What price safety ?!
Moderator
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 1998
Location: .
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What price safety ?!
Have a read of this BBC News link and then come back........ Pilots back passenger screening
I've personally been involved with evaluating, and championing, the use within UK and EU airports of Imaging Automations (IA) product called 'Boarder Guard' (BG) .
Nb. I've actually visited (IA) in Boston/USA, and a smarter bunch of folks it'd be hard to find.
During my last visit to IA we discussed the ease and speed with which we could integrate a BG unit to the databases of other 'security agencies', and needless to say this is a technically easy thing to achieve.
E.g. When I worked for Go Fly, to prove the BG systems integration capabilities, the security manager (PG) actually purchased a BoarderGuard unit for evaluation. We followed this up by both PPRuNe Towers and I developing a pseudo passenger reservation system and interfacing it to that BG units internal Sybase database.
The three of us, plus IA's UK chap, then did a major presentation of how it could work (and it really does work !) to two dozen folks from various interested HMG security departments - literally 'men in black' - and most impressed they were too, e.g. they arrived full of speculation and pessimism, but ended up on the edge of their seats as the demo unfurled !
To give you some idea as to how BG works (and I wrote about this on PPRuNe about 16 months ago). The pax walk up to the check-in desk. They present their passport and the check-in person places it on the BG unit, which then scans / captures it to disk.
Once the capture is complete (which takes about 5 seconds) any 'interesting' features of the passport are noted and a warning can be generated there and then, or instead, forwarded on to 'somebody else' for further action a little later (e.g. it takes time to organise a relevant response to a threat); it also captures all the details of the passport, e.g. the photo & machine readable zone, etc, and these can be kept for use later on, if needs be.
Nb. You can actually limit the liability of an airline to fines, due to the carriage of illegal aliens, e.g. folks who arrive at immigration with either no passport - they've flushed down the bog of the aircraft, etc. or with incorrect visa / entry details - by showing due diligence as an airline that you did actually check them thoroughly at the check-in point. Indeed you can then present the details that the BG unit captured when the pax checked in.
As well as that, IA also have the ability to capture a pax's facial / mugshot, e.g. when the pax walk up to the check-in desk. The BG unit, if linked to a camera, can capture and compare that image with that of the passport picture (it uses 'key features' technology), and it can also be linked to any / all manner of retinal scan, finger print reader devices, etc.,.....IA call this 'Biometrics'.
Whilst I'm not saying that a BG unit would have stopped the WTC attacks, it might of helped to do so - and / or may do in the future.
Now I will publicly state that I AM NOT involved in any financial betterment or kick-back arrangement with IA, but I would just like to see this amazing technology implemented (soon) such that another atrocity is not so easily actioned.
So what does it cost ?
Well, last time I asked, a single purchase baseline Boarder Guard unit is in the region of $4000 - yes, just four thousand dollars !
Nb. That's about the same amount that an airline will get fined for the import of just two illegal entrants to the UK (to say nothing of their subsequent repatriation cost) , aka. **** all !
The harsh reality is that the financial cost to us all of the USA attacks could easily have equipped every check-in desk, at every airport in the world, with a BG unit.
As is oft' said, "If you think safety is expensive, try having an accident !"
Links:
Imaging Automation - Boarder Guard'
Imaging Automation
Imaging Automation - News
Imaging Automation - Products
Boarder Guard - Questions and Answers
Boarder Guard - Demo
The above demo link in particular shows the 'Watch List' options, i.e. the bit which talks to other agency's databases, e.g. Interpol, CIA, MI5, FBI, MI6, KGB, MOSSAD, etc., either by downloading data, or in 'real-time', neat huh ?!
[ 12 October 2001: Message edited by: CrashDive ]
I've personally been involved with evaluating, and championing, the use within UK and EU airports of Imaging Automations (IA) product called 'Boarder Guard' (BG) .
Nb. I've actually visited (IA) in Boston/USA, and a smarter bunch of folks it'd be hard to find.
During my last visit to IA we discussed the ease and speed with which we could integrate a BG unit to the databases of other 'security agencies', and needless to say this is a technically easy thing to achieve.
E.g. When I worked for Go Fly, to prove the BG systems integration capabilities, the security manager (PG) actually purchased a BoarderGuard unit for evaluation. We followed this up by both PPRuNe Towers and I developing a pseudo passenger reservation system and interfacing it to that BG units internal Sybase database.
The three of us, plus IA's UK chap, then did a major presentation of how it could work (and it really does work !) to two dozen folks from various interested HMG security departments - literally 'men in black' - and most impressed they were too, e.g. they arrived full of speculation and pessimism, but ended up on the edge of their seats as the demo unfurled !
To give you some idea as to how BG works (and I wrote about this on PPRuNe about 16 months ago). The pax walk up to the check-in desk. They present their passport and the check-in person places it on the BG unit, which then scans / captures it to disk.
Once the capture is complete (which takes about 5 seconds) any 'interesting' features of the passport are noted and a warning can be generated there and then, or instead, forwarded on to 'somebody else' for further action a little later (e.g. it takes time to organise a relevant response to a threat); it also captures all the details of the passport, e.g. the photo & machine readable zone, etc, and these can be kept for use later on, if needs be.
Nb. You can actually limit the liability of an airline to fines, due to the carriage of illegal aliens, e.g. folks who arrive at immigration with either no passport - they've flushed down the bog of the aircraft, etc. or with incorrect visa / entry details - by showing due diligence as an airline that you did actually check them thoroughly at the check-in point. Indeed you can then present the details that the BG unit captured when the pax checked in.
As well as that, IA also have the ability to capture a pax's facial / mugshot, e.g. when the pax walk up to the check-in desk. The BG unit, if linked to a camera, can capture and compare that image with that of the passport picture (it uses 'key features' technology), and it can also be linked to any / all manner of retinal scan, finger print reader devices, etc.,.....IA call this 'Biometrics'.
Whilst I'm not saying that a BG unit would have stopped the WTC attacks, it might of helped to do so - and / or may do in the future.
Now I will publicly state that I AM NOT involved in any financial betterment or kick-back arrangement with IA, but I would just like to see this amazing technology implemented (soon) such that another atrocity is not so easily actioned.
So what does it cost ?
Well, last time I asked, a single purchase baseline Boarder Guard unit is in the region of $4000 - yes, just four thousand dollars !
Nb. That's about the same amount that an airline will get fined for the import of just two illegal entrants to the UK (to say nothing of their subsequent repatriation cost) , aka. **** all !
The harsh reality is that the financial cost to us all of the USA attacks could easily have equipped every check-in desk, at every airport in the world, with a BG unit.
As is oft' said, "If you think safety is expensive, try having an accident !"
Links:
Imaging Automation - Boarder Guard'
Imaging Automation
Imaging Automation - News
Imaging Automation - Products
Boarder Guard - Questions and Answers
Boarder Guard - Demo
The above demo link in particular shows the 'Watch List' options, i.e. the bit which talks to other agency's databases, e.g. Interpol, CIA, MI5, FBI, MI6, KGB, MOSSAD, etc., either by downloading data, or in 'real-time', neat huh ?!
[ 12 October 2001: Message edited by: CrashDive ]
Moderator
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 1998
Location: .
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
W.r.t. "But should this be in the public domain???"
I don't think that it really matters if the public know how the technology works - if anything it shows just how difficult it is to beat the security, when it's properly applied - and that's the point.
At the moment this basic check is not being done properly, e.g. you walk up to check-in, join a queue of hundreds, present your passport, which is then scrutinised by some low paid / barely trained / stressed out & tired check-in person - so is it then any wonder that nutters manage to make it onto an aircraft ?!
Another major problem is that no ****** is prepared to put their hand in their pocket to shell out for a BG unit. The airlines say the airports should buy it, the airports say it's not their problem because all they provide is a building / infrastructure in which the airlines do business, meanwhile the Governments pontificate.
But you lot now know that there is indeed something that can be done, at the point of check-in, to help weed out these terrorist scum bags.
Thus I do believe (hope) that by putting this out into the public domain, and showing just what can be done with (imho) a very modest investment ( or, what price a life ? ) that we can hopefully force home the point, that such technology in place as part of a unified integrated approach will help to fight international terrorism.
E.g. for the cost of just one Cruise missile, of which no doubt many are soon to be fired into Afghanistan, you could probably equip every check-in desk at Heathrow with a BG unit.
Now which do you believe will be more effective in the on-going fight against terrorism ?!
I don't think that it really matters if the public know how the technology works - if anything it shows just how difficult it is to beat the security, when it's properly applied - and that's the point.
At the moment this basic check is not being done properly, e.g. you walk up to check-in, join a queue of hundreds, present your passport, which is then scrutinised by some low paid / barely trained / stressed out & tired check-in person - so is it then any wonder that nutters manage to make it onto an aircraft ?!
Another major problem is that no ****** is prepared to put their hand in their pocket to shell out for a BG unit. The airlines say the airports should buy it, the airports say it's not their problem because all they provide is a building / infrastructure in which the airlines do business, meanwhile the Governments pontificate.
But you lot now know that there is indeed something that can be done, at the point of check-in, to help weed out these terrorist scum bags.
Thus I do believe (hope) that by putting this out into the public domain, and showing just what can be done with (imho) a very modest investment ( or, what price a life ? ) that we can hopefully force home the point, that such technology in place as part of a unified integrated approach will help to fight international terrorism.
E.g. for the cost of just one Cruise missile, of which no doubt many are soon to be fired into Afghanistan, you could probably equip every check-in desk at Heathrow with a BG unit.
Now which do you believe will be more effective in the on-going fight against terrorism ?!
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: 18m N of LGW
Posts: 945
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So what's the hold-up? Surely BAA have had a look at it! Why have they not taken it up? Why hasn't it been more widely displayed?
It seems so good it SHOULD be used. From what CD has led us to view by way of demo etc., is incredible. I just can't believe that it hasn't been in use everywhere. It will, it seems, easily alert those who need to know. Who know's it may have prevented so much.
Better change your job again Crash your services ARE required elsewhere! Want any help? "I don'T believe iT!".
It seems so good it SHOULD be used. From what CD has led us to view by way of demo etc., is incredible. I just can't believe that it hasn't been in use everywhere. It will, it seems, easily alert those who need to know. Who know's it may have prevented so much.
Better change your job again Crash your services ARE required elsewhere! Want any help? "I don'T believe iT!".
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: EGKK
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You would have thought by now that the lesson of not paying now, but invariably paying later which we implement so well in the UK, would have been a lesson learned.
Funny how trains and red lights suddenly spring to mind.
Funny how trains and red lights suddenly spring to mind.
