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From the Dow Jones Newswires (no URL available - circulated via API List):
Camera Detects Concealed Weapons
By PETER LOFTUS DOW JONES NEWSWIRES April 13, 2005; Page B9
PHILADELPHIA -- A technology that can spot distant galaxies is now being
aimed at a more terrestrial concern: the detection of concealed weapons.
Researchers have designed ways to use "millimeter-wave" cameras, in
combination with regular photography, to detect whether a person is hiding
a gun, knife or bomb under his clothing, and to pinpoint the location of
the object. For years, astronomers have used radio telescopes that rely on
millimeter-wave technology. The U.S. Army has funded some of this research
with hopes of developing devices that display images showing concealed
weapons on civilians or enemy soldiers. The technology also could be used
by police, airport security and convenience stores, researchers say.
"The idea is, you take a visual image of a scene, and then you take a
millimeter-wave image of the same scene, and the millimeter-wave image is
able to see guns hidden underneath someone's clothing," said Rick Blum, an
electrical-engineering professor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.,
who has done extensive research on so-called image-fusion technology.
Making such a device for soldiers in the field still may be several years
away, said William Sander, a consultant to the Army Research Office in
Durham, N.C., which has funded Mr. Blum's research.
But some private firms already have introduced millimeter-wave sensors
designed for civilian uses such as office-building security. Brijot Imaging
Systems Inc., Orlando, Fla., has licensed millimeter-wave technology from
defense giant Lockheed Martin Corp. Brijot is about to begin shipping a
camera system, which resembles an oversize personal computer, and spots
weapons on people up to 45 feet away. Also, British defense contractor
Qinetiq Ltd. has developed a millimeter-wave imaging device for security at
airports and other public areas. Qinetiq says it successfully tested a
prototype at London's Gatwick Airport in 2002.
Millimeter energy-waves radiate naturally from people and some objects.
Some inanimate objects, including metals, are poor emitters of millimeter
waves . Millimeter-wave sensors work by detecting the contrast between the
waves emitted by a person and the low amount emitted by metals near the
person. The data can be processed into an image showing a human body in
white and any metallic objects in black. The images don't reveal nudity,
researchers say.
Alone, millimeter-wave cameras can be of limited use because the images
they produce can be grainy. So the challenge has been to find a way to fuse
the millimeter-wave images with photo images, either still or moving. Such
a fusion could produce what appears to be a regular photo or video of a
person, but with outlines of a gun, for instance, hidden under a
sweatshirt. Fusing such images isn't easy. One difficulty is "registering"
two images of the same scene, or properly lining up matching objects in a
picture.
Mr. Blum has been working on such a method for nearly a decade. He began
his research after hearing from police officers who wanted better
surveillance technologies to spot armed suspects. Mr. Blum developed
software that automatically fuses such images. He has applied for patents
for the software, and his technology is being licensed to a start-up firm,
SuperVision Technologies Inc., in Bethlehem. The firm was founded by
Leopoldo Mayoral, who has run an engineering-consulting firm that has done
work for the Defense Department. One scenario that Mr. Mayoral envisions
for the technology is convenience-store security. Video and millimeter-wave
sensors could be mounted near the store entrance. If the sensors detect a
gun hidden beneath a person's clothing, a device could automatically lock
the doors. The store clerk could then question the person to try to
determine his intent, Mr. Mayoral said.
Though Mr. Blum was initially inspired by law-enforcement needs, he has
received funding for his research from the Army Research Office. The office
has given Mr. Blum grants totaling about $300,000 over the past five years
to develop methods to fuse images taken from different sensors, said Mr.
Sander, the Army Research Office consultant. The funding is part of the
Army's effort to build on technology such as night-vision goggles, and
develop devices that fuse images from multiple sources, Mr. Sander said.
And the research isn't limited to images. Mr. Sander said the Army is
interested in developing acoustic and odor-based sensors, which could help
detect the presence of an enemy soldier lying in wait for an ambush.
While SuperVision is in early-stage development, Brijot is about to begin
shipping its device in June, said Chief Executive Brian Andrew. The device,
known as BIS-WDS, sells for about $60,000, and Mr. Andrew says he has
received orders totaling more than $100 million. That high price tag is
one potential barrier to widespread deployment of millimeter-wave devices.
Mr. Mayoral of SuperVision says he hopes to sell a product for $3,000 to
$7,000 initially. Brijot's customers are mainly distributors of security
products. Users are likely to include security personnel at commercial
buildings, Mr. Andrew said. Brijot's device has a video display that can
be monitored by security personnel. But it doesn't show any of the actual
millimeter-wave image. Instead, it displays a red bracket on the area of a
person's body where a weapon is concealed, and flashes the message "gun
detected," according to a video demonstration on Brijot's Web site.
One advantage of millimeter wave-based devices such as Brijot's is that
they are "passive," Mr. Andrew said. This means they don't send radiation
through people, so there are no health concerns. Also, they don't require
people to walk through an archway metal detector. In fact, they can be used
without anyone knowing that a weapons detector is present, Mr. Andrew said.
Mr. Andrew doesn't believe there would be any serious legal ramifications
of using such a detection system without the knowledge of the people being
monitored. He noted that operators of many public and private buildings
have the right to refuse entry to anyone carrying a concealed weapon. "If
you can put a video-surveillance camera, you can put this up," he said.
One privacy rights advocate said millimeter-wave-based security devices
should be used with certain safeguards in place. Beth Givens, director of
the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse in San Diego, said that the devices should
have built-in mechanisms so they "cannot be used by an operator as a tool
for voyeurism." She also thinks the machines shouldn't be used on public
streets, and should be limited to buildings or facilities that require
heightened security, such as federal office buildings, airports or prisons.
Camera Detects Concealed Weapons
By PETER LOFTUS DOW JONES NEWSWIRES April 13, 2005; Page B9
PHILADELPHIA -- A technology that can spot distant galaxies is now being
aimed at a more terrestrial concern: the detection of concealed weapons.
Researchers have designed ways to use "millimeter-wave" cameras, in
combination with regular photography, to detect whether a person is hiding
a gun, knife or bomb under his clothing, and to pinpoint the location of
the object. For years, astronomers have used radio telescopes that rely on
millimeter-wave technology. The U.S. Army has funded some of this research
with hopes of developing devices that display images showing concealed
weapons on civilians or enemy soldiers. The technology also could be used
by police, airport security and convenience stores, researchers say.
"The idea is, you take a visual image of a scene, and then you take a
millimeter-wave image of the same scene, and the millimeter-wave image is
able to see guns hidden underneath someone's clothing," said Rick Blum, an
electrical-engineering professor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.,
who has done extensive research on so-called image-fusion technology.
Making such a device for soldiers in the field still may be several years
away, said William Sander, a consultant to the Army Research Office in
Durham, N.C., which has funded Mr. Blum's research.
But some private firms already have introduced millimeter-wave sensors
designed for civilian uses such as office-building security. Brijot Imaging
Systems Inc., Orlando, Fla., has licensed millimeter-wave technology from
defense giant Lockheed Martin Corp. Brijot is about to begin shipping a
camera system, which resembles an oversize personal computer, and spots
weapons on people up to 45 feet away. Also, British defense contractor
Qinetiq Ltd. has developed a millimeter-wave imaging device for security at
airports and other public areas. Qinetiq says it successfully tested a
prototype at London's Gatwick Airport in 2002.
Millimeter energy-waves radiate naturally from people and some objects.
Some inanimate objects, including metals, are poor emitters of millimeter
waves . Millimeter-wave sensors work by detecting the contrast between the
waves emitted by a person and the low amount emitted by metals near the
person. The data can be processed into an image showing a human body in
white and any metallic objects in black. The images don't reveal nudity,
researchers say.
Alone, millimeter-wave cameras can be of limited use because the images
they produce can be grainy. So the challenge has been to find a way to fuse
the millimeter-wave images with photo images, either still or moving. Such
a fusion could produce what appears to be a regular photo or video of a
person, but with outlines of a gun, for instance, hidden under a
sweatshirt. Fusing such images isn't easy. One difficulty is "registering"
two images of the same scene, or properly lining up matching objects in a
picture.
Mr. Blum has been working on such a method for nearly a decade. He began
his research after hearing from police officers who wanted better
surveillance technologies to spot armed suspects. Mr. Blum developed
software that automatically fuses such images. He has applied for patents
for the software, and his technology is being licensed to a start-up firm,
SuperVision Technologies Inc., in Bethlehem. The firm was founded by
Leopoldo Mayoral, who has run an engineering-consulting firm that has done
work for the Defense Department. One scenario that Mr. Mayoral envisions
for the technology is convenience-store security. Video and millimeter-wave
sensors could be mounted near the store entrance. If the sensors detect a
gun hidden beneath a person's clothing, a device could automatically lock
the doors. The store clerk could then question the person to try to
determine his intent, Mr. Mayoral said.
Though Mr. Blum was initially inspired by law-enforcement needs, he has
received funding for his research from the Army Research Office. The office
has given Mr. Blum grants totaling about $300,000 over the past five years
to develop methods to fuse images taken from different sensors, said Mr.
Sander, the Army Research Office consultant. The funding is part of the
Army's effort to build on technology such as night-vision goggles, and
develop devices that fuse images from multiple sources, Mr. Sander said.
And the research isn't limited to images. Mr. Sander said the Army is
interested in developing acoustic and odor-based sensors, which could help
detect the presence of an enemy soldier lying in wait for an ambush.
While SuperVision is in early-stage development, Brijot is about to begin
shipping its device in June, said Chief Executive Brian Andrew. The device,
known as BIS-WDS, sells for about $60,000, and Mr. Andrew says he has
received orders totaling more than $100 million. That high price tag is
one potential barrier to widespread deployment of millimeter-wave devices.
Mr. Mayoral of SuperVision says he hopes to sell a product for $3,000 to
$7,000 initially. Brijot's customers are mainly distributors of security
products. Users are likely to include security personnel at commercial
buildings, Mr. Andrew said. Brijot's device has a video display that can
be monitored by security personnel. But it doesn't show any of the actual
millimeter-wave image. Instead, it displays a red bracket on the area of a
person's body where a weapon is concealed, and flashes the message "gun
detected," according to a video demonstration on Brijot's Web site.
One advantage of millimeter wave-based devices such as Brijot's is that
they are "passive," Mr. Andrew said. This means they don't send radiation
through people, so there are no health concerns. Also, they don't require
people to walk through an archway metal detector. In fact, they can be used
without anyone knowing that a weapons detector is present, Mr. Andrew said.
Mr. Andrew doesn't believe there would be any serious legal ramifications
of using such a detection system without the knowledge of the people being
monitored. He noted that operators of many public and private buildings
have the right to refuse entry to anyone carrying a concealed weapon. "If
you can put a video-surveillance camera, you can put this up," he said.
One privacy rights advocate said millimeter-wave-based security devices
should be used with certain safeguards in place. Beth Givens, director of
the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse in San Diego, said that the devices should
have built-in mechanisms so they "cannot be used by an operator as a tool
for voyeurism." She also thinks the machines shouldn't be used on public
streets, and should be limited to buildings or facilities that require
heightened security, such as federal office buildings, airports or prisons.
