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Using drones to gather information and samples from a hazardous scene can help incident commanders make critical decisions. Image credit - ROCSAFE
ict | security
14 March 2018

Sherlock Drones - automated investigators tackle toxic crime scenes

Crimes that involve chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) materials pose a deadly threat not just to the target of the attack but to innocent bystanders and police investigators. Often, these crimes may involve unusual circumstances or they are terrorist-related incidents, such as an assassination attempt or the sending of poisons through the mail.

Hackathons are events where people collaborate to develop new software. Image credit – Flickr/ Sebastiaaan ter Burg
ict | security | open innovation
25 July 2017

Police turn to hackathons as crime fighting goes digital

Police and law enforcement staff are turning to hackathons – collaborative events for developing technology – to come up with new ways of searching for clues within the terabytes of data that many people produce every year.

Police forces are testing hidden cameras to catch crimes in rural areas. Image credit – Jonathan Hutchins and licensed for reuse under CC BY-SA 2.0
ict | security
18 July 2017

Cameras with inbuilt detective skills to catch rural criminals

Smart cameras hidden in the countryside could soon help police fight back against rural crime and finally bring down secret smuggling routes.

Once they’re ready, electronic sniffer dogs and neutron-emitting machines will quickly be able to check containers for illegal substances. Credit: Flickr/ www.GlynLowe.com
security
24 May 2017

Beyond X-rays - the new inspection tools to thwart smugglers

Criminals who want to smuggle dangerous or illegal substances into Europe could soon find themselves foiled by a new set of high-tech anti-smuggling tools including an electronic sniffer dog and a machine that fires part of an atom at shipping containers.

Biofilms are colonies of bacteria that can live on implants and cause infections, yet are resistant to antibiotics. Image credit: ‘Biofilm sur vasePortAuray’ by F.Lamiot is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
health | security
13 March 2017

Marine organisms enlisted in battle against bacterial sheets

A mother and daughter team believe they can fight bioterrorism and antibiotic resistance using natural substances found in the ocean. 

The MV Faina cargo ship was hijacked by pirates in 2008. Image credit: ‘MV-Faina-Pirates’ by the U.S. Navy is in the pubic domain
transport | security
21 February 2017

Thermal cameras sweep the horizon as pirate scanners trialled

It looks like a standard radar screen, but the technology behind the red flashing dots that alert the crew of an ocean tanker to the presence of pirates is highly sophisticated.

Tsunamis are low-frequency but high-impact natural disasters. Image credit: Pixabay/ Unsplash
environment | security | open to the world
11 October 2016

Scientists investigate how to defend Europe against tsunamis

The damage that tsunamis could cause is expected to rise due to climate change, say researchers who are developing a tsunami early warning system for Europe and investigating the best way to reduce their impact on people and buildings. 

Every digital camera leaves a unique mark on its pictures, which researchers are using in forensics and to verify copyrights. Image credit: CC0
ict | security
16 June 2016

The hidden pattern within your digital camera

Humans have always looked for deeper meaning in imagery; from Disney films, to religious iconography, and the Mona Lisa’s crooked smile. But there is, in fact, a pattern hidden in every digital photograph and video frame — image fingerprints that are being put to novel uses in social media, mobile authentication and criminal forensics.

Researchers are looking to the sky to find ways to help search and rescue teams after a disaster. Image credit: ‘L'Aquila eathquake prefettura’ by TheWiz83 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
ict | security | open innovation
25 May 2016

Quake, storm or fire? Airborne tech is coming to the rescue

After a natural disaster strikes, emergency workers can often struggle to cope with destroyed buildings obstructing routes to injured people, fires engulfing entire forests at a bewildering rate, and storms blinding search and rescue operations. 

A new smartphone app could use the power of a crowd to return a stolen bike to its owner. Credit: Pixabay/ natefarr
security | open innovation
17 March 2016

How a smartphone could find your stolen bike

Your smartphone could become part of a city-wide safety network that can track down stolen goods and warn you if you’re about to enter a crime hotspot.

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