Ongoing joint projects:

ACDC-AC: AC detector chip to protect emergency services

Funding codes 13N15095 to 13N15101
In the event of a fire in a chemical plant or traffic accidents involving dangerous goods, chemical or even radioactive hazardous substances can be released. This poses a particular challenge for emergency personnel, as they do not have the necessary technology to detect the hazardous substances. In the ACDC project, a system based on a silicon chip is to be developed that can detect both radioactive radiation and a defined selection of chemical hazardous substances. The low-cost production and the small size of the system will enable emergency services to be equipped with a such a device.

More information (only available in German)

      

ARMIHN: Adaptive resilience management in ports

Funding codes 13N14923 to 13N14925
Cruise ship landgangpassengers can come into contact with a wide variety of pathogens during shore leave and spread them throughout the ship. Cruise ships are also a potential target for terrorist attacks with biological weapons. Particular problems for first responders during major incidents in ports are for example longer approaches or limited accessibility due to restricted areas and limited space. The ARMIHN project aims at an improvement of the resilience of the port and the capacity to act in the event of an infectiological emergency situation. To this end, coordinated concepts and adaptive training modules for first responders to react to a major incident will be developed. Both will be tested in an exercise in the port of Hamburg.

ARMIHN project outline (PDF, only available in German)

       

ARTUS: Automatic transcription of maritime radio communication for mission coordination

Funding codes 13N15018 to 13N15020

Broadband connections are often not reliably available at sea. The use of VHF radio is therefore used to coordinate search and rescue operations. Due to the limited range of VHF radio and reduced audio quality, messages are often transmitted incompletely. In addition, misunderstandings can occur due to dialects and different nationalities. Thus, communication with the radio station during emergencies can be difficult. The ARTUS project aims to develop a system for maritime search and rescue services which automatically transcribes voice messages and reliably allocates stations.

More information (only available in German)

       

AUDEO: Audio-based country of origin identification of migrants

Funding codes 13N15066 to 13N15068
The determination of the origin of non-cooperating migrants is costly and requires a high level of staff deployment. AUDEO is developing a novel technical method of assignment based on software-based language and dialect analysis. In order to achieve a certainty of assignment of at least 90% and legal validity, this is coupled with vocal emotion recognition, which is intended to detect attempts at deception. The approach is complemented by dialect and knowledge tests based on regional studies.

AUDEO project outline (PDF, only available in German)

         

Besson: Description-based search for people at airports in video data

Funding codes 13N14918 to 13N14919
At present, video images of suspects in the security control centre of an airport are visually evaluated by the operator. Time- and security-critical search queries are mostly based on personal descriptions. To date, there are no intelligent evaluation procedures for video recordings regarding this task. The Besson project will therefore develop a demonstrator for feature-based search for persons in video data. Based on an existing software solution, new algorithms and filter functions will be developed and tested. As soon as a wanted person has been identified and confirmed by an operator, it should be possible to localise him or her precisely using face or person recognition functions. The project will be accompanied by an intensive legal analysis, as data protection issues are crucial for the successful implementation of the project goals.

Besson project outline (PDF, only available in German)

        

BEST: Interrogation standards for Germany

Funding codes 13N14942 to 13N14944
According to police crime statistics, several million crimes are committed nationwide every year. In order to solve these crimes, witnesses, persons involved in the crime and, if applicable, victims have to be interviewed. A competent interrogation is of utmost importance because mistakes during the questioning can lead to wrong conclusions about suspected facts and persons. The aim of the BEST project is to develop standards for interrogations in the police and business sector. For this purpose, different interview methods will first be examined and frequently occurring errors will be analysed. The results will be transferred into guidelines and guidelines so that they can be directly implemented in police and business interrogations.

BEST project outline (PDF, only available in German)

        

COMBI: Computer-based forensic motion analysis for the identification of persons

Funding codes 13N15640 to 13N15642

The jewel heist in Dresden's Green Vault and the theft of a 100-kilogram gold coin from the Bode Museum in Berlin are examples of how limited the possibilities are of clearly identifying suspects from footage from existing camera surveillance. Although footage was available in both cases, its value for law enforcement was limited. The ability to obtain unique biometric data from facial features is limited by the quality of the images, and identification can be prevented with masks or scarves. New methods must be developed to solve such crimes. In COMBI, the goal is to ascertain whether and how information can be obtained from surveillance footage that allows for the forensic identification of suspects on the basis of physical features.

COMBI project outline (PDF, only available in German)

    

ESCAPE: Multiscalar microscopic simulations of visitor flows at major simultaneous events

Funding codes 13N15162 to 13N15164
In numerous major German cities, public festivals, concerts and public viewing events are held simultaneously and in close proximity to each other, attracting thousands of visitors. The organisers' security and escape concepts currently only take into account the respective event they are responsible for. The overall objective of ESCAPE is to provide security authorities throughout Germany with a manageable simulation tool to enable them to analyse the safety-relevant interactions of major events taking place in parallel. Security planners, organisers, as well as police, fire brigade or infrastructure operators receive the same information and can plan the implementation of major events in a targeted, fast and efficient manner.

ESCAPE project outline (PDF, only available in German)

               

EVOK: Real-time on-site reconnaissance and mission monitoring

Funding codes 13N14805 to 13N14807
In the case of hostage-taking and similar situations, rapid and professional action by the police, especially in buildings, is made difficult by the fact that only the criminals are well aware of their surroundings. Therefore, the most accurate and comprehensive reconnaissance of the situation is of decisive importance for the success of the operation. The EVOK project therefore aims to develop a system for real-time situational awareness that allows the creation of a 3D model of the surroundings during an ongoing operation. In addition to special software algorithms, mission-capable sensors will also be adapted so that they can be mounted both on autonomous reconnaissance systems and on the equipment of special forces.

EVOK project outline (PDF, only available in German)

      

HyFi-RTW: Sustainable hygiene in the ambulance service

Funding codes 13N15330 to 13N15331
The operational readiness of ambulances makes a decisive contribution to ensuring fast and safe transport in an emergency. In order not to put people at additional risk during transport by possible germs, such as bacteria or viruses, ambulances must meet high hygiene standards. The aim of the research project is to develop durable coatings which actively contribute to reducing the germ load in ambulances and at the same time help to reduce the cleaning work required after the use of an ambulance by means of easy-to-clean effects. The coatings to be researched should be easy to apply subsequently by the emergency personnel of the ambulance itself, so that vehicles already in operation can be coated accordingly.

HyFi-RTW project outline (PDF, only available in German)

      

HoWa-innovativ: Early flood warnings for small river basins using innovative methods to measure and predict rainfall

Funding codes 13N14824 bis 13N14826

As a result of climate change, there has been a considerable increase in floods and heavy rain in recent years. A particularly serious problem are flash floods, which are often limited to one small area. Currently, it is practically impossible to provide precise forecasts of where will be affected and when. Consequently, the emergency services and the local population receive little advance warning. The HoWa-innovativ project will implement a new type of measuring method to determine local rainfall intensity using commercial radio links in the mobile network. Precise precipitation runoff models, based on the individual surface profile, will also be produced for particularly high-risk areas to provide a realistic visualisation of possible flooding patterns. The end result will be a reliable early warning system that makes forecasting easier, gives longer warnings and supports local disaster-response measures.

HoWa-innovativ project outline (PDF, only available in German)

     

INERSIKI: Developing instruments to assess  urban security concerns of children and young adults

Funding codes 13N15007 to 13N15009
The security needs of children and adolescents have so far received little attention in research. The aim of the INERSIKI project is to improve the security of children and adolescents in urban areas. To this end, suitable methods such as expert interviews, workshops and survey concepts are being developed. The goal is to gain in-depth knowledge of the security concerns of minors in public and semi-public spaces . The results are to contribute to the improvement of urban crime prevention as well as the operational planning of police and municipal actors and independent organizations.

INERSIKI project outline (PDF,only available in German)

      

InLaSeD: Indoor situational awareness for special task forces using drones

Funding codes 13N14793 to 13N14795
Special police forces are often faced with the challenge of having to enter an unknown building where perpetrators and possibly other people such as hostages are present. In such situations, the use of drones can enable rapid and efficient situation awareness without putting members of the police force in danger. The joint project InLaSeD aims to expand the operational capability of unmanned aerial systems in such a way that special task forces can use them to explore potentially dangerous situations indoors. The research results are continuously incorporated into tactical procedures for special forces and tested in exercises.

InLaSeD project outline (PDF, only available in German)

              

ISIKOS: Innovative security checks

Funding codes  13N14869 bis 13N14870

To protect air traffic from terrorist attack, passengers and their hand luggage undergo extensive checks before any flight. However, passenger volumes have soared, resulting in increasing bottlenecks at airport security. Hand luggage is often easy for criminals to access, and the queues are a potential target for terrorist attacks. ISIKOS is based on the idea of completely separating passenger checks and hand-luggage checks, resulting in safer, more efficient logistics for airport security checks.  

ISIKOS project outline (PDF, only available in German)

          

LATERAN: Leaking as a warning signal for terrorist threats and attacks

Funding codes 13N14884 to 13N14886
The terrorist attack in Berlin, the explosives attack in Essen and the riots at the G20 summit in Hamburg have affected the population's sense of security. The prevention of such acts is difficult, but possible, because there is often advance notice, so-called leaking. The aim of LATERAN is therefore to investigate leaking in crimes motivated by Islamism as well as right-wing and left-wing extremism. To this end, project-relevant cases in Germany in from 2001 till 2018 will first be researched and analysed. Recognised leaking and its manifestations will be recorded and evaluated. The research results will be incorporated into training materials that will be made available to the police, in particular to the state and constitutional protection offices.

More information (only available in German)

        

LUPE+: Recognizing signs of life in people trapped under debris

Funding codes 13N15157 to 13N15159
After the collapse of buildings, such as in cases  of gas explosions or earthquakes, there is often a race against time. Available technologies currently do not allow for the targeted location of people, so that the rubble has to be systematically searched, which is very time-consuming and oftentimes puts emergency personnel in danger. LUPE+ is concerned with the development of a system of networked radar modules which can be distributed with a drone in the search area. The aim is to detect and localise persons by means of characteristic patterns in the reflection signals, for example those caused by heartbeat or breathing.

More information (only available in German)

       

mobiLaS: Mobile laser-cutting system to assist in deactivation of IEDs and securing of evidence

Funding codes 13N14489 to 13N14491

Luggage is often left unattended at stations, in public spaces or in buildings. When there are good grounds to suspect that an improvised explosive or incendiary device (IED) is involved, the disposal squad is faced with the challenge of examining the item thoroughly in situ in order to draw reliable conclusions as to the potential risk. The aim of the mobiLaS joint project is to develop a mobile laser-cutting system with which disposal squads can open suspicious items safety and without destroying evidence. The intention is that it will allow the casing of the suspected IEDs to be removed in a controlled manner, giving the specialists direct access to the source of the danger.

mobiLaS project outline (PDF, only available in German)

            

NANObeST: Nano-probes based rapid analysis of drinking water in crisis situations

Funding codes 13N15252 to 13N15254
The provision of drinking water is one of the most important tasks in a crisis. To this end, it must be ensured that potential sources of water do not contain harmful germs or toxins. The overall objective of NANObeST is the research, testing and establishment of a mobile rapid analysis system for the detection of various microbial contaminants in water samples within two hours. By means of these analytical methods, it should be possible to detect and quantify microbial contamination of water sources within a very short timeframe. If successful, microbial pathogens in drinking water can thus be detected quickly and reliably. The routine monitoring of drinking water quality can also be accelerated considerably compared to established methods.

NANObeST project outline (PDF, only available in German)

            

NotAs: Multilingual emergency call assistant: emergency calls support through AI-based language processing

Funding codes 13N15446 to 13N15448

Germany is one of the most important transit countries in Europe shipment of goods and home to many people of diverse origins. When people of immigrant descent get into an emergency situation, calls for help are often made in their native language. In order to understand these calls for help correctly and to initiate the necessary measures as quickly as possible, the personnel in emergency control centers need support. The goal of the NotAs project is to enable emergency personnel in control centers to quickly and correctly record calls for help in different languages by means of a computer-assisted emergency call receiving and processing system using suitable AI methods.

More information (only available in German)

    

PaRis: Care as a risk - ways to prevent and prosecute violent crimes against people in need of care

Funding codes 13N15160 und 13N15161
The number of people in need of care is constantly increasing. This also increases the risk that such people will be neglected or even subjected to physical violence. Those affected are usually no longer able to draw attention to themselves, which is why such acts often go undetected. The PaRis project aims to improve the prevention of violent crimes against elderly people in need of care. The goal is to establish efficient networking structures between law enforcement agencies, healthcare and nursing facilities leading to higher opportunities for solving crime.

More information (only available in German)

          

PflegeForensik: Effective prosecution of nursing fraud through automated image processing

Funding codes 13N15638 to 13N15639

People in need of care are highly dependent on the support and care provided by relatives, friends or care services. This also entails risks, especially if care is not provided at all or is inadequate. Often, a lack of services is also accompanied by care fraud, e.g. when care is billed but not provided or care is not provided professionally due to inadequate qualifications. The PflegeForensik project focuses on an intelligent support system for the automated recognition, recording and evaluation of data for the investigation of suspected care fraud by the investigating authorities. The goal is to enable law enforcement agencies to uncover such cases more quickly and to prevent increases in care fraud. This serves above all to improve the protection and care of people in need of long-term care.

PflegeForensik project outline (PDF, only available in German)

  

SiKoPeG: Security screening of groups of people

Funding codes 13N14848 to 13N14850
Railway stations, airports, event locations or public buildings are frequented by thousands of people every day. Due to their central location and function, these places are vulnerable to threats, e.g. from terrorist attacks. In SiKoPeG, the aim is to develop a scanner system, which will allow groups of people to be checked for dangerous objects at railway stations and other critical points. Initially, the focus will be on developing the technical and algorithmic fundamentals based on radar procedures and methods of artificial intelligence. At the same time, the system’s exact positioning will be evaluated so that it can automatically detect dangerous objects. The protection of personal rights and data protection aspects will be ensured within the project.

SiKoPeG project outline (PDF, only available in German)

            

SUREK: License plate recognition via super-resolution and artificial intelligence

Funding codes 13N15318 to 13N15320
The evaluation of video material is an important tool for forensic work. The identification of motor vehicles based on their registration number plays a particularly important role in the investigation of many crimes. At present, however, many video analyses do not lead to any usable results. The combined use of innovative video processing methods and artificial intelligence is intended to read license plates which are no longer visible to the naked eye. With the help of the digital forensic method developed in SUREK, it will be possible to considerably accelerate and improve police forensics.

SUREK project outline (PDF, only available in German)

              

TalSich: Dam protection

Funding codes 13N15172 and 13N15173
Germany has 356 large dams. More than 100 of these dams are sources of drinking water and thus represent an infrastructure that is especially worth protecting. However, dams that are used for energy production also require special protection. The TalSich project develops technical solutions for threats to dams with a special focus on those parts that remain underwater. The project investigates the extent to which the latest technical developments in underwater sensor systems and robotics can be adapted to the special challenges to the protection of dams.

TalSich project outline (PDF, only available in German)

            

VirtualDisaster: Virtual reality for tele-assignment management in complex operational situations and large-scale events

Funding codes 13N15154 to 13N15156
Major incidents with many injured people pose a great challenge for command and emergency personnel. Especially at the beginning, it is particularly difficult to get an overview of the situation, for example to request the necessary resources and to start rescuing and treating the injured as quickly as possible. The aim of VirtualDisaster is to develop a concept for a tele-operation manager who is not on site but supports the emergency personnel on site, similar to an emergency physician. To this end, several 360° cameras will be deployed at the scene of an accident by means of unmanned aircraft to create a 3D reconstruction of the scene of the accident. By means of virtual reality, the tele-assignment command will be able to move around the scene of the accident and monitor individual sections of the operation.

Virtual Disaster project outline (PDF, only available in German)

                  

WACHMANN: WLAN-based specifications recording of mobile devices close to crime scenes to combat property crime

Funding codes 13N15357 to 13N15359

Home burglaries leave citizens with a feeling of insecurity. For investigators, tracking and tracing burglars is a major challenge. Gangs of criminals who commit burglaries are mobile and exploit national and jurisdictional borders. Their good technical equipment and preparation often allows them to commit meticulously planned burglaries and escape undetected. The WACHMANN project aims to create a so-called distributed sensor network through the technical continued development of WLAN routers.

More information (only available in German)

      

Closed joint projects

AKTIO: Crime prevention as a security task

Funding codes 13N15147 to 13N15148
In municipal crime prevention, regional crime analyses are the basis for an  effective strategy, in addition to the networking of police, municipalities and citizens. The targeted evaluation and correct interpretation of the large amount of police crime data enables a regional focus to be set in crime prevention. The aim of the AKTIO project is to show the police new ways of combating local crime. For four selected Hessian municipalities, available data on criminal activity will be evaluated and compared with the results of a citizen survey on the subjective feeling of security and crime experience. In collaboration with representatives of these communities, regional crime hotspots will be identified on the basis of the data analysis.

AKTIO project outline (PDF, only available in German)

                    

ATHEBOS: Analysis of tactical and operational errors in operations involving authorities and organisations that perform security tasks

Funding codes  13N14432 to 13N14434

The mistakes made by emergency personnel during an operation are often not recognised, recorded or evaluated. Structured analyses and a professional error culture are currently not particularly well established in authorities and organisations that perform security tasks. However, they can help to identify problems early on and thus to continuously improve processes. The aim of the ATHEBOS project was to detect and evaluate tactical and operational errors in firefighting operations. To this end, the researchers will look at real-life operations and targeted drills. The results of their work will be used to draw up guidelines on how to handle errors and improve error culture.

ATHEBOS project outline (PDF, only available in German)

       

Brückenwächter: Automated rerouting and control system for the protection of bridges in need of repair

Funding codes  13N14534 to 13N14536

An increasing number of goods required for production processes are delivered “just in time” with no warehousing. In addition, consumers are buying more and more products online for home delivery. As a result, the number of heavy goods vehicles on German roads is rising. At the same time, bridges are ageing and, increasingly, no longer able to cope with the ever-higher volume of traffic. The Brückenwächter project is working on an interactive road sign system that would help protect damaged bridges effectively against heavy goods traffic without significant police resources having to be used. It will thus develop an energy autonomous, transportable system with which to identify individual HGVs and communicate via LED road signs with drivers who violate bridge bans.

Brückenwächter project outline (PDF, only available in German)

       

CELIDON: Support of rescue workers by localisation in training and rescue operations

Funding codes 13N15011 to 13N15013

Firefighters are often exposed to extreme conditions when on duty. Orientation is particularly difficult when there is a lot of smoke inside buildings, which increases the danger for firefighters to be separated from each other. In the CELIDON project, a localisation system is to be developed which shows the location of the firefighters via an Augmented Reality Display integrated into the breathing mask, thus preventing them from being separated.

More information (only available in German)

             

INNOVARU: Innovative vulnerability and risk assessment of urban areas against flooding

Funding codes 13N14929 to 13N14931
The European Flood Risk Management Directive mandates that the German federal states regularly assess risks posed by water bodies and the protective measures to guarantee the effective use of available resources. However, the methods used to determine possible damage are not particularly precise and usually underestimate the actual costs. The INNOVARU project is developing a realistic, practice-oriented model for the monetary assessment of potential flood damage. In addition to determining local flood risks, it also takes into account the vulnerability of individual buildings for the first time. The new method will be validated on the basis of real damage values of past events in three medium-sized test areas.

INNOVARU project outline (PDF, only available in German)

     

INSITU: Optimised prosecution using mobile computers for in situ description of complex situations

Funding codes  13N14813 to 13N14814

In the aftermath of an attack or a break-in, the police investigators assess and document the scene of the crime. This is very demanding work since every situation is different and the time pressure makes it difficult to ensure standardised, full documentation. The INSITU project will develop a system that facilitates full digital documentation and processing of all crime-scene information. Thanks to automatically stored additional information, such as when the photograph was taken and from what position, data from different sources (such as photos, audio recordings or notes) can be combined in an intelligent manner. The aim for the future is that the INSITU system will enable paper-based documentation to be replaced by state-of-the-art digital documentation.  

More information (only available in German)

       

NE-Offensive: Research for antimicrobial coatings for casualty wards

Funding codes  13N14389 and 13N14390

The past two decades have seen a major rise in the incidence of hospital infections and the associated development of multi-resistant pathogens. In Germany, roughly 10,000 to 15,000 patients die of these infections every year. The “NE offensive” joint project was thus looking to develop surface coatings with permanent antimicrobial action as an effective way of supplementing the extensive and time-consuming conventional hygiene measures that have to be taken in hospitals, especially in high-traffic areas such as casualty wards. The aim was to prevent the spread of harmful pathogens in hospitals.

More information (only available in German)

            

RAUPE: Robust outdoor microphone array for police use

Funding codes  13N14450 to 13N14452

Germany’s police forces have various tools and methods at their disposal for their anti-terrorism and law enforcement work, based on enforcement powers granted by the law. In certain scenarios, law enforcement authorities need technical support systems such as microphones arranged at defined distances from one another. The RAUPE joint project was working on a robust recording system that would improve the quality of recordings but also significantly reduce recording of uninvolved parties’ conversations. The intention was that this will enable an improved police response to international terrorism threats while also protecting uninvolved parties.

RAUPE project outline (PDF, only available in German)

           

RISKANT: Risk analysis of individuals at risk of perpetrating attacks motivated by Islamic extremism

Funding codes  13N14460 to 13N14462

Europe has recently been the scene of fatal attacks motivated by Islamic extremism. Because of the number of militant Salafis, police are faced with the challenge of having to properly assess the risk they pose and taking targeted action to reduce the risk of major attacks. The aim of the RISKANT project is to develop a system with which the risk of a major attack can be analysed. The system will have two parts, starring with a risk assessment based on standardised questions. The second part will examine more closely the individuals judged to be high risk in the first part.

RISKANT project outline (PDF, only available in German)

        

RITUN: Resilient road tunnels

Funding codes  13N14864 bis 13N14865

Tunnels are core components of Germany’s national road network. The links they provide form the basis for individual mobility and transport of supplies to private households and businesses. Tunnel closures cause major economic damage and congestion. The RITUN project will begin by identifying and assessing the impact of tunnel incidents on the traffic situation and then develop a method to assess the tunnel’s remaining capacity. At the same time, the project will devise structural, operational and organisational measures to help maintain a defined flow of traffic following an incident. The developed methods will be tested in a new-build project.

RITUN project outline (PDF, only available in German)

            

SIRIUS: Simulation-based risk analysis for bomb disposal unit operations in urban areas

Funding codes  13N14640 to 13N14642

During the world wars, some 1.3 million tonnes of bombs were dropped over Germany. In 2016, 238 dud bombs were found in North Rhine-Westphalia alone. As they still pose a considerable threat to the population, the area around the site where they are found is evacuated over a large area during defusing. In the joint project SIRIUS, a software tool for site-specific hazard analysis is being developed for the defusing of aerial bombs. The project utilizes 3D city models in combination with physical simulations of the propagation of the pressure wave and the fragmentation flight. The results will enable the explosive ordnance disposal services to precisely determine the danger zone around the location of an unexploded bomb in a short time and on site. This is expected to lead to fewer people being evacuated and important infrastructures remaining in operation during the disposal.

More information (only available in German)

           

WuKAS: Knowledge and competence transfer in occupational health and safety for ad-hoc volunteers

Funding codes 13N14836 and 13N14836
In addition to trained volunteers, an increasing number of so-called ad-hoc volunteers (Spontahelfer in German) are working with commitment and on a larger scale to cope with very dangerous emergency situations. However, there are organisational and legal deficits from the point of view of occupational health and safety, as ad-hoc volunteers, in contrast to trained volunteers, have neither sound professional training nor have received legally compliant guidance in terms of occupational health and safety. The safety of ad-hoc volunteers during their work has the highest priority. In order to enable rescue organisations to safely guide ad-hoc volunteers, the WuKAS project has developed practical recommendations to ensure the health and safety of ad-hoc volunteers in action.

More information (only available in German)