PRoTECT Technology Roadmap

Within the PRoTECT project the outcome of The State of the ART, Request for information and demonstrations was summarised in a technology roadmap, going into the short, mid and long term.

Short term (1-3 years), collected during the demonstrations and individual observations, based on the next releases information from different innovations providers. As well it incorporates all insights and information gathered from practitioners involved in the project. We can consider it almost the factual developments baseline in the domain as majority of the technologies discussed here is already available and moves through the final stages of adoption for public spaces protection needs.

Mid-term (3-5 years), collected using network of partners and associates, who have been involved in the process of innovations presentation and directly working with innovations development. It is based on individual surveys and represent summary of information gathered. This approach was selected because range of vulnerabilities as well as range of viable solutions are very wide, and it would be impossible for project team to cover all competence areas.

Long term (5-10 years) collected using desktop research techniques and experts' workshops. It summarizes the most relevant innovations groups, that have been named as the ones having highest transformative effects and/or named by majority of various sources as key drivers for evolution of public spaces security.

Relevant short term developments

Within the PRoTECT project multiple solutions were demonstrated that can aid in the short term.

City	Provider	Solution
City_1	Terracom	QR-Patrol
	NSION Ltd	NSC3 Situational Awareness Platform
	Apstec International Trading Ltd.	Apstec System's Human Security Radar (HRS)
	XVR Simulation B.V.	XVR On Scene
	FAST PROTECT GmbH	TERRA 4D - Geo Referenced Security & Safety Management
City_2	Everis Aeroespacial y DEfensa SLU	Event Awareness and Security Tool (EAST)
	Pandora Intelligence*	Pandora Intelligence
	Pixpro, UAB*	PIXPRO- photogrammetry based 3D terrain threat prevention
	Sabre Global UK	First Response Tech WiFi concealed threat detection, DroneHunter, DroneKiller, Raptor, Centurion
	Kromek Ltd	Radiation Detection Systems
City_3	Marshalls Mono Ltd*	Crash Tested Street Furniture and Steel Bollards
	MC2 Technologies	NEROD
	Gradiant	Counter-UAS by Gradiant
	INSTALACIONES Y ESTRUCTURAS DE SEGURIDAD URBANA S.L	BOLARTECH - Mobile Bollard
	AEORUM ESPAÑA S	SURVEIRON: Global information and drone operation network
City_4	Northgate Public Services (UK) Limited - part of the NEC Group	NEC NeoFace Watch; and NEC Enhanced Video Analytics (EVA)
	Sorama B.V	Sorama Listener platform
	ADITESS Advanced Integrated Technology Solutions & Services Lt	adiTASK Incident Reporting and Awareness Tool
	ViNotion B.V.	Monitoring Urban Dynamics for Situational Awareness of Public Safety
	First Responder Technologies Inc*	WiFi-Based Concealed Weapon Detector **
City_5	Herta	BioSurveillance NEXT
	Smiths Detection	Anomaly Detection & Cognitive Intelligence Platform
	Level Five Supplies limited	SENSR
	ViNotion B.V.	SCIMON
	WEB-IQ B.V.	VOYAGER

Relevant mid term developments

During the demonstrations, the organisations were asked to perform a self-assessment and reflection on their solutions, including what further development of the current solutions is needed or will be development in the coming years. Based on the results the following five main focus areas in future development can be identified:

1. Artificial intelligence and Machine learning. Companies are mostly focusing on real-time analysis and intelligence, which could help task forces to act immediately. Some of the companies focus on developing the classification of specific sounds or will try to combine AI with advanced detection technologies.

2. Sensors development. The main development trend – to increase the resolution of sensors and to expand their area of detection.

3. Semantic analysis of social media – to develop a monitoring engine that allows anticipating the overall sentiment as well as potential threats ahead of the event.

4. Smart City Systems, VMS systems and Pism Systems to leverage the Benefits from 3D computer vision Technology and Lidar Perception.

5. C-UAS and drones technologies development.

Relevant long term developments (EU level)

Looking at EU policies, strategies, best practices and recommendations on security of public spaces in relation to the fight against extremism, radicalisation and terrorism provides information on relevant areas for future developments.

A Counter-Terrorism Agenda for the EU: Anticipate, Prevent, Protect, Respond 9.12.2020 COM(2020) 795 final ) defines how EU can respond to the essential challenge of better protecting citizens from the terrorist attacks. It underlines importance of research programs integration with security policy cycle in order to ensure impact oriented output that responds to the needs of security stakeholders. The list of emerging technologies is presented in the policy document alongside with recommendations that has to be considered planning, developing and exploiting innovation for urban security.

• Document lists emerging technologies of high potential, which EC will fund via Urban Agenda for the EU:Threat detection technologies
• Solutions such as random or targeted checks relying on mobile detection equipment.
• Facial identification technologies capable of detecting terrorists on the move
• Artificial Intelligence tools that allow for precise and targeted identification of potential threats.
• Solutions based on AI technology to identify terrorist content online and stop its dissemination, to prevent the creation of new terrorists’ accounts on social media, and detect symbols.
• Drones (Unmanned aircraft systems)

The New Urban Agenda 2030 was adopted at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in Quito, Ecuador, on 20 October 2016. It represents a shared vision for a better and more sustainable future. The Agenda also encourages to promote public spaces for all, enhanced safety and security and better social and intergenerational interaction. Signatories pledge the provision of well-designed networks of safe, accessible, green and quality threats and other public spaces that are accessible to all and free from crime and violence.

Horizon Europe is EU funding instrument that is directly relevant to the promotion of security in public spaces:

• Improved understanding by local authorities, operators and policy makers of the effect of large-scale surveillance of public spaces on the behaviour of citizens and possible negative effects on local communities;
• Enhanced transparency for citizens on different forms of surveillance by law enforcement, local authorities and private actors in public spaces, and increased awareness of applicable rights towards operators of such systems;
• Improved protection of public spaces without the need for 24/7 data collection and storage;
• Set of common standards and good practices by local authorities, operators and policy makers for internal access restriction, anonymization and data minimization allowing a proportionate use of already installed surveillance-systems (such as CCTV) in public spaces, reducing the risk of misuse of collected data and respecting fundamental rights, especially the protection of personal data.

In relation to the public space's protection, the following priorities are funded by ISF programmes:

• To enhance the resilience of our society against natural and man-made disasters, ranging from the development of new crisis management tools to communication interoperability, and to develop novel solutions for the protection of critical infrastructure;
• To fight crime and terrorism ranging from new forensic tools to protection against explosives;
• To improve border security, ranging from improved maritime border protection to supply chain security and to support the Union's external security policies including through conflict prevention and peace building;
• To provide enhanced cyber-security, ranging from secure information sharing to new assurance model.

Please see the full report on the technology roadmap on the PRoTECT website.