. TEKEVER joins European consortium
to fight terrorism
. First simulation is done this
week in Stockholm
TEKEVER takes fundamental role in a four-year project
to develop a state of the art sensor network capable of detecting hidden
explosives devices in air and water. The sensors will detect chemical traces of
explosive in order to provide early warning to security services and protect
vulnerable urban populations from the threat of Improvised Explosive Devices
(IEDs), often used by terrorist organizations. After 3 years of intense
development, this ground breaking system had its first full scale field
test during a simulation last week in Stockholm.
The EU-funded project, Bomb Factory Detection by
Networks of Advanced Sensors (BONAS), was brought about in response to the
London bombings in 2005. It’s a €4 million project that brings together 14
teams from 9 countries in a four-year project.
“TEKEVER leads a key part of this project. We take
the role of system integrators and are responsible for collecting sensor data
in real time, fusing all the information to learn if indeed we’re detecting the
presence of explosives, and ultimately sounding the alarm when the system
detects a threat. At the same time, we keep the user informed and in complete
control of the system through an advanced set of user-friendly interfaces. We’re
responsible for pushing the alarm button and saying: Yes, we must act”, said
Ricardo Mendes, TEKEVER COO.
The consortium, led by the Italian National Agency
for New Technologies, involves TEKEVER and a number of other European research centres
and companies. The team comprises organizations from the entire value chain, from
basic research to field deployment, assuring that the system not only involves
the latest in detection and communication technologies, but is also built to
the standards and requirements of public safety and security forces.
The concept behind BONAS is to build up a sensor
network that will help to geo-locate the vicinity of a “bomb factory” by
detecting traces of chemicals used in explosives production. The different
sensors, deployed in sensitive locations and camouflaged, will focus on detecting
particles, gases and other products that can be bought without specific
authorizations and used for homemade explosive devices in the air and water.
