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FLIR shows two new thermal imaging surveillance systems
Thermal imaging used to be an expensive and esoteric technology; not anymore; innoative developer shows systems — one based on microbolometer infrared sensor technology, the other on foveal vision concept
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New video analytic software can detect violent behavior
University of Texas scientists make a leap with software trained to distinguish between a hug and a push, or a handshake and a knifing; system is so far 80 percent accurate, and commercial applications could be available within a year; some see future in smart television searches, too
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Indonesia wants to buy Israeli UAVs
UAVs are used by more and more militaries and law enforcement forces, and the Indonesian military is no exception; it first tried to develop the vehicle indigenously, but the result was disappointing; the world’s largest Muslim country then looked around, and decided to purchase UAVs from Israel
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Predator B to return to the Arizona skies
Six months after a crash cast doubt on UAV reliability and cost, DHS is ready to try again; Predator B a government favorite despite problems, and two others are scheduled for delivery soon
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Northrop Grumman decides to enter Navy UAV competition
Company proposes its Global Hawk for the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance program; cost remains an issue for widespread UAV deployment, but Navy sees much to gain in a technology with a long flight time and a high ceiling
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Security officials worry about Google Earth
Terrorists may use satellite images to identify targets and plan attacks, experts say; concern is global as Dutch, Russians, and others worry; democratizing Internet spreads access to high resolution photographs; rogue nations the big winners here
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CACI joins Alien Technology’s RFID Solution Center
Wal-Mart, the Pentagon, and a growing list of other organizations now demand that suppliers tags their supplies with RFIDs in order to manage supply chain operations better; more and more governments around the world are creating documents for their citizens — from passports to driver licenses — which incorporate RFID technology; little wonder, then one of the largest government contractors join the center for the technology created by one of the leading companies in the field
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RFID-based airline baggage handling tested
RFID technology is spreading to more and more sectors of the economy; the latest to test the RF tracking system are airlines and airports, both aiming to make baggage handling more streamlined and accurate; challenges for the adoption of the technology remain, though, chief among them is cost
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3VR video management system tracks faces with low bandwidth costs
By turning images into metadata, system cuts down on transmission and storage fees while giving security officials a fast way to sort through footage; 3VR approach takes individual snapshots as it records, allowing for easy searches later on
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Researchers discover alghorithmic method of identifying naked bodies
Innovative image analysis approach is designed to combat pornography in the workplace, but creative security personnel may find inspiration for video analytics
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Lockheed Martin to develop stratospheric airship fabric
It’s not your father’s Hindenburg; dirigibles — in their traditional, lighter-than-air configuration or in hybrid form — are gaining popularity as intelligence observation posts high in the sky (Israel, for example, has one parked high above the Gaza Strip, and a couple in the north, keeping an eye on the goings on inside Lebanon); the Pentagon wants airships for intelligence, too, but it is also considering the craft for transporting troops and equipment; oil and gas companies want to use them to ferry supplies and equipment to remote locations, and other commercial entities show interest as well
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More headlines
The long view
Using Drone Swarms to Fight Forest Fires
Forest fires are becoming increasingly catastrophic across the world, accelerated by climate change. Researchers are using multiple swarms of drones to tackle natural disasters like forest fires.
Testing Cutting-Edge Counter-Drone Technology
Drones have many positive applications, bad actors can use them for nefarious purposes. Two recent field demonstrations brought government, academia, and industry together to evaluate innovative counter-unmanned aircraft systems.