Ieee Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine

T he tragic events of September 11 underscored beyond a shadow of doubt that America is no longer invulnerable to large-scale terrorist attack, and the investigations since conducted into the nature of the threat have unveiled essentially limitless possibilities for more to come. The potential introduction of weapons of mass destruction into such a scenario only furthers the ability of a small group of dissidents with relatively limited military assets to wreak enormous havoc through asymmetrical warfare or terror. The principle defense against surprise attacks of this or any other nature is advanced warning, which inherently depends upon the timely and accurate collection and assessment of appropriate information. Given the dire consequences of further unanticipated or undetected terrorist action, the appropriate application of advanced detection and assessment technology to homeland security is more than just critical—it has become imperative. Business as usual, no matter how diligent, will prove hopelessly inadequate in the long run. The threat is simply too broad and diverse, the perpetrators too hard to isolate and monitor, and the vulnerabilities they seek to exploit too numerous and geographically dispersed. A system of robotic security platforms that automatically respond in an adaptive fashion to potential disturbances reported by a broad-area field of fixed unattended sensors represents a powerful new defensive tool for mitigating the terrorist threat.