Making mass transit safe with technology

Is more tech needed to keep us safe?

In the wake of the Moscow metro bombing that saw just under 40 people killed by two suicide bombers, it was inevitable that safety procedures on public transport systems would come under scrutiny.

After any such incident there is often a knee-jerk reaction of placing more visible security in train and bus stations as well as airports, such as armed police units and dogs. However, after time these units are inevitably pulled leaving another opportunity for another attack. So how can public transport networks be made as safe as possible all of the time? After all, with 10.2 billion trips being taken on public transit last year alone, they are prime targets for terrorists - the Madrid train bombings, the London underground bombings, the Mumbai train attacks and this week's incident in Moscow are all examples of this.

Suzi Parker, a writer for Yahoo News, believes that apart from common sense, the way to secure public transport systems is with new technology.

Among this new-tech is;

Gaming Technology: Gaming technology uses an array of hardware, software, and fast processor speeds. It records a scene in real time using 360-degree photography and immersive video – allowing for recording of every direction at the same time. It also often includes global positioning systems (GPS) and inertial guidance systems (IGS) for tracking and positioning information.

If the computer picks up on a possible situation, a sucide bomber or a passenger will a dirty bomb, a series of actions will occur. The train’s driver will be notified, the entrance and exits doors may electronically be opened or closed depending on the situation.

In essence, gaming technology utilises real-time intel to act according in a potential terrorist situation.

PROTECT (Program for Response Operations and Technology Enhancements for Chemical/Biological Terrorism): Surveillance on vehicles is one thing, but people primarily converge in stations making them overcrowded and a prime target. As such security in transport hubs are key. This is where PROTECT comes in; it's a form of hardware and software that can provide automated detection of a terrorist attack.

Containing biological and chemical sensor technology, video, wireless communications, and computer software, it's capable of simulating the spread of potential contaminants in train stations and airports.Washington has the program in a dozen stations and Boston has also implemented a permanent program.

Breathe Safe System: Germ warfare has become a bigger concern in recent years and as such, certain US metro systems have tested systems like Breathe Safe that uses Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation to kill up to 99 percent of certain types of bacteria. The primarily goal is hygienic: preventing the spread of viruses such H1N1, bacteria, or mold.

It can also be implemented in buildings to prevent an airborne threat. This can be enhanced with shields, vests, and blankets made from Demron, a state-of-the-art fabric blend that blocks chemical, biological, and nuclear agents. But while technology can help to protect us, it can also be used against us.

The dangers of real-time information

After the attempted Christmas Day bomb plot, transportation officials unleashed a whole host of new protocols to increase security checks at airports and on planes. One of these new rules included the turning-off of the in-flight entertainment systems that showed the rough location of the airplane on map, as well as ordering pilots not to point out landmarks should potential terrorists use it to identify targets and their location.

It is unsurprising that transportation officials want to now limit the amount of information given to passengers, but the increase in real-time information on smart phones for bus routes and plane times gives potential terrorists a flood of information.

With Twitter and other real-time social media becoming more and more popular, it is no surprise that geo-location is set to becoming an integral part of social media in 2010. Of course, there are social reasons for knowing where your friends are at any particular time, and for businesses it is ideal for targeting consumers, but there is the potential for manipulation, such as the creation of false alibis and working out where someone is at a certain time.

However, this is pure speculation and the sort of knee-jerk reaction that the transportation industry, as well as the public, are prone to in the aftermath of a potential disaster, but whichever way we go, technology will play a big part in preventing a repeat of the bombings in Moscow.

Relevant articles:

Moscow metro bombed | L.A.'s mass transit failure | Transportation infrastructure given boost by HIRE Act

Timon Singh

Timon Singh is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History. He has previously worked for BBC Magazines on BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, the publication for the popular genealogy show.

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