http://www.rtr-tech.com/ en chuck.august@rtr-tech.com Copyright 2012 2012-01-27T18:35:34+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/rtr-performs-operational-test-and-evaluation-services-at-air-land-and-sea-p/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/rtr-performs-operational-test-and-evaluation-services-at-air-land-and-sea-p/#When:17:35:34Z  RTR Technologies supports U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with the Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) of proposed vital programs and new technologies of national security interest, which ultimately creates more efficient processing of travelers, vehicles and trade crossing U.S. borders. The Operational Test and Evaluation process identifies program risk and assists Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with making strategic decisions before investing in broad-based innovative technologies and deploying costly changes at air, land, and sea ports of entry.  RTR’s experience in operations research and analysis of complex processes and practices reduces the time and effort typically associated with performing operational tests. RTR has been instrumental in evaluating border security program requirements into expected system performance measures. RTR works with DHS on the Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) development, briefings, Test and Evaluation and Standards (TES) staff and assists in the preparation of the operational test plan. RTR has executed pivotal test plans at select ports of entry for system effectiveness and suitability against predefined performance measures.  Outcomes of the field study are reported DHS to assess the feasibility and functionality of a new program.  OT&E services provide the due diligence required by the federal government in managing restricted resources. RTR’s expertise is not limited to DHS programs.  The company staff is experienced with managing DoD developmental test for Defense Acquisition Programs as well as planning and conducting Defense operational testing.  Company News 2012-01-27T17:35:34+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/cbp-preps-traveling-public-for-enhanced-pedestrian-entry-system/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/cbp-preps-traveling-public-for-enhanced-pedestrian-entry-system/#When:14:52:11Z  El Paso, TX – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Paso Del Norte (PDN) international crossing in El Paso have initiated work on a system which will result in more efficient processing of arriving pedestrian traffic. The pilot project uses biometric data (fingerprints) to expedite the pedestrian entry process. It is expected to launch later this year. “This system provides CBP a higher confidence level in identifying the traveler through enhanced biometrics,” said Hector Mancha, CBP El Paso port director. “There are many benefits to be realized including more efficient processing because we are eliminating manual data entry.” The system requires a set of high quality fingerprints to be on file and linked with an entry document. In order to increase the population of travelers that will have access to this system a team of CBP officers is currently positioned at the PDN pedestrian area and will spend the next two weeks collecting biometric data from frequent border crossers. Non-U.S. citizens who have an older border crossing card or legal permanent resident card (issued before 2008) or those who have not applied for an I-94 travel permit in the last three years will need to submit their biometrics to participate in this pilot project. If a traveler has been identified as having biometrics on file they will have already been added to the database and there will be no need for the traveler to resubmit. The new system will use RFID and biometric data to expedite the entry process. Three existing pedestrian lanes (11-13) will be used during the system pilot. Those lanes will be equipped with a gated system in which a travelers’ RFID enabled document will be read and fingerprints scanned before they approach the inspection station. The CBP officer working the primary inspection booth will receive results of the biometric verification and all required information before the pedestrian arrives at the inspection station. “It is expected that this system will speed the entry process while also enhancing overall security,” said Mancha. The pilot is tentatively slated to begin in November 2011. While anti-terrorism is the primary mission of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the inspection and facilitation of travelers is closely aligned with this mission and is highlighted through the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The new gate system reinforces the WHTI concept as all travelers must have a WHTI-compliant document to use the lanes to include the U.S. passport card, trusted traveler card (SENTRI/NEXUS/FAST/Global Entry), or RFID-equipped border crossing or permanent resident card. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws. Source:http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/archives/september_2011/09152011_3.xml Industry News 2011-09-15T14:52:11+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/Insight-Into-The-Future/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/Insight-Into-The-Future/#When:13:25:58Z RTR Technologies’ simulation modeling and 3d visualization capabilities are recognized as a premier service of the Federal Government. A border pedestrian inspection facility was altered to improve throughput, security and the overall inspection experience. Click here for full press release Company News 2011-08-11T13:25:58+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/rtr-employees-conquer-and-climb-mount-kilimanjaro/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/rtr-employees-conquer-and-climb-mount-kilimanjaro/#When:14:55:51Z RTR employees' Susan and Luke Thies successfully summited and planted the “RTR Flag” atop Mount Kilimanjaro on July 15th, 2011. The highest peak in Africa is located in northeastern Tanzania and stands at 5,895 meters or 19,341 feet above sea level.  Susan and Luke took the 9-day Lemosho-Western Breach route and experienced normal altitude-related health issues. With Kilimanjaro checked off the list, the following peaks are still up for grabs! (the Seven Summits Challenge refers to successfully summiting the highest peak on each of the seven continents). Peak Continent Country Elev (ft) Kilimanjaro Africa Tanzania 19,340 Vinson Massif Antarctica n/a 16,050 Kosciuszko Australia Australia 7,310 Everest Asia China, Nepal 29,035 Elbrus Europe Russia 18,510 Mount McKinley North America United States 20,320 Aconcagua South America Argentina 22,841       Company News 2011-07-15T14:55:51+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/iatas-three-lane-checkpoint-of-the-future-unveiled/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/iatas-three-lane-checkpoint-of-the-future-unveiled/#When:13:45:52Z   The International Air Transport Association (IATA) unveiled its first mock-up of its idea of the futuristic security checkpoint to delegates at its 67th Annual General Meeting and World Transport Summit in Singapore. The checkpoint, said the organization, is designed to enhance security while reducing queues and intrusive searches at airports, with intelligence-driven risk-based measures. The checkpoint will strengthen security by focusing resources where risk is greatest by integrating passenger information into the checkpoint process. The integrated information, according to IATA, will maximize throughput for the vast majority of “low risk” travelers. “We spend $7.4 billion a year to keep aviation secure. But our passengers only see hassle,” said IATA Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Giovanni Bisignani in a June 7 statement. “Passengers should be able to get from curb to boarding gate with dignity. That means without stopping, stripping or unpacking, and certainly not groping. That is the mission for the Checkpoint of the Future. We must make coordinated investments for civilized flying,” he said. “Today’s checkpoint was designed four decades ago to stop hijackers carrying metal weapons. Since then, we have grafted on more complex procedures to meet emerging threats,” he said. “We are more secure, but it is time to rethink everything. We need a process that responds to today’s threat. It must amalgamate intelligence based on passenger information and new technology. That means moving from a system that looks for bad objects, to one that can find bad people,” he said. IATA said its mock-up shows the “one-size-fits-all concept for security” is at an end. Passengers will be directed to one of three lanes  -  ‘known traveler,’ ‘normal,’ and ‘enhanced security,’ according to IATA. The selection will be based on a biometric identifier in the passenger’s passport or other travel document that triggers the results of a risk assessment done by the government before the passenger arrives. The security lanes will have technology to check passengers according to risk, said IATA. “Known travelers” who have registered and completed background checks with government authorities will have expedited access. “Normal screening” would be for the majority of travelers. Those passengers for whom less information is available, who are randomly selected or who are deemed to be an “Elevated risk” would have an additional level of screening, said the organization. Invasive searches, long the bane of the Transportation Security Administration would be limited. IATA said screening technology is being developed that will allow passengers to walk through the checkpoint without having to remove clothes or unpack their belongings. Additionally, the organization said it envisions the security process could be combined with outbound customs and immigration procedures, further streamlining the passenger experience. Through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), 19 governments, including the United States, are working to define standards for a Checkpoint of the Future, said IATA. The organization is also coordinating closely with the US Department of Homeland Security’s Checkpoint of Tomorrow program which has similar goals. “We have the ability to move to the biometric scanning and three-lane concept right now. And while some of the technology still needs to be developed, even by just re-purposing what we have today, we could see major changes in two or three years time,” said Bisignani. Source: http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/23532?c=airport_aviation_security Industry News 2011-06-07T13:45:52+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/httpwww.cbp.govxpcgovnewsroomnews_releasesnational05052011_2.xml/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/httpwww.cbp.govxpcgovnewsroomnews_releasesnational05052011_2.xml/#When:14:21:13Z Washington - U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today that the agency’s Trusted Traveler Programs have reached one million members. Trusted Traveler Programs include Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST. “CBP’s Trusted Traveler Programs support one of our core missions, to facilitate trade and travel by expediting low-risk, frequent travelers’ entry process into the U.S. when arriving at our ports of entry,” said CBP Commissioner Alan D. Bersin. “We encourage frequent travelers to join the one million members and apply to the Trusted Traveler Program that will best match their travel needs.” Global Entry is a voluntary pilot program that streamlines the international arrival process for pre-approved travelers through use of self-service kiosks located at 20 major U.S. airports. The pilot program is an alternative to regular passport processing lines and currently reduces average wait times by 70 percent. Applications to Global Entry must be submitted online at www.globalentry.gov. A fee of $100 is collected via the website for a five-year membership. Applicants must then complete an interview and fingerprint data collection in person at any of the 20 airport sites. Once enrolled in the pilot program, Global Entry members may proceed directly to the kiosks in the international arrivals area upon arrival in the U.S. At the kiosk, members insert their passport or lawful permanent resident card into a document reader, provide digital fingerprints for comparison with fingerprints on file, answer customs declaration questions on the kiosk’s touch-screen, and then present a transaction receipt to CBP officers before leaving the inspection area. (More information on Global Entry can be found in the most recent issue of Frontline magazine.) NEXUS is a joint CBP-Canada Border Services Agency program that both implemented to enhance border security while simplifying the entry process for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. NEXUS was established in 2002 and currently has more than half-million members. NEXUS applicants must go through background checks in both Canada and the United States. The application fee for NEXUS is $50 and enrollment is for five years. Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection or SENTRI provides expedited CBP processing for pre-approved, low-risk travelers entering the U.S. at land ports of entry from Mexico. The SENTRI program was first implemented at Otay Mesa, Calif., in 1995, and has grown to include 16 lanes at the nine largest ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border including San Ysidro, Calif., Calexico, Calif., Nogales, Ariz., two crossings in El Paso, Texas, and the Texas ports of Laredo, Hidalgo and Brownsville. The FAST (Free and Secure Trade) program offers dedicated lanes and expedited border clearance for importers, carriers and drivers who have passed rigorous risk assessments that include fingerprinting.   The program is available on both the northern and southern borders. There are about 80,000 members enrolled. FAST members report saving an average 27 minutes when transporting goods into the U.S., and an average of 18 minutes when entering Canada. All Trusted Traveler Program applicants must voluntarily undergo a background check against criminal, law enforcement, customs, immigration, and terrorist indices; a 10-fingerprint law enforcement check and a personal interview with a CBP officer. In December 2010, CBP added Global Entry benefits to NEXUS and SENTRI members. A NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card also fulfills the travel document requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative which requires a passport or other secure travel document by all U.S. and Canadian citizens when entering the U.S. by air, land or sea. Each approved NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST member receives a WHTI-compliant, radio frequency identification card. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws. source: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/national/05052011_2.xml Industry News 2011-05-05T14:21:13+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/transport-canada-awards-contract-to-rtr-technologies/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/transport-canada-awards-contract-to-rtr-technologies/#When:14:12:23Z RTR Technologies recently completed a national bus study requested by The Highway and Border Policy, directorate of Transport Canada. Research was performed on current cross-border passenger bus services between Canada and United States.   The purpose of the project was to identify any existing constraints that may be affecting the efficiency and flow of bi-national business and cross-border tourism and to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and competitiveness. The study focused on the seven busiest crossings along the U.S. - Canadian border.   RTR conducted surveys with key stakeholder organizations, which included national bus companies in Canada and the U.S., transport agencies (provincial, state, and federal) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).   Key components of the project included; A detailed overview of scheduled and chartered bus companies and transportation services for passengers across the Canada - U.S. border. Research on the number of buses crossing the border, high-volume crossings and make-up of the buses and general operations. Review of the selected border crossings’ existing infrastructure and processing procedures for buses and bus passengers. Analysis of the current challenges faced by bus operators and passengers in regards to cross-border travel. Assessment of potential areas for improvement and possible uses of technologies for the bus transportation industry and custom border agencies to facilitate transportation, bus scheduling, and processing across the Canada - U.S. border. Company News 2011-04-07T14:12:23+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/boeing-p-8a-wins-first-lrip-contract-for-six-aircraft/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/boeing-p-8a-wins-first-lrip-contract-for-six-aircraft/#When:20:17:48Z The US Navy has completed deals to spend more than $1.7 billion on the first six low-rate initial production (LRIP) copies of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft. The LRIP-1 investment includes a $1.6 billion contract awarded on 21 January and a $109 million contract for long-lead materials awarded in April 2009. The navy plans to buy 117 P-8As over the next eight years to replace its ageing fleet of Lockheed Martin P-3C Orions hunting for submarines. Initial operational capability is scheduled during fiscal year 2014. The Indian navy has also ordered six P-8Is for delivery after 2015.    © US Naval Air Systems Command The P-8A has enjoyed a fairly smooth start so far for a new development programme. Static tests completed in mid-January on the ground-test aircraft validated the structural integrity of the P-8A's design. The tests increased confidence in the navy's choice of a commercial derivative of a modern jet airliner for the sometimes harsh environment required by the anti-submarine warfare mission. Boeing adapted the commercial version of its 737-800ERX with an internal weapons bay and an on-board mission suite. Rather than modifying the aircraft for the patrol mission after coming off the assembly line, Boeing is building the P-8A's complete structure and systems in the production line. The aircraft is also being considered among several options by the US Air Force. Since last year, the service has been studying options for replacing the Northrop Grumman E-8C JSTARS airborne ground surveillance system with a new aircraft. Both the P-8 and upgraded versions of the E-8C are being considered. source: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/01/26/352344/boeing-p-8a-wins-first-lrip-contract-for-six-aircraft.html (published by a British journalist) Industry News 2011-02-11T20:17:48+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/http-www.nytimes.com-2010-12-28-business-media-28disney.html_r2refbusiness/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/http-www.nytimes.com-2010-12-28-business-media-28disney.html_r2refbusiness/#When:20:00:17Z ORLANDO, Fla. — Deep in the bowels of Walt Disney World, inside an underground bunker called the Disney Operational Command Center, technicians know that you are standing in line and that you are most likely annoyed about it. Their clandestine mission: to get you to the fun faster. To handle over 30 million annual visitors — many of them during this busiest time of year for the megaresort — Disney World long ago turned the art of crowd control into a science. But the putative Happiest Place on Earth has decided it must figure out how to quicken the pace even more. A cultural shift toward impatience — fed by video games and smartphones — is demanding it, park managers say. To stay relevant to the entertain-me-right-this-second generation, Disney must evolve. And so it has spent the last year outfitting an underground, nerve center to address that most low-tech of problems, the wait. Located under Cinderella Castle, the new center uses video cameras, computer programs, digital park maps and other whiz-bang tools to spot gridlock before it forms and deploy countermeasures in real time. In one corner, employees watch flat-screen televisions that depict various attractions in green, yellow and red outlines, with the colors representing wait-time gradations. If Pirates of the Caribbean, the ride that sends people on a spirited voyage through the Spanish Main, suddenly blinks from green to yellow, the center might respond by alerting managers to launch more boats. Another option involves dispatching Captain Jack Sparrow or Goofy or one of their pals to the queue to entertain people as they wait. “It’s about being nimble and quickly noticing that, ‘Hey, let’s make sure there is some relief out there for those people,’ ” said Phil Holmes, vice president of the Magic Kingdom, the flagship Disney World park. What if Fantasyland is swamped with people but adjacent Tomorrowland has plenty of elbow room? The operations center can route a miniparade called “Move it! Shake it! Celebrate It!” into the less-populated pocket to siphon guests in that direction. Other technicians in the command center monitor restaurants, perhaps spotting that additional registers need to be opened or dispatching greeters to hand out menus to people waiting to order. “These moments add up until they collectively help the entire park,” Mr. Holmes said. In recent years, according to Disney research, the average Magic Kingdom visitor has had time for only nine rides — out of more than 40 — because of lengthy waits and crowded walkways and restaurants. In the last few months, however, the operations center has managed to make enough nips and tucks to lift that average to 10. “Control is Disney’s middle name, so they have always been on the cutting edge of this kind of thing,” said Bob Sehlinger, co-author of “The Unofficial Guide: Walt Disney World 2011” and a writer on Disney for Frommers.com. Mr. Sehlinger added, “The challenge is that you only have so many options once the bathtub is full.” Disney, which is periodically criticized for overreaching in the name of cultural dominance (and profits), does not see any of this monitoring as the slightest bit invasive. Rather, the company regards it as just another part of its efforts to pull every possible lever in the name of a better guest experience. The primary goal of the command center, as stated by Disney, is to make guests happier — because to increase revenue in its $10.7 billion theme park business, which includes resorts in Paris and Hong Kong, Disney needs its current customers to return more often. “Giving our guests faster and better access to the fun,” said Thomas O. Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, “is at the heart of our investment in technology.” Disney also wants to raise per-capita spending. “If we can also increase the average number of shop or restaurant visits, that’s a huge win for us,” Mr. Holmes said. Disney has long been a leader in technological innovation, whether that means inventing cameras to make animated films or creating the audio animatronic robots for the attraction It’s a Small World. Behind-the-scenes systems — typically kept top secret by the company as it strives to create an environment where things happen as if by magic — are also highly computerized. Ride capacity is determined in part by analyzing hotel reservations, flight bookings and historic attendance data. Satellites provide minute-by-minute weather analysis. A system called FastPass allows people to skip lines for popular rides like the Jungle Cruise. But the command center reflects how Disney is deepening its reliance on technology as it thinks about adapting decades-old parks, which are primarily built around nostalgia for an America gone by, for 21st century expectations. “It’s not about us needing to keep pace with technological change,” Mr. Staggs said. “We need to set the pace for that kind of change.” For instance, Disney has been experimenting with smartphones to help guide people more efficiently. Mobile Magic, a $1.99 app, allows visitors to type in “Sleeping Beauty” and receive directions to where that princess (or at least a costumed stand-in) is signing autographs. In the future, typing in “hamburger” might reveal the nearest restaurant with the shortest wait. Disney has also been adding video games to wait areas. At Space Mountain, 87 game stations now line the queue to keep visitors entertained. (Games, about 90 seconds in length, involve simple things like clearing runways of asteroids). Gaming has also been added to the queue for Soarin’, an Epcot ride that simulates a hang glider flight. Blogs that watch Disney’s parks have speculated that engineers (“imagineers,” in the company’s parlance) are also looking at bigger ideas, like wristbands that contain information like your name, credit card number and favorite Disney characters. While Disney is keeping a tight lid on specifics, these devices would enable simple transactions like the purchase of souvenirs — just pay by swiping your wristband — as well as more complicated attractions that interact with guests. “Picture a day where there is memory built into these characters — they will know that they’ve seen you four or five times before and that your name is Bobby,” said Bruce E. Vaughn, chief creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering. “Those are the kinds of limits that are dissolving so quickly that we can see being able to implement them in the meaningfully near future.” Dreaming about the future was not something on Mr. Holmes’s mind as he gave a reporter a rare peek behind the Disney operations veil. He had a park to run, and the command center had spotted trouble at the tea cups. After running smoothly all morning, the spinning Mad Tea Party abruptly stopped meeting precalculated ridership goals. A few minutes later, Mr. Holmes had his answer: a new employee had taken over the ride and was leaving tea cups unloaded. “In the theme park business these days,” he said, “patience is not always a virtue.”   source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/business/media/28disney.html?_r=2&ref=business Industry News 2011-02-11T20:00:17+00:00 http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/article/united-states-and-the-netherlands-sign-agreement-to-prevent-and-combat-seri/ http://www.rtr-tech.com/news/united-states-and-the-netherlands-sign-agreement-to-prevent-and-combat-seri/#When:16:26:36Z THE HAGUE, Netherlands—U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute today joined Dutch Security and Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten to sign a Preventing and Combating Serious Crime (PCSC) Agreement—allowing for the exchange of biometric and biographic data between the United States and the Netherlands to bolster counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts while protecting individual privacy. “Faced with ever-evolving transnational threats, it is critical that we enable law enforcement officers in the United States and the Netherlands to more quickly and efficiently investigate crime and prevent criminals and terrorists from entering our respective countries,” said Deputy Secretary Lute. “This agreement will strengthen our international efforts to combat transnational crime while facilitating lawful trade and travel between our two nations.” “The agreement signed today underlines the efforts we have taken in fighting serious crime and preventing terrorism. In today's society law enforcement agencies should be able to prevent and combat crime and terrorism efficiently in a way that respects both the national legislation and the standards on privacy. I am proud that the PCSC-agreement provides a solid basis for these goals and I look forward to continuing our intensive cooperation with the United States in this important field,” said Minister Opstelten. Under the agreement, the United States and the Netherlands will leverage state-of-the-art technology to share law enforcement data, including fingerprints, to better identify known terrorists and criminals during investigations and other law enforcement activities. The agreement both outlines the best practices for sharing vital information to help prevent serious threats to public security as well as measures to ensure the protection and privacy of citizens in both countries. To date, the United States has signed similar agreements to prevent and combat serious crime with 17 international partners. These agreements—negotiated by the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice and State—prevent individuals who commit serious crimes in one signatory country from continuing illicit acts in another and reaffirm the United States’ commitment to the reciprocal partnerships that advance the safety and security of the United States and its allies.   source: http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1290201281485.shtm Industry News 2010-12-22T16:26:36+00:00