Underscoring concern about personal safety, less than a third of the survey’s respondents believe that their privacy is invaded by either security cameras in public places or by home security systems.

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That consensus can be explained by the survey’s concurrent finding that two-thirds express apprehension that a terrorist attack might affect them or their families.

Conducted weeks after 9/11’s third anniversary, the ADT Security Survey also found that six in 10 Americans said that security cameras provide effective crime deterrence.

Nine in 10 said that the use of these devices in airports, retail establishments and government buildings is appropriate. Seven in 10 are reassured by such precautions as home security systems, identification cards and access control badges in the workplace, and anti- shoplifting systems in stores.

“The ADT Security Survey conclusively demonstrates that the public feels safer knowing that there are extra ‘eyes’ helping to protect them in many of the places they visit throughout the day,” said Jay Stuck, vice president of corporate communications for ADT.

Bill Zalud, editor of Security Magazine and a 20-year industry veteran, is not surprised by the survey’s results.

“People are most concerned about security in their homes and for their family members,” Zalud said “It makes sense that they are reassured when they see security measures in place at airports, government buildings, stores, office buildings and other public places.”

The ADT Security Survey of 1,030 adults across the country was conducted during October 2004 by BNP Media in conjunction with TNS NFO. The survey has an error margin of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

“Best of What’s New is the ultimate Popular Science accolade, representing a year’s worth of work evaluating thousands of products,” said Popular Science Editor Mark Jannot. “These awards honor innovations that not only impact the way we live today, but change the way we think about the future.” GE Infrastructure’s EntryScan3, a non-intrusive explosives detection and identification portal, was awarded “Best of What’s New” in Popular Science’s General Innovation category. EntryScan3, state-of-the-art screening technology designed to help provide thorough, head-to-toe airport screening for a broad range of explosives, provides optimal screening results to enhance public safety, while helping to maintain efficient checkpoint security flow. GE’s EntryScan3 represents a significant breakthrough in explosives detection capability designed to help protect the traveling public, high-threat facilities, and critical infrastructure. Louis Parker, President for the Homeland Protection business of GE Infrastructure, Security said, “GE is unwavering in its commitment to providing homeland security solutions to better meet the world’s security needs. GE’s EntryScan3 is already proving to be a cornerstone of today’s security strategy by helping to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of explosives screening on individuals and bringing peace of mind to the traveling public.” The system is currently being utilized in a United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) pilot program for airport passenger screening at five airports and recently participated in a TSA pilot program for rail passenger screening at New Carollton Station outside of Washington, DC.

Ristic says that while the RFID revolution is approaching, it is not without its limitations. Currently RFID technology is still too expensive to be used by retailers en masse. Performance must also improve before it can be used for loss prevention.

“Despite the hype that RFID can duplicate the benefits of EAS, the idea is not currently feasible, economical or practical,” said Ristic, who is ADT’s Australian RFID specialist.

“Given the rise in shrinkage rates over the last few years, the EAS industry is experiencing growth,” said David Such, Regional Manager, ADT.

EAS is expected to coexist with RFID as an important and complementary tool in helping to maximise item security in the retail supply chain.

RFID and EAS are two distinct technologies. RFID offers inventory visibility while EAS provides item security. RFID should not be interpreted or mistaken as a replacement for an EAS system, according to ADT.

“Retailers should also be aware of the misconception that RF EAS is linked to RFID. Retailers should not assume that an implementation of RFID technology is made easier by leveraging a currently installed RF EAS solution, “said Ristic.

“There is no simple migration from one to another, no simple upgrade.”

Research has shown that combining EAS and RFID technology on item level tagging, while conceivable, will not be a viable option for another five to ten years.

“ADT, along with its partners, is trialling and testing RFID in retail environments in the US and UK. The technology will continue to develop and expand,” said David Such.

“Currently, however, store level EAS tagging is still the most cost-effective way to ensure retailers keep their merchandise secure.”

Among the DI-Detector modules released were some featuring SEDOR technology, ANPR, people counting, traffic statistics, lock assistant.

By means of their investigation, analysis and detection of static and non-static objects within the monitored scene, these DI-Detector modules support efficient operation, the achievement of rapid re-sults and cost reductions.

The DI-detector is able to learn which alarms are undesirable (e.g. caused by scattered light from car headlights, small animals, etc.) and to disregard them.

This adaptive learning considerably reduces false alarms, as does the system’s capacity for targeted event searching in the recorded picture.

The modular expansion of the Dallmeier recorder family with the DI-Detector’s intelligent sensor modules supports sequential expansion of the application and increased performance from the available products. It is possible to connect up to third party systems via OPC, SDK and DAVID-protocol.

Dallmeier has also released a digital matrix which supports the expansion of security CCTV systems where they have to meet high requirements for picture quality and transmission, as for example, in airports, metros, casinos or in high security buildings.

Thanks to the modular construction and the variety of possible configurations, an ideal customised solution can be pro-duced for each kind of application.

The system provides many interfaces for easy integration with different analogue and digital components from the building management and CCTV fields.

The DMX 8, DMX 16 and DMX 32 complete systems which each include an integral full frame resolution matrix with real time store for each channel, provide the easiest way (even for inexperienced installers and end-users) to implement digital real time recording with integral matrix. And with no configuration costs this means savings for the operator.

The DMX complete system and the individual components of the digital matrix record on site in an integrated modular ring memory, independent of the network, thereby ensuring maximum availability of the recording data.

The video data are processed in real time with full PAL resolution. MPEG-2 compression is used so that standard components and devices can be used for later viewing or processing.

Integration in higher level management systems is possible using standard interface technology (OPC).

In addition DMX compete systems can be operated as sub-systems within an installation. Connection to Dallmeier software products PView, PGuard and SmartGUI is also possible.

Compared to analog matrix systems, the VideoJet XPro boasts many advantages like, i.e. the high number of channels and video quality as well as signal recording over longer period of times. It also allows for remote control functions of cameras.

These characteristics as well as the exceptional price/performance ratio make the system an economic alternative to an analog multiplexer with external digital video recorder.

The 7-HE cabinet housing in 19 inch technology offers sufficient space for a maximum of 20 VideoJet XPro cartridges, transmitting a total of up to 160 real-time video signals.

The cartridges exist in three different versions: the V8 transmits either eight PAL or NTSC video channels, type VA8 offers eight additional full-duplex audio channels. The third type of cartridge provides two hard discs with 120 GByte storage capacity each for signal recording.

Each cartridge provides non-multiplexed MPEG-2 video streams simultaneously over Gigabit-Ethernet and ISDN interfaces. The datarate is sufficient for up to 480 frames per second in DVD quality with a maximum resolution of 720 x 576 pixels.

The images can be viewed on commercially available standard PCs with web browsers, workstations with software decoders or monitors with MPEG-2 Bosch hardware decoders.

It is possible to select any chosen camera for viewing on the monitor by remote control via network (LAN/WAN). In addition to live viewing of current events, VideoJet XPro archives the video stream on hard discs – on site with the hard disc cartridge of the system as well as decentralized with network video recorders. By transmitting in multicast technology, several receivers may use the video stream simultaneously.

VideoJet XPro takes into account the differing requirements for live viewing on a monitor and recording of video images. It is thus possible to select for recording purposes a D1 resolution with just one frame per second which saves resources and to switch to real-time imaging of 25 frames per second for live viewing.

The “dual streaming” of the virtual matrix system transmits both signals in parallel, which allows for freely selectable combinations as regards frame repetition rate.

Following the completion of a successful Operational Utility Evaluation (OUE) by the TSA at Orange County California’s <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />JohnWayneAirport and further evaluation of a limited deployment by L-3 at Boston’s LoganInternationalAirport, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has funded the installation of this advanced EDS networking capability at six major airports.

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These airports include Boston’s Logan International Airport, Pennsylvania’s HarrisburgInternationalAirport, Las Vegas’ McCarranInternationalAirport, Baltimore’s WashingtonInternationalAirport, Southwest Florida’s InternationalAirport and Tampa International Airport (TPA).

L-3 Communications has already deployed its networked systems to airports in the United States and internationally. In addition, L-3 is a leader in the international market for certified EDS and has implemented advanced networking of its eXaminer systems at Singapore’s ChangiAirport, and plans to have the capability installed at Israel’s BenGurionAirport by the end of this year.

“Networking in-line baggage screening systems lowers operating costs by eliminating the need to have a dedicated operator for each eXaminer,” said Allen Barber, senior vice president and general manager of L-3 Security and Detection Systems. “With NEDS, the TSA and airports can more efficiently allocate screener resources during peak and non-peak hours, and minimize the time it takes to search suspect bags.”

The L-3 eXaminer’s unique 3-D imagery helps streamline manual searches. Though the majority of suspect bag alarms are resolved without interrupting their movement through the airport’s baggage handling system (BHS), a small number of bags need to be taken off-line and manually searched by security personnel.

By networking the system, the eXaminer’s on-screen 3-D tools can be accessed by screeners at dedicated search workstations, so suspect items within a bag can be pinpointed, minimizing the time spent searching its contents and allowing the bag to be quickly reintroduced to the BHS. This results in speeding bags to planes.

The eXaminer 3DX(R) 6000 is certified by the TSA to screen aviation checked baggage. More than 500 of the high technology systems are deployed throughout the world, with eight major airports using in-line networked configurations.

Airports implementing NEDS have recorded throughput rates as high as 560 bags per hour for an eXaminer 3DX(R) 6000 system, when the BHS is optimized as part of an overall integrated system tailored to the operational parameters of the EDS.

The eXaminer 3DX(R) 6000

    —  Provides a rapid, complete 3-D image for analysis by operators

        of alarmed bags, resulting in unmatched on-screen resolution

        (OSR) time, further improving efficiencies and speeding bags

        to planes.

    —  Competing systems provide only 2 dimensional X-ray images and

        fewer overall views of suspect bags.

    —  Certified by the TSA for both the original requirement of 100

        percent threat mass as well as the more stringent 75 percent

        threat mass.

    —  Performs at the lowest average false alarm rate in the

        industry measured across all of the airports where systems are

        deployed.

With a broad range of systems and technology, and an installed base of over 18,000 units of various models, L-3 Security and Detection Systems offers X-ray screening for numerous major security applications that include: (1) aviation systems for hold baggage explosives detection, oversized baggage and checkpoint screening, (2) cargo and air freight screening, (3) port and border inspection, (4) and facility protection.

Security and Detection Systems’ customer base includes major airlines, airports, numerous domestic agencies that include the U.S. Customs Service, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of State, and international authorities throughout Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

L-3 Australia can be reached at 61 2 9240 4000