Soft-target Engineering to Neutralize the Threat RealitY (SENTRY)
SENTRY (Soft-target Engineering to Neutralize the Threat RealitY) addresses the challenges of protecting soft targets and crowded places (STCPs).
SENTRY is funded by the Department of Homeland Security. The federal contract, awarded in November 2021, is $36 million over 10 years.
SENTRY is a multi-institutional Center of Excellence including Northeastern University (lead), Rutgers, Boston University, Tufts University, the University of Southern California, SUNY Buffalo, the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, the University of Rhode Island, Marquette, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Notre Dame.
The SENTRY vision to address threats to soft targets and crowded spaces is a suite of systems called Virtual Sentries (VSs). Versatile, scalable, and cost-effective, VSs will function semi-autonomously with the capability to rapidly integrate and process data to provide real-time decision support to STCP decision-makers (e.g., school principals) as they interact with first responders to detect, deter and mitigate targeted violence.
In support of this vision, the SENTRY mission is two-fold: (1) conduct stakeholder-informed research to advance knowledge to transition to industry for the development of VS technology for use by STCP stakeholders at every scale, both public and private, and (2) educate both the current and next generations of the homeland security workforce in STCP technology, using VS as a motivator.
For more information contact:
m.silevitch@northeastern.edu
Subsurface sensing and imaging systems, detection of explosives-related anomalies, engineered system development and engineering leadership