High-tech homeland security items showcased at CES

Erin Neff

Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002 | 9:43 a.m.

Although the economy drives exhibits at the main conference center of the Consumer Electronics Show, a side pavilion is focused squarely on homeland security.

The Federal IT Pavilion at the Riviera showcases technological advances in security issues from about 70 exhibitors.

Many of the booths in the Federal Convention on Emerging Technologies displayed American flags and messages reminding showgoers they can never be too secure.

Whether scrambling radio transmissions for law enforcement, protecting faxes for military operations or remembering each stroke a keyboard makes, exhibits were focused on security.

Lyn Hayes, a field engineer for Pittsford, N.Y.-based Lenel Systems International, said all types of biometric recognizing software has leaped to the forefront since Sept. 11.

Biometric programs can recognize fingerprints, facial images and eye scans.

After scanning an unauthorized ID card into the computer, Hayes could immediately determine the person's background, including fingerprints and known data. Such scanning devices are used by government, military and commercial businesses nationwide, but have become the crux of discussions about protecting airports.

Despina Kerdemelidis was marketing different protection at the Federal IT Pavilion on Tuesday.

As general manager of New Zealand-based Interface Security, Kerdemelidis was selling KeyGhost -- a program that records up to 2 million keystrokes on a computer.

Although used mainly to combat computer fraud, Kerdemelidis said she's also sold it to customers who "want to see what their kids are doing."

Martin Ryan, vice president of network security sales for Sterling, Va.-based Cryptek, said consumers are looking for third-party approval of security devices more than ever.

"Homeland security is such a big issue, I don't know if anybody's got their handle on it," Ryan said. "But we are seeing an increase in collaboration and in products with the (National Security Administration) stamp of approval."

Orincon, a San Diego-based company, highlighted its ForceNet program designed to monitor ship movement throughout the world.

A collaboration with Boeing Autometric, Orincon Defense, Praja and Stone Analytics, ForceNet is being marketed to the Coast Guard to monitor everything from the crew on a ship to any deviations in a route.

But the application could be modified to track shipments of nuclear waste across the country.

"It's a platform to do anything like that," said Bill Kincaid of Orincon.

A program could be established to give the computer user instant information about the truck driver and incorporate satellite pictures or video to show the location, added Orincon's Dave Frost.

The Federal IT Pavilion runs through today.