In anticipation of its first product launch at the upcoming ASIS International Show in Las Vegas, September 24-26, 2007, Vidiation today launched its new Web site, www.vidiation.com, it was announced by Gordon Bingham, vice president, marketing. The homeland security technology company is rolling out its software-based “dirty bomb” detection solution, Vidiation –– Radiation Analytics Detection System, or V-RADS™. The V-RADS solution is a revolutionary, proven gamma radiation detection technology that identifies radioactive materials by analyzing streams of surveillance video.
“This is an innovative, ‘next-generation’ radiation detection technology, and there is quite a bit of information to impart in order to build a framework of understanding for our solution,” said Mr. Bingham. “As a new technology –– really, a new dimension in the radiation detection field –– we must present not only the anti-terrorism role of Vidiation technology, but educate our target audiences as to the research and development process for V-RADS, the exacting testing and quantifiable results we found and what it means to our partners and end-users of our solution.”
The company has included specific results on its Web site from the most recent testing round at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Tests proved V-RADS could detect varying amounts of the small quantities of radiological materials that can be used to create a “dirty bomb,” and a table of amounts (in curies) and distances (in meters) from source to video camera, wherein detection occurred in less than 3 seconds, is presented.
“We feel it is important to illustrate the effectiveness of V-RADS against the threat of ‘dirty bomb’ terrorism, as well as present an overview of “real world” deployment scenarios where V-RADS can have an impact,” noted Mr. Bingham. The company has posted a video on the site that gives a vivid “what if” perspective, from the ability of V-RADS to help defend locations around the clock that either store or use radiological materials in seemingly innocuous settings to its ability to surveil transit “choke-points” through which most travel occurs and its omnipresent capability at locations that are likely terrorist targets, due to the pervasiveness of video surveillance at these venues. “V-RADS is an ‘always present, always on’ deterrent…and the more pervasive the deployment becomes across these strategic venues, the greater the degree of security we can achieve against the very real threat of radiological terrorism,” he concluded.
ABOUT VIDIATION, LLC
Illinois-based Vidiation, LLC, was formed in 2006 and, under an agreement with Advanced Fuel Research, Inc. (AFR), East Hartford, Connecticut, developed Vidiation –– Radiation Analytics Detection System (V-RADS™). V-RADS is a revolutionary, proven gamma radiation detection technology that identifies radioactive materials by analyzing streams of surveillance video and is an important new line of defense against the unlawful possession or transport of source materials and, ultimately “dirty bomb” attacks. V-RADS uses information generated when high-energy gamma rays and particles interact with the image sensors of video cameras; its proprietary algorithms and expert system analyze data and identify radiation that may pose a security threat. V-RADS combines passive surveillance and active alerts in its subscription-based software, and is built to avoid the common pitfalls of “false positive” alerts. V-RADS is easily integrated with the full complement of video surveillance systems, from stand-alone to enterprise-level solutions, and is designed to “layer” into these existing CCTV systems with no modifications to customer’s video cameras –– an install base of some 26 million in the U.S. alone. The more pervasive the deployment of V-RADS™ across the vast number of existing video surveillance networks, the higher the degree of security society achieves against the “dirty bomb” threat.
Vidiation has identified potential market sectors for V-RADS, ranging from primary storage sites of radiological materials (hospitals, DOD and Government facilities; Oil/Energy exploration; food irradiation; utilities and non-destructive evaluative radiography); transit “choke-points” (border entries; mass transit hubs; transit infrastructure including weigh stations, bridges and toll booths, ports and private facilities such as truck stops, marinas and gas stations) where radiological materials or weapons could be detected while being moved and "dirty bomb" targets, including commercial buildings, shopping malls, sports venues, entertainment centers, landmark and tourist sites, critical infrastructure and economic sites and governmental/military locations. V-RADS has global market potential; the company has patents pending in the United States, European Union nations and candidate nations, Australia, Mexico, Canada, India, South Korea, China, Japan, Singapore, and Israel and throughout greater Eurasia, including Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.