DataExchange™, Reliable Data Base Connection and Data Transfer Between Traditionally Disconnected, Incompatible Information Systems
The DataExchange™ System provides reliable interoperability between different applications and connects disparate databases for local, state, and federal government use without having to upgrade hardware. With successful completion of this data sharing product agencies can effectively communicate, retrieve and disseminate information that was once confined and disconnected from the intelligence loop.
College Student Readiness Project
Funding provided beginning in 2003 through May 2005 from the county of San Diego to develop, test and implement the College Student Readiness Program. The purpose of the grants was to educate students on the importance of emergency preparedness and to provide them with an Emergency Preparedness wallet card, which includes emergency contacts, local hospitals, and items for an emergency kit. The pilot program was delivered through three various avenues at SDSU--and can be duplicated on any college campus.
Development of a Next Generation Kit for Detection of Biowarfare Agents
The BioCheck™ Powder Screening Test Kit represents an improvement over existing biological detection field screens by providing a rapid, simple, inexpensive method of testing field samples for potential existence of a bio-terror agent.
Efficiency of Ozone Against Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents
This project is an investigation of the proper operational conditions for ozone gas to effectively inactivate spores of Bacillus subtilis, an accepted simulant of Bacillus anthracis that cause the infectious anthrax disease. Spores are exposed to gaseous ozone in a specially designed experimental glass chamber under various conditions of ozone concentration, gas humidity, temperature and contact time. The experiments are conducted by placing spores on different types of surfaces, including glass, paper, carpet, vinyl and hardwood. After recovering the spores from the surfaces by sonication, their population are determined by plating serial dilutions on agar plates.
Emergency Preparedness
Team & Information Site
SDSU's Emergency Preparedness team works proactively to educate the campus community about steps you can take to ensure personal safety in the event of an emergency. San Diego State University has established procedures for faculty, staff, and student to follow so that the effects of emergency situations can be minimized.
Explosives Detection System for In-Situ Scanning of Shoes
Quantum Magnetics, Inc. developed Quadrupole Resonance (QR) technology for detection of plastic explosive material hidden within shoes. The device improves the flow of client traffic in airports and offers a more effective means of monitoring for terrorist activities.
Flexible Electronic Displays for Wearable Military Applications
Aveso, Inc. is developing a lightweight wearable, low power, and wirelessly updateable communications device featuring a 4" x 3" flexible passive display matrix. Aveso, Inc. is dedicated to commercializing cost effective flexible display screen products that can be fabricated via high-volume print manufacturing methods. Law enforcement have a critical need to communicate effectively with officers in the field. Robust, flexible tags that send and receive information wirelessly will help personnel obtain maximum advantage over opponents.
Harbor Offshore, Inc.
The Harbor Offshore, Inc. Port Security Barrier System (PSB) provides high-level physical security against terrorist attack for commercial harbors, ports, water front facilities, and marine transportation. The PSB establishes a physical line to block assaulting vessels. Current test results show PSBs stop over 99% of all threatening high-speed vessels within 60 ft. of crossing the barrier threshold. Thus explosive-laden vessels will be prevented from reaching a ship's immediate proximity.
Head Mounted Display
Liteye Systems, Inc. develops high-resolution glass optics for head mount displays (HMD). An HMD is an output peripheral that places a micro display before a user's eye in order to perceive an image generated from a computer or video source. These devices attach to helmets (industrial and military) and headbands, and assist the user by relaying real time information during complex working procedures/conditions. It serves as the primary delivery system through which text, images, maps, schematics, or other information generated by a computer and/or other electronic systems is relayed to the end-user.
High-Performance Portable Non-Line-of-Sight Digital Wireless Video Transmission for Tactical Crisis Management
Pacific Microwave Research, Inc. is a pioneer in the development of covert digital video and audio collection technology for military, law enforcement, and intelligence applications. The digital Tactical Video Transmitter (TVT) allows forward deployed personnel and first responders to transmit visual or thermal video imagery in real-time in support of military operations, hostage negotiations and rescue, perimeter assessment and control, and intelligence missions. The device takes wireless technology to the next step by correcting unfavorable signal modes caused by 'multipath', the effect of differential radio wave reflection around buildings, vehicles, people and organic materials.
HPWREN (Rapid Remote Connectivity)
This project takes advantage of the High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (HPWREN), and extends the 45-megabit network backbone to remote field locations via a point-to-point long-haul node. Ongoing use of this system has been implemented at SDSU's Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve (SMER) field station to connect autonomous scientific sensors and data collection devices, such as weather stations and imaging sensors, with field and laboratory researchers. Recently this system's flexibility has been successfully tested at remote locations, by sending live streaming video and audio to and from field scientists along with data from sensors to the Internet from where they have been analyzed by laboratory researchers.
Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion
Group
The Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion Group at SDSU/L3 Research designed, built and tested a 260 horsepower hybrid vehicle drive system that combines the world's most efficient small production diesel engine with a highly efficient and extremely powerful electric drive system. The parallel-format drive system was designed to propel 14,000 GVW vehicles, and also to act as a stationary generator delivering 25kW of 3-phase AC electric power. The drive system can be recharged in use by the diesel engine or by plugging it into a standard wall outlet.
Interdisciplinary
Master's Degree in Homeland Security
The concept of the Interdisciplinary Master's Degree in Homeland Security resulted from the SDSU focus on this critical area over the past two years, the interest of Faculty in the development of the program, and the demonstrated need in the community for graduates with a homeland security background. The Homeland Security Master's program is offered as an Interdisciplinary degree with students from the Colleges of Health and Human Services; Sciences; Professional Studies and Fine Arts; Arts and Letters, Sciences, and Business eligible to participate. This Degree Program is sponsored by and administered through the College of Sciences.
International
Security and Conflict Resolution Program (ISCOR)
The multidisciplinary International Security and Conflict Resolution Program at SDSU is an undergraduate major that addresses the four themes of Global Systems, Environment and Security, Homeland Security, and Cooperation, Conflict and Conflict Resolution. The ISCOR program offers students a major emphasis and courses in homeland security, both of which analyze the interconnection between international security and homeland security; bridges the legal, policy and technical language differences through an interdisciplinary curriculum; and provides comparative approaches by analyzing the homeland security policies of different countries. These goals are also supported through ISCOR sponsored study abroad courses to countries like Mexico, Guatemala, France, Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands.
Master
of Science in Public Health, Specialization in Global Emergency Preparedness
and Response
A Master of Science (MS) degree program in Public Health with a specialization in Global Emergency Preparedness and Response is offered through the Graduate School of Public Health. This degree is awarded upon completion of 36 credit hours of coursework, including 6 credit hours of independent practicum in the form of a thesis or project as the student culminating experience. This program will appeal to students who are or anticipate being employed in federal, state and local public health agencies or international health agencies, NGOs and private consulting groups, and military agencies for purposes of applied research. The program is intended to equip graduates with specialized leadership skills based upon previously attained advanced degrees. The graduates will meet the national and international demand for applied public health researchers among a workforce dedicated to emergency response, biodefense, and control of infectious disease. The mission of this program is to provide innovative and relevant programs that reflect the changing global public health practice environment of emergency preparedness and response in order to educate a new generation of public health practitioners. Graduates of the M.S. program will have an in-depth understanding of the design and analysis of epidemiologic data; emerging infections; agents linked to bioterrorism; the public health agency and hospital role in preparedness and response, disease surveillance and control; the application of behavioral concepts to culturally appropriate change strategies for health promotion and disease prevention; border and global disease surveillance and control strategies; environmental detection technology; public health law; homeland security; and risk communication. There is a critical need to build an effective, vibrant and strong global public health presence and public health workforce to protect communities and individuals from the consequences of threats uniquely associated with terrorism and other health and welfare emergencies. The program is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in public health by stressing critical multi-disciplinary education and through sequenced and integrated courses necessary to meet the global health threats that affect our social and economic well being and homeland security.
Mobile GIS
This project utilizes mobile GIS application software, global positioning systems, and wireless networking technologies to provide geospatial information services to workers while in the field. This tool has already proven useful to border patrol officials and park rangers by enhancing their abilities to map trails in real-time and respond to emergency situations quickly.
Multiplex Diagnostic Testing for Anthrax Antigen
Bio-Quant, Inc. business philosophy is oriented towards designing cost effective multiplex assays for human blood, urine and tissues that are available to a broad customer base. Bio-Quant, Inc. developed an advanced proprietary version of ELISA technology for quantification of three disease markers at the same time from a single specimen sample. Simultaneous quantification of more than one disease marker allows clinicians to process more blood samples at lower cost with faster, more accurate diagnosis. Bio-Quant, Inc. extended its multiplex capabilities to the diagnosis of B. anthracis infection in humans.
Native American Alliance for
Emergency Preparedness (NAAEP)
The SDSU College of Health and Human Services has recently been awarded the
fourth year of funding from the Indian Health Council Inc, a Tribal Consortium
of 9 Tribes located in North San Diego County. Funding has been received to
develop and implement Emergency Preparedness training workshops for clinicians
from the 30 plus Indian clinics throughout the State of CA. Additional funding
has been received to develop and implement a Clinic Disaster Plan template and
training for all clinics. In addition, NAAEP will implement a pilot project
to attempt to bridge the Disaster Preparedness planning between Indian clinics,
tribes and local casinos. Also, all workshop training materials appear on the
Web site as well as innovative, interactive Disaster Preparedness modules.
Next Generation Intrusion Detection System (IDS)
The Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is a combined sensor and satellite communication technology that provides reliable and cost-effective perimeter defense and monitoring solutions capable of communicating alerts from anywhere in the world. AIRSIS IDS technology is commercially available and is being used to further homeland defense via application to border control and airport perimeter security.
Optically Linked Visualization
Center for Collaborative and Immersive Technologies
The SDSU Immersive Visualization Center, along with another visualization center at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, were the first two optically linked visualization centers of their kind. The visualization center was later connected via the same high bandwidth optical devices to researchers at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), allowing multiple gigabits (2.5 Gbps on single fiber) of data to be shared by the locations in real-time. The visualization center is an evolving prototype visualization and communications center, used to solve scientific and community problems by combining experts and data from around the world in real-time. The lab is especially focused on trying to help solve humanitarian problems regionally, including along the US-Mexico border region, and in Central Asia and the Middle East. It is an ideal center for research and development of Community Communications and Homeland Security applications.
Passive Contraband Screening and Detection System
Trex Enterprises is helping to solve problems with airport security screening methods. Unfortunately a surprising number of potentially dangerous items, e.g. ceramic knives and explosive plastics, easily evade metal detection devices and make it easier for would-be terrorists to exact destruction and a toll in human lives. Trex Enterprises developed the passive millimeter-wave camera contraband detection system (PMCCDS) to detect metallic and non-metallic contraband hidden under clothing.
Portable,
Wireless, Autonoous Field Sensor Stations
Already in use at SDSU's Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve (SMER), these portable sensor stations can be set up and left in place to monitor for a variety of environmental conditions. Off-the-shelf products, such as weather sensors and high-resolution, low power consumption, motion-triggered digital cameras, can be attached to these self-recharging units, which relay information to the Internet via a wireless network connection such as the High-Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (HPWREN).
PPHTC (Pacific Public Health
Training Center)
The PPHTC (Pacific Public Health Training Center) is a consortium of schools of public health, at five major universities including SDSU. The focus of the training center is on general public health preparedness.
Public Information and Communication Services grants
Three phases of funding were received form the County of San Diego from 2003-August 2005. The first phase was the development of risk communication materials and to assist in the training of the media regarding a bioterrorism event. Phase 2 involved the creation of a Disaster/Terrorism Preparedness Media and Assessment Plan and the final phase involved the development of a Public Information and Communication Toolkit to prepare the County Health Dept's Public Information Officers to address the media and the public in the event of a bioterrorism event requiring mass prophylaxis.
Real-time Assessment
of Cognitive Effort
This study uses an off-the-shelf eye tracking system integrated with proprietary technology that allows researchers to take measurements of where a person is looking and how much cognitive effort is required. As well as tracking the eyes as the subject reacts to environmental stimuli, the system also monitors aspects of the eyes, such as pupil dilation, to estimate mental effort.
Real-Time Workload Assessment
EyeTracking, Inc. offers a patented method of evaluating human performance based on eye movement and pupil dilation. It is a hardware and software solution that monitors eye physiology to indicate task-related cognitive ability. Algorithmic analysis of data yields a rich source of information about how a person processes information in a given environment. EyeTracking, Inc. is concentrating on Homeland Security applications to train service personnel in airports, U.S. borders, and maritime shipping and port access.
Wireless Visual Surveillance System
VivaMicro addresses homeland security and commercial security problems by providing managed network video surveillance solutions. VivaMicro offers the ability to see real-time and archived video images using Internet-enabled personal computers. VivaMicro solutions function as low cost surveillance alternatives to quickly access information during emergencies, security breach, or threats to law enforcement. Systems offer portable visual communication capabilities to normally unmonitored areas allowing authorities to easily set up security services for major public events.
