Category: Road

Pimloc Announces a Strategic Partnership With m-View to Provide Australia’s Public Safety Sector With Automated Video Redaction

Pimloc Announces a Strategic Partnership With m-View to Provide Australia’s Public Safety Sector With Automated Video Redaction

Pimloc, an AI video privacy and analytics company and m-View Live Video, specialists in body-worn cameras, live video streaming and digital evidence management, announced a strategic partnership to provide Australia’s public safety sector with automated video redaction for body-worn cameras.

This will enhance the safety of Australian public safety sector agents, comply with Australia’s GIPA Act and Privacy Act, and help reassure the public. Pimloc’s Secure Redact video privacy and analytics platform is now integrated into digital evidence management systems and front-line body-worn cameras, including m-View’s latest 4G embedded body-worn camera.

The Secure Redact platform uses deep learning algorithms to ensure all personally identifying information (PII) is removed from captured or live video, essential for use in incident reports and data subject access requests (DSARs) which require anonymization.

Thanks to Pimloc’s secure APIs, the Secure Redact platform is seamlessly integrated into customers’ existing video workflows, platforms and applications, meaning organizations can deploy quick and accurate redaction at scale to save time, improve efficiency and stay compliant.

m-View are industry leaders in the way they think about keeping public safety employees safe,” Simon Randall, CEO at Pimloc, said. “This is the perfect partnership for Pimloc. m-View are industry leaders in the way they think about keeping public safety employees safe. Not only do they have a deep knowledge of the rules and regulations, but they also understand what it is to work on the front line.”

Simon Randall added, “They recognize how important it is that the public have confidence in state employees operating within the bounds of the law and have recourse to keep individuals and public spaces safe. m-View are at the forefront of video technology and innovation and are keeping Australian citizens and its state employees safer.”

Speaking of the partnership, Matt Cameron, CEO at m-View, commented, “We have long been looking for a partner to help us deliver best-in-class service to state public safety employees and Australian citizens, while remaining compliant to data privacy and security regulations. Working with the team at Pimloc has been a joy.” Cameron added, “They take their understanding of technology and regulation to an almost obsessive level, which gives us total confidence in both the tools that they have and the belief that we’re always one step ahead of emerging regulations. Importantly, Pimloc’s world-leading technology works in a way which is easily integrated to our video management systems, meaning we can deliver this at scale; saving thousands of man hours and keeping people safe, faster. We’re excited to see where the strategic partnership leads.”

NCC Group advises on U.K. Government’s Manual for Smart Streets

NCC Group collaborated with the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Transport Technology Forum (TTF) on the development of the Manual for Smart Streets (MfSS), a newly launched guide for local authorities and other key stakeholders in road infrastructure.

“NCC Group’s Transport Practice have been instrumental in supporting the Department for Transport with the development of the Manual for Smart Streets that has now been published through the Transport Technology Forum, by providing invaluable cyber security guidance that is embedded into the manual’s core use cases for digital service development,” said Darren Capes, ITS policy lead and TTF manager, traffic and technology division, Department for Transport.

Published online, the MfSS supports authorities who are conceiving, designing and implementing smart street systems. It has been created to provide guidance, examples and practical pointers, allowing authorities to make best use of technology and improve how we travel.

Local authorities are working towards the challenging goals of achieving net zero, making transport more accessible and revitalizing regional economies. This has led authorities to embrace new connected and automated road technologies, which come with new risks such as cybersecurity.

The MfSS is intended as working content that continues to evolve with emerging practice and technology. It aims to encourage engagement with the TTF and wider practitioner community, such as NCC Group, to further develop the content of this manual and best practices for smart streets.

Alexander Patton, a transport security specialist with NCC Group, led a six-month engagement with local authorities, suppliers and industry bodies across the U.K. before developing the MfSS Cyber Security Guidance. This includes an analysis of the current state of smart streets security, relevant case studies and guidance on managing security risk through the smart streets lifecycle.

Funded by the DfT and InnovateUK, the Transport Technology Forum exists to help meet the need for action to deliver the future of mobility by driving more effective and efficient management of existing and new road networks.

“The Manual for Smart Streets is a pivotal step for the smart transport sector. By providing guidance and examples on how to operate smart infrastructure, it empowers local authorities and stakeholders to make informed decisions and consider security from the design phase,” said Liz James, senior security consultant at NCC Group. “While not regulation, its impact is set to be far-reaching, as it emphasizes the need to prioritize security throughout the entire process. We’re proud to have contributed to this landmark piece of work that distils expert knowledge into a layman’s terms readable document, that can continually evolve and has application in the real world.”

Atlanta to Test Automated Vehicles at Airport

Atlanta to Test Automated Vehicles at Airport

Automated vehicles are to be tested at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Intl. Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. The Atlanta Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is planning to test automated vehicles able to carry six passengers around Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

MARTA’s Planning and Capital Programs Committee reported that it will be sending a request for proposals from companies interested in helping launch such a test program for personal rapid transit. Up to $10 million could be spent on running small vehicles between five to 25 stations, according to Collie Greenwood, MARTA CEO. “We’re assessing speeds, capacity, costs and the ability of this emerging technology — which is clearly an improvement over previous generations — to address the changing needs in our communities,” said Greenwood at a conference this spring.

Biden Names Owens Border Patrol Chief

Biden Names Owens Border Patrol Chief

Jason Owens has been named as the new head of Customs Border Protection. Owens, a 20-year Border Patrol veteran, was formerly the leader of one of the busiest areas for illegal crossings into the United States, the Del Rio division in Texas. Owens succeeds Raul Ortiz, retiring after a 32-year career in the Border Patrol.

“I am proud to welcome Border Patrol Sector Chief Jason Owens as our 26th chief of the United States Border Patrol, said Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of Homeland Security. “Chief Owens is a talented, selfless, and inspiring leader who is dedicated to the Border Patrol’s law enforcement mission, the men and women who fulfill it, and the country that we all serve. I have worked with Chief Owens; I am inspired by his commitment to the mission, and am grateful to him for his continued service in this new leadership role.”

Homeland Security and Infrastructure Experts Gather in Atlanta Next Month

AFCEA International, in partnership with the AFCEA Atlanta Chapter, presents the Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Conference, July 17-19, 2023.
 
Attendees will come away from this event having learned about emerging trends in homeland security, and they’ll have the chance to interact with industry leaders showcasing the newest equipment and technology available to help keep communities and the infrastructure that serves them safe and protected.
 
This event features a technical program of unsurpassed scope as well as a central meeting place for government, academia and industry working in all disciplines in industry, service, government, military and academic sectors. Several sessions carry continuing education credits.

Speakers include:
Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge, Atlanta Field Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation;
Dr. David Mussington, Executive Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency;
RADM John Vann, Commander, Coast Guard Cyber Command;
Colt Whittall, Chief Experience Officer, US Air Force.

Media are invited to cover the event at no charge (select the government–no meals option at this registration page.

Contact: 
Howard Wahlberg, Senior Director of Marketing, AFCEA International
media@afcea.org
(703) 631-6199

Savox Communications Launches Robust Savox Noise-COM 500 Hearing Protector for Heavy Industrial Use

The new Savox Noise-COM 500 products are Bluetooth hearing protectors specifically designed for use in extremely harsh, noisy operations. They are suitable, for example, for use in construction, mining, or other heavy industries where using hearing protectors is vital, and the ability to communicate with clarity is of equally high importance. Thes durable hearing protectors combine excellent ambient sound quality with an outstanding noise-cancelling microphone for clear speech.

As the Savox Noise-COM 500 can be connected to various Bluetooth two-way radios or mobile phones, users can comfortably listen to audio as well as make and receive phone calls. Additionally, the ambient sound feature allows users to clearly hear surrounding sounds, such as speech or warning signals while blocking high-level, harmful noises out. There is also an easily accessible rotary button for push-to-talk and ambient sound volume adjustment. With the Savox Noise-COM 500XP model, there is an added possibility to define ambient sound audio profiles for different occasions, enabling the best possible audio for every operational situation.

“It is essential to protect the hearing of professionals in heavy industry operations without compromising on safety, nor on the quality and clarity of communications with fellow workers. With the Savox Noise-COM 500, there is no danger of missing out on important surrounding sounds or urgent alarms,” says Jerry Kettunen, CEO at Savox Communications.

“Safety is as much a question of hearing what you need to hear as it is of noise reduction. ‘Hear what you must hear and hear what you want to hear’ summarizes what it’s all about,” he emphasizes. “We at Savox firmly believe that this product has huge potential to become the best option available on the industrial market,” Mr. Kettunen concludes.

Key Features:

Wireless connection to Bluetooth® enabled devices (Bluetooth 5.0 and profiles: HFP, HSP, A2DP)
Ambient sound with audio profiles (NC-500XP)
Voice prompted menu
Built-in rechargeable battery
Professional two-way radio with push-to-talk compatibility
Easily accessible rotary button for push-to-talk and ambient sound volume adjustment
Unique casting technique protects the electronics for maximum reliability
Noise-cancelling boom microphone
Low battery warning and automatic switch off.

Industry News

Semonite Honored for National Security Leadership

Retired Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, former chief of eEngineers and commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), is the recipient of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) 2023 Golden Eagle Award for National Security.

SAME presented the prestigious award on May 4 to Semonite, president of Federal Programs at WSP USA, a leading engineering, environment and professional services consultancy, during the organization’s annual Joint Engineer Training Conference in San Antonio. The award cites his leadership role in ensuring Americans had reliable access to healthcare facilities during the COVID pandemic in 2020.

In addition, Semonite was announced as one of 26 members newly invested into SAME’s Fellows Academy, which formally acknowledges distinguished individuals for their dedication to SAME and the architecture/engineering/construction profession.

“I am very honored to receive this Golden Eagle award, but it’s not just about me. It’s also about all of the men and women whom I’ve had the pleasure to work with in my career,” Semonite said. “I was in the Army for 41 years and the mission was always about ‘How are we going to take care of America?’ So, whether you’re building barracks or an airfield, supporting soldiers overseas, or directing emergency response operations following a major disaster mission accomplishment is what we do best. The military ethic enabled us to pull people together to find solutions and get things done.”

As USACE commanding general, Semonite advised the Secretary of the Army on general, combat and geospatial engineering; construction, real property, public infrastructure; and natural resources science and management. He also oversaw 36,000 civilian employees, 800 military personnel, and managed a $68 billion project portfolio.

Semonite was leading USACE in February 2020 when the U.S. was on the brink of the COVID pandemic. USACE stepped up to build temporary “alternative care” facilities (field hospitals) in locations around the country, where needed.

Working along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the goal was to support local capacity for inpatient and outpatient healthcare services, at a time when many regions were overwhelmed with demand from COVID. After talking with hundreds of governors and mayors, USACE completed 1,100 assessments nationwide and, of those, they designed and built about 70 needed facilities in record time. The first was New York City’s Javits Center. Other converted facilities included sports arenas, hotels, dormitories and vacant hospitals. The result was the creation of over 30,000 additional bed spaces nationwide.

“We, as engineers, filled a void when our nation needed someone to step up,” Semonite said. “While it was never in my mandate, as the head of the USACE, to think about how to solve COVID, there was a problem and somebody had to figure out how to address it. So, we worked together with healthcare professionals, the engineering staff, as well as the industry side, to put these massive facilities together in record time.”

As Chief of Engineers in 2017, Semonite managed USACE’s emergency response operations for three major storms:  Hurricane Harvey in Texas; Hurricane Irma, which struck the U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida; and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, where he directed rebuilding efforts for three grids, as part of over $1 billion in infrastructure repairs that included installing more than 66,000 power poles. In 2012, as Division Commander of the USACE South Atlantic Division, he coordinated the response to Hurricane Sandy in the Southeast after the devastating storm struck the U.S. East Coast and caused nearly $70 billion in damage.

“I’ve been unbelievably blessed to have a lot of people in my life who have made me successful,” Semonite said. “This is my opportunity to thank the thousands of mentors, peers, soldiers and civilians who have supported me throughout my career and pay that back, by thanking them for that success. I also want to thank my wife Connie, my kids, and my 10 grandchildren for their support.”

A licensed professional engineer in New York, Virginia and Vermont, he has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He also holds a master’s in civil engineering from the University of Vermont, as well as a master’s in military arts from Fort Leavenworth.

His military awards include the three Distinguished Service Medals, the Defense Superior Service Award, five Legion of Merit awards, the Bronze star, the Ranger tab and the Parachutist badge. 

Car Crashed Into Gates of Downing Street

A car crashed into the gates of Downing Street in London, the official residence of the UK prime minister, police reported. A video that was broadcast by the BBC, shows a silver car driving at slow speed across Whitehall, the main thoroughfare that passes the end of Downing Street. The car then goes directly toward the wrought-iron gates that prevent public access to the Downing Street which many call the heart of the UK government.

Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, was at Downing Street at the time of the incident. The incident set off a “rapid, intense security response.” However, police said they were not treating the incident as terror-related. No one was injured. The driver of the vehicle was arrested at the scene.

Tom Bell Begins Tenure as Leidos CEO

Leidos announced that Thomas Bell has begun his tenure as CEO. Bell’s selection was announced on February 27, 2023.

“Tom comes to Leidos from an impressive global career spanning multiple companies and varied roles of increasing responsibility. Most recently he led Rolls-Royce’s North American business. The Board is confident that Tom is the right leader for the company and will quickly earn the trust of all our stakeholders,” said Robert S. Shapard, who assumed the role of independent Chairman of the Board on April 28, 2023.

Bell was selected by the company’s Board of Directors following a thorough and thoughtful process to select a successor.

“I’m honored to have been asked to lead Leidos into and through its second decade as an independent company,” said Bell. “In its first decade, Leidos has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the missions of our customers. I’m ready to stand with our 45,000 employees to harness technology and push the boundaries of what’s possible, building an even bolder, brighter future together.”

Prior to joining Leidos, Bell was senior vice president of global sales & marketing for defense, space & security at The Boeing Company. He was President of Rolls-Royce Defense Aerospace, having joined as President, Customer Business, North America in mid-2012. He spent more than two decades with Boeing in a variety of leadership positions within the defense, space and security business and began his aerospace career with Lockheed Martin in human space flight.

Bell and Shapard succeed Roger Krone, who served as chairman and CEO since 2014.

Passports Go Mobile with Veridos

Veridos, a global leader in integrated identity solutions, presents a new solution for facilitating seamless travel. VeriGO MobileTravel Assist enables users to transfer personal data from their electronic passport to their smartphone via an app, which afterwards can be used to register for travel, to apply for visas or even to provide personal information to healthcare applications. The recipients of the data benefit from an easy-to-integrate solution to process high-quality data records.

With the VeriGO MobileTravel Assist app for Android and iOS, users can read personal data from the chip of their ePassport via NFC (near field communication), store it on their smartphone and transfer it to websites, apps and readers used by public authorities, tour operators or airports. Special wallet functions enable the management and transfer of multiple passport data sets, such as those of family members, in one go. The solution meets governmental requirements for handling personal information, as the data is completely protected by the app. It stores sensitive information in a dedicated space and establishes secure connections to the target systems for their transfer.

As VeriGO MobileTravel Assist does not require manual transmission of passport data, users save a lot of effort and time. Eliminating the need to switch between different media also minimizes opportunities for error. Recipients receive high-quality, signed and verifiable data for further processing in their systems. Since the records contain passport photos, they can also be used for personal visual checks. The solution’s use cases are diverse: from registering with tour operators and applying for visas, to checking in for flights, dropping off baggage and boarding, or checking in at hotels. But scenarios beyond travel are also possible, such as verification for the purchase of age-restricted or particularly high-value goods, as well as providing personal information to healthcare platforms or even for know-your-customers (KYC) processes in banking transactions to protect against fraud or other abuses.

VeriGO MobileTravel Assist fully complies with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for digital travel credentials (DTC). This ensures the international compatibility of the solution with the systems of the data recipients – even if they are of official origin. All that is required to receive the data is the integration of a backend server and a front-end plug-in. The already well-established Veridos’ digital travel authorization solution VeriGO SmartTravel is already equipped with the VeriGO MobileTravel Assist functionality as an optional feature.

“With VeriGO MobileTravel Assist, passports go mobile and take the travel experience to a new level,” explains Xavier Prost, Head of Identity Management Systems at Veridos. “Our solution covers the complete end-to-end process and allows for easy integration into existing online services with minimal effort. That way, it can bring many benefits to identity protection in the digital space, such as preventing from identity fraud, improving accuracy, allow for faster service time and streamline processes. Our solution also ensures secure and GDPR-compliant handling of sensitive passport data at every step, while preserving privacy.”