Development of Fused Explosive Detection Equipment with Specific Application to Advanced Imaging Technology
ADSA06
The final report for this workshop is available at:
https://alert.northeastern.edu/transitioning-technology/adsa/final-reports-and-presentations/
ADSA06 addressed specific topics related to developing and deploying fused systems. The topic of fusion was chosen for the workshop in order to support the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) objective of improving the performance of existing technologies, where performance is defined as increased probability of detection, decreased probability of false alarms, lower threat mass and increased number of types of explosives. There is evidence that existing technologies may eventually be unable to satisfy DHS’s requirements for improved performance unless they are upgraded or fused with other technologies.
The key topics that were addresses at the workshop are as follows:
- General topics related to fusing technologies. Examples of this topic are concept of operations, acceptance testing by the TSA and establishing requirement specifications.
- Improving AIT equipment by fusing systems.
- Adaptive screening.
Workshop Outcomes
- Fusion can be defined as any one of the following methods:
- Combining the outputs (i.e., data) from multiple systems with and without using electronic networks.
- Changing the protocol of concept of operations of explosive detection equipment using some other source of information
- Many of the general findings noted above have to be addressed before fused systems can be developed and deployed.
- Methods were noted by the workshop participants to have a high probability of success to significantly improve MMW and XBS AIT through fusion.
Adaptive screening should be explored in additional detail. Adaptive screening means changing the operating protocol of an explosive detection device based on an assessment of risk of a particular passenger or based on general intelligence information.