| Vol.2 | No.3 |
August 2003
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August 2003
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| Science and Technology | |
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Pentagon’s Big Brother plan Washington – July 2, 2003 – The Pentagon is developing an urban surveillance system that would use computers and thousands of cameras to track, record and analyze the movement of every vehicle in a foreign city. The software may also provide instant alerts after detecting a vehicle with a license plate on a watch list, or search mounts of records to locate and compare vehicles spotted near terrorist activities. “Government would have a reasonably good idea of where everyone is most of the time,” said John Pike, a Global security organisation defense analyst. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) plans to award a three-year contract for up to a million by September 1, 2003. Hindustan Times – July 3, 2003. Electronic warfare systems for J&K New Delhi – July 2, 2003 – The Ministry of Defence is planning to put in place an elaborate network of electronic warfare (EW) systems in Jammu and Kashmir and the north-east to help the security forces counter the terrorist threat. The army is essentially following a two-pronged approach in equipping its men combating low intensity warfare with the latest electronic devices. While binocular and monocular variants of the thermal imagers capable of detecting body heat at night are man-specific, the setting up of low-intensity conflict electronic warfare (LIC-EW) systems is a complex process. Its installation will help detect the source of radio transmissions and thereby contribute to actionable intelligence against insurgents receiving operational instructions from their mentors. Jamming of transmissions is being carried out in a limited manner. The Hindu – July 3, 2003
Robots to combat terror Washington – US is working on devices like bullet-detecting radars and robots which can climb walls and run over rough terrain, in an attempt to combat high-tech terrorist threats. The Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is studying vulnerabilities in US military system and developing defences against them. After studying the movements of insects, technicians have developed Rhex, the DARPA robot with legs, a prototype which has the ability to run over rough terrain, and even swim. The next goal is to furnish Rhex with gecko-like feet, enabling it to climb walls and ceilings, giving it the same mobility as these Spiderman-like reptiles. Rhex will have a camera and biochemical sensors to detect substances in the atmosphere. They will not only prevent terrorist attacks, but also make the battleground safer for soldiers. The Times of India – July 10, 2003
Soft underbelly? Washington – July 9 – A student’s Ph.D thesis at George Mason University in Virginia, has exposed the United States vulnerability to terrorist attacks on all its vital installations and communication networks, shocking government officials and businessmen. Sean Gorman (29) has mapped out the fibre-optics communication lines to every business and industrial sector in the US. He can click on a bank in Manhattan and see who has communication lines running into it and where. He can zoom it on Baltimore and find the choke point for trucking warehouses. He can drill into a cable trench between Kansas and Colorado and determine how to create the most havoc with a hedge clipper. Five years ago when Mr. Gorman began work on a master’s degree in geography, his intention was to map the physical infrastructure of the internet, to see who was connected, who was not, and to measure its economic impact. “I was not even thinking about implications,” he said. The Hindu – July 10, 2003 Deep in the Hampshire woodlands, southwest of London, at an installation rigged with barbed wire and guarded by security cameras and men in yellow slickers, scientists are working among many other things on what has been called a “smart seat,” an airline passenger seat studded with hidden sensors, linked to a computerized monitor screen that cabin staff can read for clues about their passengers. Are they in danger of developing deep vein thrombosis? Are they too restless for words? These days thousands of scientists are working on contraptions for civilian use, from the smart seat to an adaptation of the satellite navigation technology used in cruise missiles to probe into the most secret hiding places – a device as handy for police officers seeking errant parolees as parents keeping tabs on children. The Asian Age – July 12, 2003. Electronic ID tags for tracking San Francisco – The wireless location monitoring technology would use electronic tags to help people keep track of their animals, children or property. Mr. Stephen Zozniak, the co-founder of Apple Computer, is ready to talk about the new technology, WozNet, which is simple and inexpensive. Radio signals and global positioning satellite data are used to keep track of tags. It has the ability to track the location of dozens or even hundreds of small wireless devices that can be attached to people, pets or property. The tags will be able to generate alerts, notifying the owner by phone or email message when a child arrives at school, a dog leaves the yard or a car leaves the parking lot. “The idea has a lot of merit, particularly for parents who want to keep track of their children,” said Tim Bajarin, an analyst. The Times of India – July 22, 2003. Security robot The MOSRO 1 is a security robot from Robowatch Technologies of Berlin, Germany, that can be used where human security guards would be endangered or overtaxed. By means of neural networks, the electronic watchman moves independently through the objects to be watched for a guaranteed operating time of 16 to18 hours. It uses radar sensors, passive infrared sensors, and a camera to detect danger and transmit the information to the control room. It can even identify human bodies through walls. The robot can be controlled remotely and operates in temperatures form –5 to 50 degrees Celsius. An optional simple message service (SMS) sends alarms via mobile phone, including the robot’s location and the safety sensor that has been activated (smoke, gas, etc.). An optional mobile monitoring system enables the robot to be controlled via a hand-held computer operating on Windows CE. The robot is ideal for guarding objects in large areas and for monitoring high-risk industrial plants. Security Management – July 2003 Surveillance systems Engineers at Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio, Texas, are combining real-time image processing with machine perception to traditional video surveillance methods to develop systems that can analyze video feeds from multiple surveillance cameras to automatically detect vehicles, packages, and moving objects, such as, people and animals. The surveillance system uses algorithms that incorporate temporal processing and model-based analysis so the system recognizes motions normal to that scenario; it disregards false triggers, such as, moving foliage and shadows. The basic system includes cameras, a computer, and automated video security software that can be used with some existing surveillance systems. Automated capabilities can be further enhanced with optional pan/tilt/zoom cameras, thermal infrared cameras, visible or near-infrared illuminators, and image intensifiers for long-range night vision with conventional cameras. The system is ideal for perimeter security, interior security, under-vehicle surveillance, motor and pedestrian safety, and data acquisition, as well as mobile platforms carrying surveillance cameras and optional analysis computers. Security Management – July 2003 Microchips in people to track crime Maxico City: A US company has launched sales of microchips that can be implanted under a person’s skin and used to confirm health history and identity. The microchip, the size of a grain of rice, is implanted in the arm or hip. Hospital officials and security guards use a scanning device to download a serial number, which they then use to access blood type, name and other information on a computer. The Times of India – July 19, 2003. Food for Thoughts If I have been able to see farther than others, it was because I stood on the shoulders of giants. Sir Isaac
Newton *** To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved.
George MacDonald *** "People are not the best because they work hard, they work hard because they are the best." *** We want to
live in the present, and the only history that is worth a
Henry Ford |