Release Date: October 16, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
S&T Public Affairs, 202-254-2385

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) awarded $160,902 to London-based startup CrowdVision Ltd. to develop an integrated proof-of-concept for an airport passenger counting and measuring system for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

CrowdVision received its Phase 1 award to lead a team that will integrate three technologies currently deployed in various international airports into a single system for CBP queues at airports. CrowdVision’s computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, already in use in London’s Heathrow Airport, measures staff and passenger activity and asset utilization. iViu Technologies has built a platform for indoor positioning technologies, which collects anonymous data through Wi-Fi sensors. Copenhagen Optimization’s suite of forecasting and airport operations tools are currently in use at JFK Airport to provide operations planning and research management. By combining AI, indoor positioning system and operations management components into one application, CBP can effectively count passengers, display accurate service times and provide feedback and forecasting for resource allocation to provide more efficient service while reducing both over- and underutilization of staff.

“CrowdVision’s single-system solution has the potential to significantly improve CBP’s ability to count, measure and forecast passenger arrivals in near real-time, which will also improve travelers’ experiences clearing through customs and other airport inspection areas,” said Melissa Oh, Managing Director of S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP). “We are looking forward to working with the integrated team to develop this system and explore other uses for this technology within DHS.”

CrowdVision was awarded under the SVIP Other Transaction Solicitation for High Fidelity Counting and Measuring of CBP Queues and Service Times at Ports of Entry.

SVIP is one of the programs and tools available for S&T to fund innovation and engage with private sector partners to advance homeland security solutions. Companies participating in SVIP are eligible for up to $800,000 of non-dilutive funding over four phases to develop and adapt commercial technologies for homeland security use cases.

For more information on current and future SVIP solicitations, visit https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/svip or contact dhs-silicon-valley@hq.dhs.gov.

For more information about S&T’s innovation programs and tools, visit https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/business-opportunities.

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Topics: Science and Technology
Keywords: Airport Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Funding, Research, Science and Technology