ALERT Center News
Mar 12, 2020
Northeastern Spearheading Advances in Travel Safety
Northeastern’s ALERT (Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats) is one of nine Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Centers of Excellence (COEs) located across the country. A multi-university center, ALERT conducts research and development for effective responses to explosives-related threats. ALERT is funded by a core grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate that equates to roughly $3.6 million a year. In addition to the Center’s ongoing core research award, DHS also provides each COE with an ability to obtain task order contracts targeted to develop specific security technologies and methods.
Sep 18, 2019
ALERT Receives Patent
ECE Professor Carey Rappaport & MIE/ECE Assistant Professor Jose Martinez-Lorenzo awarded a patent for the “Characterization of dielectric slabs attached to the body using focused millimeter waves.”
Sep 04, 2019
Emily Belk Wins DHS COE Summit Grand Challenge Competition
Computer Engineering and Computer Science BS student, Emily Belk was part of the winning team at the 2019 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Centers of Excellence (COE) Summit Grand Challenge Student Competition held on July 31st at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia.
Jul 18, 2019
Developing Better Airport Sensors
ECE Professor Carey Rappaport and MIE/ECE Associate Professor Jose Martinez-Lorenzo are developing sensors that could replace current airport scanners to quickly scan passengers as they walk down a hallway.
May 23, 2019
ALERT Awarded Patent
ECE Professor Carey Rappaport & MIE/ECE Assistant Professor Jose Martinez-Lorenzo awarded a patent for “On the move millimeter wave interrogation system with a hallway of multiple transmitters and receivers”.
Dec 19, 2018
Creating Faster, More Accurate TSA Scanners
Carey Rappaport, ECE Professor and deputy director of the Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT) Center, is working with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to develop quicker and more accurate scanners at airport security checkpoints.
May 21, 2018
Next Generation Checkpoints
Transportation Security Administration Administrator David Pekoske toured the Center for Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT) on Friday to see if the technology Northeastern is working on can be implemented at security checkpoints. The nation’s top airport security official Friday toured a Northeastern center that develops technology aimed at ensuring the safety of airline […]
Apr 28, 2017
The Future of Airport Security
ALERT researchers Carey Rappaport, Jose Martinez-Lorenzo, & Octavia Camps are developing cutting-edge technology that can detect suspicious behavior at airports.