need to add title here

Watching The Border

January 10, 2010 5:00 PM

Steve Kroft reports on the status of the multi-billion-dollar "virtual fence" being built at the U.S.-Mexican border, which is behind schedule and so far covers only about one percent of the border.

Watching the Border: The Virtual Fence
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by DonNatale May 17, 2010 9:49 AM EDT
Since I see that they are going to try the same thing AGAIN with this border fence fiasco I will repost some of my previous comments with updates.

For all of the money they spend on this, they continue to try the same things over and over again. Racking and Stacking COTS equipment is not a good engineering approach.

I'm a computer vision researcher and technology exists which can solve this problem. Links are below to some examples. The designers should also be forced to conduct a Phase I investigation which would include extensive research and and training by the Border Control so the engineers know what to design. The typical solution of waiting for a for profit defense contractor to modify some old technology to marginally meet the spec is not efficient.

http://www.personal.psu.edu/djn143/IEEE_Conf_Natale.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZKubwGaPio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFHJDBKTZV0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c60DNbQ1zmo&feature=response_watch
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by swm1972nj-2009 January 29, 2010 4:01 PM EST
Long day...that would be BORDER
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by swm1972nj-2009 January 29, 2010 4:00 PM EST
This is my boarder control plan: shoot first, don't bother with questions.
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by DonNatale January 20, 2010 3:40 PM EST
I'm a computer vision researcher and technology exists which can solve this problem. I think they should be using a long range flash lidar which is essentially a 3D video camera. The designers should also be forced to conduct a Phase I investigation which would include extensive interviews and training by the Border Control so the engineers know what to design. Racking and Stacking COTS equipment is not a good engineering approach.

This is an example video of a 3D Flash LIDAR video camera:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c60DNbQ1zmo
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by SoTxMedic January 19, 2010 3:47 PM EST
Back on Jan 13 ,2010 i wrote a comment on TRUE LIFE EXPERIENCES which SAD and TRUE but WAS taken off.
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by markwwwwww January 18, 2010 10:52 PM EST
no fences, wildlife needs to migrate for food and water. Plus it's an eyesore and ruins the natural landscape.
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by Resin-Smoker January 18, 2010 1:35 AM EST
Mine the border...
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by reneedj January 17, 2010 2:12 AM EST
Why all this complicated ****? If there is a real wall that they cannot cross, and by real, I mean PHYSICAL, NOT VIRTUAL, then we have nothing to worry about...... Billions saved, time saved...,
manpower saved... get out the concrete and the cinderblocks!!!!!!
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by anursewhocares January 17, 2010 12:04 AM EST
They need to hurry up before our Country is over run with Mexcians!!!...or are they to late. I say, closed the dam borders altogether!!!!!!!!
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by AlanDurbin January 16, 2010 4:21 PM EST
I am a Security Professional and have been in the business for 16 yrs as an owner and a Sr.Tech.
Large and small systems Access Control, NVR's, DVR's, Radar Detection, fence detection so on and so on; the concept of the SBI seems to be being implemented properly. I have found that many Homeland projects and government projects I have had involvement with seem to be lacking on the common sense side of the equitation. Most of the time, it is a user that doesn?t understand the systems or sorry, an engineer designs these systems never thinking of "what always works on paper doesn?t always work."
I think if the government would seek help from private contractors and I mean good service Tech's not project managers or owners (you know, the people who actually make it work and keep it working) I see all kinds of tech's out there and have only a few that are great if they seek they can find them.
I know, believe me some of the things that will hinder the government finding the right people is just because there are people that don?t qualify with their requirements. These are probably the one's they need, just like in battle situations there are a lot of soldiers out there but only a few you would really trust to have your back in a fight. Security is the same and like some of the great minds in history the created the bomb, the light bulb, electricity, most of these people were thought to be idiots like Franklin if today you saw a guy with a kite and a string everyone would laugh but look were we would be without him so all I can say seek and you shall find.
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