Detection

DHS to regulate ammonium nitrate
Ammonium nitrate mixed with fuel oil commonly is used as an explosive in mining and has been used by terrorists — such as Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma; DHS proposes to regulate its use
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Briefly noted
RSA uncovers IT secure fears stifling business innovation… DHS completes radiological/nuclear detection drill in southeast transportation corridor… Has pandemic complacency come home to roost?
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CSIRO wireless sensor commercially available
Wireless sensor networks are used in more and more homeland security roles such as monitoring water quality at sprawling water facilities and in perimeter defense of critical infrastructure facilities; they can also help keep the environment healthy
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Better ground radar to find land mines
There are more than 100 million land mines buried in 68 countries around the world; more than 2,000 people are killed or injured by land mine explosions each month; University of Missouri engineer creates more sensitive, safer land mine detectors
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ESA's gamma-ray technology used to detect dirty bombs
The European Space Agency has licensed its gamma-ray detection technology to a U.K. company; the latter has signed a contract worth $222 million with DHS to next-generation radiation gamma-ray detection and identification system
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Better chemical sensor emulates animals' noses
A new “electronic nose” is more adept than conventional methodologies at recognizing molecular features even for chemicals it has not been trained to detect
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Indian city considers using trained rats to sniff explosives
The Indian city of Hyderabad is considering a novel idea in the fight against terrorism: sniffer rats which will be be trained like dogs for sniffing explosives
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Tiny gas sensor to detect explosive vapors and chemical agents
EU-funded project aims to develop a tiny sensor — sensor will be less than two centimeters in length and at least twice as sensitive as other sensors of its size
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Small hand-held detector for security, health threats
Researchers develop the world’s smallest detection system: The size of a shoe box, the complete mass spectrometer identifies tiny amounts of chemicals in the environment
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EU votes down millimeter wave scanners
Millimeter wave scanners offer a new level of security at airport checkpoints, but they also offer anatomically correct images of people’s private parts; EU votes against using them
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Expert: Fear of nuclear terrorism may be overblown
A RAND expert says the fear of al Qaeda obtaining a nuclear weapon has already allowed the organization to inflict nuclear terror, even though it is not entirely clear that the terrorists can get their hands or use such a weapon
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Innovative shoe scanner to make travel safer, lines shorter
University of Manchester researcher develops a technology which allows security personnel to spot people with concealed items in their shoes as they walk through passport control or through traditional security checks
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DHS to use TeraView's terahertz technology in chemical detection
Goodrich chose U.K. terahertz technology specialist TeraView for developing a DHS-sponsored chemical detection system for government and public buildings, and on the battlefield
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TSA meets initial screening cargo goal
Congress has mandated through the 9/11 law that 50 percent of cargo on passenger carrying aircraft be screened by February 2009 and 100 percent of cargo be screened by August 2010; TSA says it currently screens all cargo on narrow body, passenger-carrying aircraft; these account for more than 90 percent of all passenger carrying aircraft in the United States
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GE shows a chemical sensor that does not need batteries
Researchers develop a chemical sensor that can detect minute quantities of chemicals in the air or water; it has no batters: it receives its power wirelessly from a sensor reader
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