The new Chinese security scanner appears to be use passive THz imaging

My Note: My read of the news today about the new Chinese scanner is that it appears to use passive THz scanning technology. I base this on the following quote in the news release:

Terahertz radiation is a kind of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between those of infrared rays and microwaves, boasting a strong penetration force without harmful effects.

The human body naturally transmits terahertz waves, which can be received by the terahertz body scanner.

By contrasting the image projected on the scanner screen with the background image of the human body, security staff can determine if a person is hiding something in their clothes as the object would deflect or hinder the terahertz transmission path.

If in fact, this is the case, then it would be interesting to know how it differs from the product line offered by Digital Barriers, (which obtained this technology from ThruVision), and which is supplying the new stand-off THz detection system to the NYPD.

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-description-of-passive-terahertz.html

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2013/01/digital-barriers-is-reported-to-be_24.html

I had some readers wonder if this new Chinese product was the result of reverse engineering of the API T-5000 and perhaps this product will in fact incorporate pulsed scanning using, as well as passive scanning. As always I am writing various individual who may know more, and will share what I find out.

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2013/04/advanced-photonix-inc-announces-sale-of.html

Advanced Photonix® (NYSE MKT: API), the leading supplier of terahertz systems to industry, announced today that it has sold a T-Gauge® terahertz sensor to Shanghai Gaojing in Shanghai, China. The system, equipped with a high-speed line scanner, will be integrated into a new security platform being developed as part of a major national program for security instrumentation. 

Shanghai Gaojing Radiography Technology Co., a major supplier of baggage inspection systems, has purchased the latest in industrial terahertz systems, the T-Gauge® terahertz sensor from API. Terahertz has shown significant capability in detecting explosives, drugs, and other threats in packages or checked bags. The T-Gauge® sensor was chosen because of its robust performance, its high-speed data acquisition, and its ease of integration. 

By 2020, Terahertz Surveillance Will Be Here, and the NYPD Will Love It

http://warrantless.org/2013/02/by-2020-terahertz-surveillance-will-be-here-and-the-nypd-will-love-it/

by Alex Marthews on February 4, 2013

Once again, Mayor Bloomberg’s private army is in the vanguard of new surveillance technologies. The NYPD has just taken delivery of a portable machine capable of detecting the terahertz radiation emitted by every human being. It allows them to remotely detect guns or other inorganic illegal materials being concealed under people’s clothing. Suspects! We meant suspects’ clothing! We didn’t mean accidentally to suggest that the NYPD would search people just for standing around and not being guilty of anything. That would be ridiculous.

Sure, it looks clunky now, but by 2020 it’ll be handheld and have ten times the resolution.

This raises some fascinating Constitutional issues, and as usual, Fourth Amendment legal superstar Orin Kerr is right on top of it:

Use of this technology raises two primary Fourth Amendment questions. First, does it constitute a search under Kyllo v. United States? More specifically, does Kyllo apply when the device is used to obtain details from inside a person’s clothes rather than inside a home? And second, if use of the device is a “search” under Kyllo, what is the standard for when such a search is reasonable? Do you match the Fourth Amendment standard for a “virtual frisk” with the existing standard for a physical frisk? Or is the virtual frisk more or less invasive than the physical frisk in a way that would require more or less cause? Interesting questions. [...] A fair starting point would be to treat the virtual frisk just like they treat a physical frisk — allowing it and forbidding it in the same circumstances. Using the scanner would be a search that is reasonable only if there are specific and articulable facts to believe that the suspect is armed and dangerous. That way, the new technology does not considerably alter the preexisting balance of government power and individual rights. The government’s counterargument presumably would be that scanning to detect a gun is less invasive than actually patting someone down to find a gun: Scanning is less obtrusive because it does not involve any physical invasion or retrieval. But Kyllo suggests that this sort of more or less intrusive analysis may not apply in the case of sense-enhancing devices. And given the fact that the scanning technology itself can change over time, it’s problematic to generate a constitutional rule that may only apply to the current version of the technology — assuming that it does for that.

The problem here is that, as is the case with many digital technologies, the individual scan may be less intrusive than a hands-on frisk; but that the low cost and simplicity of digital frisking may result in mass scanning, which would pose (we think) a Fourth Amendment issue separate from and much more serious than whether a single scan was constitutional. The courts may not be ready to grapple with it, but it’s coming, so the people better be ready.

Thanks to The Volokh Conspiracy and the New York Daily News for materials used in this post.

Seeking Alpha,mentions/ links to this blog, in article- Gun Control, 3-D Printing And Airport Security - The Coming Age Of Terahertz

My Note: Seeking Alpha is a well known, investment newsletter, which today features a story about Terahertz, and suggests that Advanced Photonix (API), is one company to consider if one is looking to invest in THz. Some links in the article link to this blog and there is also a reference to the "Terahertz Blog". Pretty cool! As always this is not investment advice on my part, and do your own due diligence. (I do note, that it's pretty clear, Digital Barriers is the most probable supplier of the NYPD, THz, scanner).
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1137851-gun-control-3-d-printing-and-airport-security-the-coming-age-of-terahertz?source=google_news

                                                                                  Contributor:   BuySellShort

A new technology called Terahertz could give investors exposure to many of the hot sectors in the news right now. Gun control, 3-D printing and airport security are areas where investors can see nice returns this year. We will focus on the detection aspect but also mention the other sectors.

Gun control and the detection of illegal weapons have been front and center in the media since the tragedy at Newtown. Gun control will be a hard sell even after this tragedy, so the push to place blame and attention to other gun control initiatives will be strong. Firearm manufacturers such as Smith and Wesson (SWHC) garner much of the attention, but there are of course other angles to look at. Detection devices may give both sides something to agree on.

This Sunday on Face The Nation, New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly talked about a new technology to detect illegal guns. It is a device that looks similar to body scanners at airports that reads Terahertz - a specific form of natural energy emitted by people and virtually all forms of matter. No company has been specifically mentioned as developing this scanner but there are only two companies that come to mind, USA based Advanced Photonix Inc. (API) and Digital Barriers, (DGB) a company based in the United Kingdom. Traders should note that over the last month, Advanced Photonix has seen its share price increase 60% as theNew York Police Department has been trialing this gun detection tool. The Terahertz Blog even mentions Advanced Photonix in this context.

Advanced Photonix Inc., is a small cap stock traders should keep a close eye on in the coming weeks. The company is a leading supplier of opto-electronic solutions and Terahertz sensors and instrumentation to a global OEM customer base. The terahertz sensor product line is targeted to the Nondestructive Testing (including Baggage/Cargo Scanning) and Quality Control markets. Markets they are focused on include telecom, homeland security, military and industrial. On its website Advanced Photonix specifically mentions "weapons and explosives detection for Homeland Security and Defense markets" as its applications of focus.

Homeland Security conference. At the event Richard Kurtz with Advanced Photonix wrapped a plastic knife blade a few folds into a cloth before pointing a flashlight-like device at the cloth. Nearby, a screen flashed the word "anomaly" in large red lettersHomeland Security conference. At the event Richard Kurtz with Advanced Photonix wrapped a plastic knife blade a few folds into a cloth before pointing a flashlight-like device at the cloth. Nearby, a screen flashed the word "anomaly" in large red letters

In May of last year, Advanced Photonix showed off their threat detection device called the Saf-T-Chek Anomaly Detection System at the annualHomeland Security conference. At the event Richard Kurtz with Advanced Photonix wrapped a plastic knife blade a few folds into a cloth before pointing a flashlight-like device at the cloth. Nearby, a screen flashed the word "anomaly" in large red letters.

Aside from this detection application Advanced Photonix can be viewed as a possible player in the 3-D market. Stocks with any hint of 3-D have seen their stock prices soar in recent days. On Friday Comatron Ltd, (CIMT) a CAD software company saw its stock price gain 20% when it was linked as a possible play on 3-D printing. Organovo Holdings (ONVO.PK) has seen its stock price double in recent days as traders focused on its 3-D applications. Perceptron, Inc's (PRCP) stock price has moved 40% over the last three weeks simply because it has the words 3-D on its website. The company develops a 3-D sensor much like the applications of Advanced Photonix.
Advanced Photonix could see a lot of investor interest on news of the NYPD rolling out Terahertz gun detection. Though it is unlikely any meaningful gun control comes to pass, what is more likely is a push for new passive technologies to help alleviate threats. As a major player in this new sector, there appears to be significant upside potential for Advanced Photonix's business. There is also the possibility of gaining attention in the 3-D mania ongoing right now. Additionally, last week the TSA announced it is removing the controversial X-ray scanners from airports. This too could be a boon for Advanced Photonix and its Terahertz scanners. There is much to like with this company and investors should spend some more time researching. Whether or not Advanced Photonix is proved to be the company being considered by the NYPD, being a major player in a very small and new business should be good. The upside both for Advanced Photonix's business and in turn stock price could be nice!

Terahertz gaining significant national exposure as Ray Kelly of the NYPD appears on Face the Nation

NEW YORK, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- New York Police Department Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Sunday he's encouraged by new technology allowing police to detect if a person is concealing a gun.

In an appearance on CBS' "Face the Nation," Kelly said the new technique uses terahertz technology.

"Basically, everyone emits what they call terahertz radiation. And if that radiation is blocked by something, such as a weapon, you can see the outline of it. Now we've tested it. We just received the latest prototype. And it's very encouraging," he said.

The prototype, Kelly said, is too big for deployment at this point.

"But we're getting there. It's sort of like the cellphone was 20 years ago," he said.

Kelly said the police department is working with its attorneys to see that the technology is "appropriately used" in case of civil liberties groups who may say it is too invasive of people's privacy.

"We understand there are Fourth Amendment [reasonable search] issues here," he said. "So we want to get everybody on board before this goes to any widespread use."

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Technology/2013/01/27/NYPD-Gun-detection-technology-promising/UPI-62091359314736/#ixzz2JCsBCGrz

Digital Barriers is reported to be the vendor of the NYPD THz scanners

My note: The Wall Steet Journal posted a release which indicates that London based Digital Barriers is the vendor of the terahertz system to the NYPD.

 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323539804578260261579068182.html

I posted about Digital Barriers acquisition of ThruVision, and it's passive terahertz technology last March.

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2012/03/digital-barriers-acquires-thruvision.html

Much more on the NYPD THz scanner including a photo of the prototype

My note: Two follow-up articles. The first from the New York Times as brought to my attention by Tugboat on the IV investors board. As you can see this first article,  has a photo of the scanner, which is much larger, and bulkier, than I would have suspected. It's not a Genia Photonics product, as far as I can tell, and the London police reference suggests Leeds University, and Edward Linfield to me, but it will be fun to see who the vendor, actually turns out to be. The second article, reflects concerns by the NYC ACLU, about the use of such a powerful scanner, and how it may infringe on citizens 4th Amendment rights, to be free from search and seizure. 
The Advanced Photonix,(API), anomaly detection device, (the Saf-T-Chek), may find a real market in this arena when the legal issues, raise what appear to be difficult challenges to the actual use of this device. 
Welcome new readers!

Police Start Testing Device to Spot Concealed Guns

By JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN

N.Y.P.D.An image generated by the New York Police Department’s body scanner, which is being developed to help detect concealed weapons. The numbered signs show the distance from the scanning device in meters.

The Police Department’s effort to deploy a portable device that can detect concealed handguns on the street has moved to the testing of an actual model in New York City, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said Wednesday morning.

The device detects natural radiation emitted by people, and any object obstructing the flow of the radiation registers on an image produced by the device, Mr. Kelly said in his annual speech about the state of the Police Department.

“Over the past 12 months, we’ve been working with the vendor and the London Metropolitan Police to develop a tool that meets our requirements,” Mr. Kelly said. “We took delivery of it last week.”

In a recent test involving a plainclothes officer, Mr. Kelly said, the device produced a black image along the officer’s hip, where he was carrying a gun beneath a jersey. (The officer’s body appeared on the screen as bright green.)

“You get a sense of why we’re so hopeful about this tool,” Mr. Kelly said as he showed images of the test at a meeting of the New York City Police Foundation.

Mr. Kelly said the device, although large, can be mounted in the back of a truck. He first mentioned the possibility of such a device in a speech a year ago.

“We still have a number of trials to run before we can determine how best to deploy this technology,” Mr. Kelly said. “But we’re very pleased with the progress we’ve made over the past year.”

N.Y.P.D.The device, while not small, is portable enough that it can be placed in a vehicle.
____________
http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2013/jan/23/nypd-tests-new-detection-device/

NYPD Tests New Weapon Detection Device

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

By WNYC Newsroom

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  A simulation of how the detection device works. (NYPD)

The NYPD is testing a new device that could allow police to detect concealed weapons without a body search. Commissioner Ray Kelly announced the use of the terahertz-wave detection device during a speech before the New York City Foundation Wednesday.

Terahertz is described as a natural form of energy emitted by people and objects. Kelly said if something is blocking the flow of radiation – like a gun hidden in someone’s clothes – the device will highlight that object.

Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said the device could be a promising alternative to the NYPD’s stop and frisk policy – but that the technology could also raise other constitutional concerns.

"We have to be mindful of the concerns that everybody has about their privacy, even when they’re out on the street, because it’s our bodies,” she said.

She also said the NYCLU has a lot of questions about the new technology.

“I hope the police department will provide us with a transparent process so that we, so that the public understands, you know, exactly what this technology entails and what promises it offers,” she said.

Commissioner Kelly said the NYPD has been working with the vendor and the London Metropolitan Police to develop the device.

NYPD prepare to 'scan and frisk' using Terahertz

http://www.policeone.com/chiefs-sheriffs/articles/6096962-NYPD-prepare-to-scan-and-frisk/

A new high-tech scanner will take the patting down policy out of 'stop and frisk'

NEW YORK — The NYPD is preparing to deploy a scanner that tests for terahertz—a natural energy—that will allow police to view concealed weapons from a distance. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced Wednesday that this new technology will replace thecontroversial pat-down policy, according to NY Daily News. A laptop shows pictures of a passive terahertz (THz) security camera at the Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT) in Jena, central Germany. (AP Image) “If something is obstructing the flow of that radiation, for example a weapon, the device will highlight that object,” Kelly said. The device, which is small enough to be kept in a police vehicle or stationed on a street corner, will begin testing the device on the street, according to the article. “We still have a number of trials to run before we can determine how best to deploy this technology. We’re also talking to our legal staff about this. But we’re very pleased with the progress we’ve made over the past year,” said Kelly.

Related:

Forget pat-downs! NYPD is testing portable X-ray device to detect concealed weapons 

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

PUBLISHED: 00:00 EST, 23 January 2013 | UPDATED: 15:25 EST, 23 January 2013

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2267217/Forget-pat-downs-NYPD-testing-handheld-X-ray-device-detect-concealed-weapons.html#ixzz2IpwJezYj

The New York Police Department, with help from the Pentagon, is testing a new technology that will allow officers to detect concealed weapons using a handheld device. 

The device, known as Terahertz Imaging Detection, would operate as a kind of X-ray scanner, measuring the energy radiating from a body up to 16 feet away and detecting anything blocking that radiation, such as a gun.

'This technology has shown a great deal of promise as a way of detecting weapons without a physical search,' Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said of the device, which is still being developed. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2267217/Forget-pat-downs-NYPD-testing-handheld-X-ray-device-detect-concealed-weapons.html#ixzz2IpvxSURw
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