Completed Projects

Information Systems and Interoperable Comm- User Directed Organizations of Displays Under Time Stress

Dr. Carswell with the University of Kentucky has studied specific issues: First, do decision-makers make appropriate use of interactive options that allow them to spatially reorganize information to suit their momentary goals? Second, do these interactive options enhance performance efficiently, increase user satisfaction with the visualization environment, or reduce perceived stress?

Prevention Technology- Community Risk and Vulnerability Assess Tool

Dr. Pam Collins with Eastern Kentucky University has developed a handheld “Procedural Anytime Anywhere Learning (PAAL)” tool to be used by communities to identify unique critical assets that may be considered for national security protection.

Prevention Technology- Improved Preparedness and Response to Threats to the Public

Dr. Pam Collins with Eastern KY University has evaluated a version of the Compressus Vigilent Command Sight software system to determine its usability in emergency response situations.

Prevention Technology- Positive Negative Fuzzy Systems for Disaster Prediction and Emergency Vehicle Routing

Dr. John Lilly with the University of Louisville has developed fuzzy logic systems that consist of simple linguistics to solve the routing problem. The research concerns the use of positive/negative (P/N) fuzzy logic to aid in (1) disaster prediction and (2) the routing of emergency vehicles in urban areas in the event of a disaster.

Prevention Technology- Private Security Technology Assessment

Dr. Pam Collins with Eastern KY University has conducted a nationwide survey of security professionals to obtain data that will update the current body of work in order to provide insight on the security industry and its relationship to law enforcement and other business sectors. It also seeks to define future trends.

Prevention Technology- Rail Tank Car Leakage System (RLEAKS)

Dr. Phil Womble with Western Kentucky University is developing an autonomous rail car leakage detection system (RLEAKS) that will detect and locate leaks in the pressurized rail tank cars from holes on the order of 100 microns in diameter. RLEAKS provides an easy to use, low-cost, non-intrusive generic system for detection and localization of leaks on pressurized tank cars.

Prevention Technology- Simulations of Castrophic Events and Associated Emergency Reponse for Planning for Mid-America

Dr. Haulk Cetin with Murray State University simulated scenarios for flooding below Kentucky Dam and Barkley Dam resulting from dam breaches, and evaluated losses and emergency preparedness response planning. A database that includes a three dimensional (3D) Geographic Information System (GIS) model of potential impact of flooding in the areas below Kentucky Dam and Barkley Dam has been developed.

Wide-Area Rapid Iris Image Capture with Pan-Tilt-Zoom Cameras

Dr. Ruigang Yang with the University of Kentucky is developing computer vision techniques to automatically detect, track, and extract high-resolution iris images using steerable pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras. This project will create a system to rapidly capture iris images of human subjects in uncontrolled environments at long range. 

 

The Challenge

The task of assuring the security of our homeland involves protecting the citizens of the United States, the nation's critical infrastructure and key assets. This is necessary to sustain the nation's vitality against terrorism and other threats. This protection must originate at the community level. It requires discovering, developing and deploying new technology that will support first responders and key decision makers in local communities.

The Mission

NIHS' mission is to discover, develop and deploy solutions that protect and preserve the critical infrastructure of the nation's communities.

The Institute

NIHS aligns projects and research objectives with the needs and requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The strategy is to manage a distributed research enterprise that effectively transitions research and development into solutions. NIHS works with DHS to determine technology needs at the community level. Then, teams are quickly assembled from multiple universities to develop solutions to the needs.

The Strategy

Through management of the Kentucky Critical Infrastructure Protections Program (KCI), the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) provides an ongoing, integrated program dedicated to developing new technologies and devices. NIHS works through qualified academic institutions to accomplish the technological objectives.