Northwestern Univ. researchers say that their budget allocation models show that New York City may be underfunded in terms of the homeland security grant funding it receives. The researchers found that the funding received by New York in 2009 was around 30 percent of the total allocated by the Department of Homeland Security for 10 major urban areas and that the funding the city received should have ranged between 33 and 49 percent–or $15 million to $92 million–depending on the terrorist attack scenarios. The study analyzes budgets between FY ’05 and FY ’09. The study also says that in 2009 Chicago should have received more funding and Los Angeles less. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research.
Cross Match Technologies has filed a complaint with the International Trace Commission alleging infringement on four of its patents by biometric scanners made and sold by Korea-based Suprema, Inc., and Texas-based Mentalix, Inc. The patents relate to Cross Match’s AutoCapture process, as well as its inventions in the areas of rolled print capture and optical systems. Cross Match has asked the ITC to issue an exclusion order, barring from importation into the U.S. Suprema’s infringing products, and a cease and desist order barring the sale of any infringing products already in the U.S. Suprema makes RealScan live scanners and Mentalix resells Suprema products.
The Colorado Homeland Defense Alliance has selected three winners in its fourth annual National Security Innovation Competition, with the Univ. of Ottawa capturing first place with its “Use of Advanced Composite Technology for Mitigating Blast Risk in Structures” project. Second place went to the Univ. of Connecticut for its “Providing for More Resilient Transportation Infrastructure through Controllable Damping and Smart Sensing Technology” project. Third place went to the Univ. of Colorado for its “HELIOS-Hybrid Propulsion System that can be integrated into the Fuselage of an Unmanned Aerial or Ground Vehicles.” NSIC is a university competition designed to simulate interest by college students in national security-related innovations. Students on the winning teams receive scholarships.