innovations in automated border crossing ::

IBM Executive Forum - October 2008

three years on…

international traffic still increasing despite rising cost and unpleasant experience

poverty/greed motivating trafficking, smuggling and cross-border crime

world instability still motivating migration

unified UK Border Force must check every person entering the UK – for prohibited goods, VAT/BTW & duty, identity, eligibility, harm

majority of passengers are welcome, so the checking process needs to be quick and convenient, while identifying the minority who are ‘the needle in the haystack’

difficult, as passengers’ expectations -and numbers - continue to rise

Increased freight traffic / vehicles

over 85% of passengers arriving in the UK are EU citizens – at some ports 93% EEA.

human inspection methods (eyes, ears, feel, intuition) no longer an easy option

need for solutions which are industrial-scale, lightly-supervised –even unattended and remote

transfer the responsibility for border clearance to passengers and port operators

information technology, scanners and biometrics new enablers

uninvited migration, smuggling, terrorism and crime are the challenges

e-Borders & e-BOC

body and freight scanners

IRIS, MiSense, project Faro

remote clearance

other technologies

• biometrics

• one-to-one, one-to-many

• trusted traveller

• authenticated traveller

• electro-magnetic scanning

• passive radiation

• profiling / automatic selection

• wireless, secure communications

• mobile operation

• remote audio/visual/data interaction

project faro

In the UK, although we are not part of the Schengen agreement, non-British EEA nationals are welcome and free to enter without formal permission

British and EEA are the majority of our passengers

Some of them are suspects and some need to be examined/arrested

In the next few years most with hold e-Passports

project faro

e-Passports contain electronic text and images and the data is electronically signed

the RFIDs can be authenticated

biometrics can link the passenger’s body to the passport

EEA governments can be trusted to issue passports only to their own citizens

project faro

check the passport is authentic

read MRZ and RFID contents quickly and accurately

Match the face of the passenger to the image in the RFID

ensure watchlist suspects are identified

project faro

Singapore, Hong Kong ,Kuala Lumpur, Lisbon, Vancouver, tel Aviv, Amsterdam, London…

Systems tend to be for ‘trusted travellers’ who are pre-enrolled, security-checked and approved by border control agencies

What about ordinary citizens of trusted countries?

Does everyone need detailed examination by human officers?

project faro

Opportunity for joint projects with private sector organisations such as port operators and carriers

current trial at Manchester Airport using commercial off-the-shelf products already used in Portugal –MAplc – UKBA majority contributor to costs

proposed trial at Stansted Airport, bespoke system developed by BAA –UKBA minority contributor to costs

project faro - Manchester

proof of concept

set of 5 e-Passport gates in T1 arrivals, adult EEA citizens with e-Passports only

requires link to a classified government watchlist – hardware made part of the security domain of the database system

test-bed for technology, e-Passports, new procedures, policies, staff working conditions

project faro - Manchester

installed July 2008

initial training/testing period

Soft launch 10 August, 0600-2200

Visit by Home Secretary 19 August

publicity campaign to start soon

project faro - Manchester

So far 35.000 passengers have been invited to enter

testing/spoofing attempts continuing

Experience leading to software and procedural changes

full report within six months

the future?

multi-modal identification systems, using biometrics from other existing systems

automatic entry systems – validating and authenticating documents, RFIDs and visa/residence details in real time

remote and unattended entry-exit systems to extend agency reach without extra staff

multi-purpose systems – immigration, customs declaration, vehicle safety, anti-smuggling, people-detection, quarantine inspections

questions…

answers