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Using ozone to kill prions dead
Prions are among the worst infectious-disease agents; these proteins are resistant to a wide variety of extreme disinfectant procedures; they have been identified as the culprits behind mad cow disease and chronic wasting disease in animals and humans, and are also implicated in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and other prion-related disorders
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Food safety business plan competition
Two Michigan-based organizations announce a business plan competition for ventures in the food safety area; entrepreneurs with new food safety business concepts will compete for $10,000 prize
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Advanced forensic tool for the battlefield
A forensic tool could soon make the analysis of evidence faster and more accurate, giving military investigators an advantage in the wars against drugs and terror
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Accenture develops crime management system for Norway
Accenture is developing a new national crime management system for the Norwegian National Police Directorate (POD) to support police investigations and criminal prosecutions in Norway; the crime management system will enable the Norwegian police force to manage, link, and analyze case information and intelligence for more reliability and consistency across law enforcement, police investigations, border management, emergency response, and case administration
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Compact helmet-display for first responders
Engineers at Physical Optics Corp. are working with DHS’ Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to develop a helmet-mounted micro display system for first responders designed to improve their situational awareness
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New bill to allow more private screeners at airports
Private security companies could soon be taking over passenger screening at U.S. airports thanks to recently passed legislation that has cleared both the Senate and the House; the proposed law would require that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) allow airports to switch to private contractors unless it can demonstrate that the move is not cost-effective and hinders security
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Four-legged robot carries troops’ load
The increasing weight of military equipment has a negative impact on soldiers’ readiness and effectiveness; reducing the load on dismounted soldiers has thus become a major point of emphasis for defense research and development; the Legged Squad Support System (LS3) robot follows squad members through rugged terrain and interact with them in a natural way, similar to the way a trained animal and its handler interact, while carrying 400 lbs. of squad’s gear
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U.S. Navy’s railgun takes an important step forward
In the coming weeks the first industry railgun prototype launcher will be tested at a U.S. Navy facility in Virginia; the railgun launcher is a long-range weapon that fires projectiles using electricity instead of chemical propellants
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ISC West goes hi-tech
This year Reed Exhibitions is going hi-tech for its ISC West security conference; the show’s organizers have developed a special mobile app and other technological changes to make this year’s show more convenient for attendees
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New methodology evaluates risk of scarce metals
China produces more than 95 of the world’s rare Earth metals, making governments and businesses around the world uneasy; researchers develop a methodology ti answer two important questions: how do we know what is scarce? If we know a metal is scarce, how do we know whether we should worry about it?
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Wireless underground robots for first responders
First responders may have to look for victims in hostile or challenging environments, such as clandestine tunnels, subway systems, and underground structures; sending a wireless robot to look around and pull victims out would be safer
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BAE enters U.S. critical infrastructure protection market
British defense Giant BAE Systems recently announced its plans to enter the U.S. critical infrastructure security market
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Obama unveils global supply chain protection strategy
Last week the Obama administration unveiled its new counterterrorism strategy aimed at securing the entirety of the global supply chain
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Researchers develop altered fingerprint detector
Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a technique to help detect when an individual has deliberately altered their fingerprints in an effort to fool biometric scanners
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Mexico , the next private contracting boom?
As military spending winds down in Iraq and Afghanistan, security contractors eying lucrative opportunities are looking towards Mexico, but strict gun laws and a turbulent environment greatly complicate things
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The long view
U.S. contemplates responses to a cyber-Pearl Harbor attack on critical infrastructure
Cybersecurity experts often contemplate how U.S. security agencies would react to a cyber-9/11 or a digital Pearl Harbor, in which a computer attack would unplug the power grid, disable communications lines, empty bank accounts, and result in loss of life. “Ultimately, it absolutely could happen,” says one expert. “Yeah, that thought keeps me up at night, in terms of what portion of our critical infrastructure could be really brought to its knees.”
To bolster the world’s inadequate cyber governance framework, a “Cyber WHO” is needed
A new report on cyber governance commissioned by Zurich Insurance Group highlights challenges to digital security and identifies new opportunities for business. It calls for the establishment of guiding principles to build resilience and the establishment of supranational governance bodies such as a Cyber Stability Board and a “Cyber WHO.”
More money, different approach offer opportunities to border security tech companies
The number of border agents has reached roughly 21,000, up from 5,000 two decades ago. In fiscal year 2012, spending for border and immigration enforcement totaled almost $18 billion — 24 percent more than the combined budgets of the FBI, the DEA, the Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (total: $14.4 billion). One major trend driving the border security industry is the government’s shift from large-scale border security infrastructure projects to small unit security systems.
Coastal communities can lower flood insurance rates by addressing sea-level rise
City leaders and property developers in Tampa Bay are urging coastal communities to prepare today for sea-level rise and future floods in order to keep flood insurance rates low in the future. FEMA, which administers the National Flood Insurance Program(NFIP), is increasing flood insurance premiums across the country, partly to offset losses from recent disasters such as hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. Cities can reduce insurance premiums for nearly all residents who carry flood coverage by improving storm-water drainage, updating building codes to reflect projected rise in sea-levels, moving homes out of potentially hazardous areas, and effectively informing residents about storm danger and evacuation routes.
Changing human behavior key to tackling California drought: Expert
California is experiencing a drought that has gone far beyond a “dry spell,” and the state has imposed the first water restriction in state history, aiming to cut back on water consumption by 25 percent. One expert says that strict water conservation measures are long overdue, and that “what is happening is a realization that you can’t simply transplant another ecosystem onto a California desert system or arid southwestern system. In a sense, California and much of the U.S. southwest are living beyond their ecological means. Certain lifestyles have been adopted and crops are being grown that are not endemic or sustainable for this particular bioregion.” He adds: “This is a moment for not just cutting off personal water use and turning the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth, as important as that is. This is a moment of reflection, invitation and, I hope, legislation that will cause people to think about water use in the industrial sector too. This is for the long-term prosperity of the state and sustainability of the ecosystem.”