Project seeks innovative anti-terrorist airport technology

Home Office, Thales and HRS looking for airport security technologies

Human Recognition Systems and Thales are looking for new airport security technology

A cross-government programme has invited businesses, universities and individuals to develop and demonstrate new airport security technologies in return for a share of a £50,000 prize fund.

Identity management and biometric specialist firm Human Recognition Systems (HRS) has teamed up with aerospace and defence firm Thales to deliver the Instinct Technology Demonstrator 2 (TD2) Airport Security Programme, in conjunction with the Home Office’s Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism.

The organisations are looking for participation from “any person, company or academic institution, regardless of size or location with a technology, solution or idea that could improve aviation security”, according to an Instinct TD2 spokesperson.

The solutions can target any stage in the air travel process, from the point of planning and booking a trip, through to boarding an aircraft.

Interested parties are being invited to submit applications, which will be judged by an independent review board, before the closing date of 10 September 2010.

The successful organisations will be invited to showcase emergent security technologies, solutions and ideas. These will be validated through trials and analysis conducted in a combination of live physical environments, including UK airports and synthetic environments. They will be competing for the chance to share in the prize fund provided by Thales.

The organisations said they chose to run this sort of programme rather than a normal government tender process which would eliminate SMEs and academic institutions through strict rules of engagement.

“The Instinct TD2 programme is all inclusive, and invites anyone with an idea or concept to submit their proposal. The TD2 structure enables smaller companies and universities that progress to the demonstration phase to be well supported within the programme,” said the spokesperson.