongoing studies, technical information like explosives characterization, reports related to existing screening and mitigation technologies, and contact information for organizations that have funded and conducted relevant studies. Users will also be able to upload their own materials and provide feedback to the ExPRT team, who will use this feedback to improve the functionality and content of both the website and database as needed.
“ExPRT is a versatile research platform that can help DHS and the explosives community meet their immediate and long-term needs,” said Dr. Tedeschi. “For example, if an intelligence analyst identifies a bomb threat in the field, we want them to be able to contact SMEs who can then immediately query ExPRT and determine whether it is a known or new threat and provide guidance to our responders in the field. The database will also be accessible from mobile devices via a mobile-friendly website or application so that responders can access it themselves if they feel comfortable doing so.”
“We recognize that we are in a field that is rapidly evolving and changing,” continued Dr. Tedeschi. “Our priority in the near future will be to expand the database by adding content in the areas of explosives detection by canines, as well as relevant research conducted by our university and international partners.”
This spring, the ExPRT development team released a minimum viable product for both the landing page and database. “We are conducting internal user and usability testing on a limited version of ExPRT, to ensure that its basic features are working as intended,” explained Dr. Tedeschi. “This testing also provides a valuable opportunity to continuously evaluate ExPRT to determine what design, function and information gaps need to be addressed, and provide inspiration and insights to extend its capabilities further via future updated production releases.”
Once internal testing is completed, the team will work closely with colleagues at the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as they independently assess ExPRT and perform functional use-case and other tests to validate how well it will work in the field.
“We will ask them to assess the overall layout, ease of navigation and use, functionality, and overall accuracy and relevance of the information provided,” said Dr. Tedeschi. “Their feedback will then be used to improve future iterations of the capability, once ExPRT goes live.”
“The SMEs at the DOE labs and FBI have a very crucial role in the development process for ExPRT,” continued Dr. Tedeschi. “They are representative of the organizations, partners, and people who will utilize this resource in the field, so we need to ensure that everything is easy to use and functional for them.”
The S&T ETA team plans to do an iterative rollout of the website and database this fall and will continue to expand upon and improve ExPRT based on continual feedback from the explosives research community.
