Total Airport Security System: Integrated Security Monitoring Platform
- By Debjit Das
- Jan 01, 2013
According to the Department of Homeland
Security, more than 730 million
people travel on passenger jets every
year, and more than 700 million pieces
of baggage are screened for explosives
and other dangerous items. To make flying
as safe and convenient as possible
for passengers, staff and crew, airports
are turning to sophisticated security systems.
As terrorists continuously devise
new strategies to attack and impair critical
infrastructures, airports are in need
of solutions that can help them manage
and respond to changing circumstances
and increased levels of threat.
Started in 2010, the Total Airport Security
System (TASS) is a consortium led
by Verint joining 20 leading European
technology companies, research institutes
and end-user organizations. Part
of the Seventh EU Framework Program
(FP7), TASS is a four-year project, ending
March 2014.
The purpose of TASS is to enable an
advanced, integrated approach to airport
security by creating an entire airport situation
intelligence solution that provides
real-time, accurate situational awareness
to airport authorities. Based on integrating
and fusing different types of realtime
sensors and sub-systems for data
collection, TASS operates in a variety of
modes, including fixed and mobile, and
under any environmental condition. TASS
represents a significant step forward in
developing the model for integrated systems
at airports, which typically have a
range of systems and sensors not natively
designed to interoperate or share
intelligence in a coordinated manner.
The first proof-of-concept has been
deployed at London’s Heathrow Airport
and security officials will continue to
conduct several simulated scenarios
testing the system’s functionality and
interoperability with the integrated technologies.
Once the technology has been
through rigorous testing, the solution will
be available for airports around the
This article originally appeared in the January 2013 issue of Security Today.
About the Author
Debjit Das is vice president of marketing for Verint Video Intelligence Solutions.