London 2012 has put security of sporting arenas – traditionally difficult to monitor – in the spotlight. Sensing technology is now being installed to stop security threats 25 metres before they enter an arena.
“With the 2012 London Olympics approaching, the need for advanced security measures in sporting arenas has never been more critical – and this is where sensing technology delivers. The sensing experts across our network have produced a range of sensors, many of which are being used by security agencies to mitigate terrorist attacks,” says Phil Cooper, Director of the Sensing & Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN).
ThruVision Ltd, the Oxfordshire, UK based security screening equipment manufacturer is now deploying passive security screening products that display images of objects concealed under clothing from a distance.
Unlike X-ray systems, ThruVision’s products are totally passive. ThruVision’s sensors collect terahertz waves (low-energy waves, naturally produced by people and objects) to provide non-intrusive real-time images of concealed objects. Moreover, ThruVision products present no privacy issues it is claimed as body detail is not revealed.
“ThruVision’s products offer security staff the ability to passively screen people at various stand-off distances for concealed objects, thus giving them precious time to react accordingly. This, coupled with the non-invasive nature of our products enables ThruVision systems to be deployed in many different entrance screening scenarios,” says Jonathan James, ThruVision Ltd’s Director of Product Marketing.
The novel terahertz security imaging technology forms images of threat or contraband objects – metallic and non-metallic – hidden under clothing from 25m away. This means a threat can be unobtrusively detected and identified well before it enters a sporting arena.
ThruVision’s passive imaging technology forms images of concealed explosives, liquids, weapons, plastics, ceramics, and narcotics, regardless of whether the subject is still or moving.
The sensor works by passively collecting terahertz waves that are processed to form images that reveal concealed objects under clothing. This technology has been used at various entrance security screening locations, including the America’s Cup in Spain.
Other sensing security examples:
LiteThru
Start-up company LiteThru has developed a handheld sensing device that can accurately identify the chemical composition of a potential liquid explosive within one second. This practical device can be used for airport security checks.
Symetrica
Symetrica, producers of radiation detecting systems, is helping police, coastguards, boarder guards and customs officials detect radioactive substances that could be used by terrorists. Their handheld sensing device uses technology originally developed for space missions to study gamma-rays (electromagnetic radiation emitted by radioactive decay) from explosions and dying stars.
Detail
The UK’s yearly £3bn sensing market supports an instrumentation market worth £7.74bn, and an end user market of £120bn. The Sensors & Instrumentation Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) covers the whole of the UK’s sensing community, from the principles of measurement and novel sensor technologies to instrumentation, deployment and data analysis.
It has over 1,700 academic and industrial members. It is primarily funded by the Technology Strategy Board and research councils.
The Sensors & Instrumentation KTN has secured over £16m funding for its members.
It runs an active programme of technical workshops and has a team of technology translators provided by managing partners, the National Physical Laboratory and Qi3.
