Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ENTRANCE (EfficieNT Risk-bAsed iNspection of freight Crossing bordErs without disrupting business)
Reporting period: 2020-10-01 to 2022-03-31
ENTRANCE aims to develop and validate a comprehensive user-based toolbox for risk-based non-intrusive inspection (NII) of cross-border freight movements, with particular focus on the EU Customs Union border, in order to enhance border security practitioners’ capabilities to protect society against a wide range of dangerous and illicit materials with minimum disruption of cross-border flow of goods.
ENTRANCE will deliver five major results which will constitute the ENTRANCE Toolbox and objectives:
1. ENTRANCE Automated Risk Assessment, Threat Recognition and Information Sharing Platform (ENARTIS) bringing together all risk assessment and threat detection data into a single integrated, automated and secure platform to allow for risk-based control of all cargo.
2. Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies for detecting contraband hidden in high-density cargo in open railway wagons combining two novel automated first-line techniques for in-motion detection of contraband, and a second-line technique to provide more information if required.
3. Enhanced relocatable unit for non-intrusive detection of multiple threats with more efficient detection of a larger number of dangerous and illegal goods comprising several NII technologies.
4. Developed Trans-European network of Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) for passive detection of illicit nuclear and radioactive (NR) materials combining detection facilities of different types and technologies.
5. Novel high-speed RPM detection technology for passive detection of NR with minimal disturbance of flow.
ENTRANCE will deliver five major results which will constitute the ENTRANCE Toolbox and objectives:
1. ENTRANCE Automated Risk Assessment, Threat Recognition and Information Sharing Platform (ENARTIS) bringing together all risk assessment and threat detection data into a single integrated, automated and secure platform to allow for risk-based control of all cargo.
2. Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies for detecting contraband hidden in high-density cargo in open railway wagons combining two novel automated first-line techniques for in-motion detection of contraband, and a second-line technique to provide more information if required.
3. Enhanced relocatable unit for non-intrusive detection of multiple threats with more efficient detection of a larger number of dangerous and illegal goods comprising several NII technologies.
4. Developed Trans-European network of Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) for passive detection of illicit nuclear and radioactive (NR) materials combining detection facilities of different types and technologies.
5. Novel high-speed RPM detection technology for passive detection of NR with minimal disturbance of flow.
In the first period of the project, the ENTRANCE consortium has developed all necessary tools to succeed in the achievement of its objectives and has demonstrated motivation and engagement to overpass the difficulties encountered.
Evaluating the needs and functional requirements of customs makes significant progress in identifying the policy and operational context for the project. Data sharing agreement between customs partners has progressed at slower than planned pace and some alternatives are proposed to developed the ENARTIS tool.
Acquisition of Lidar data has been completed and first tests have proved that the accuracy of distance measurement was compatible with the required accuracy for volume measurements. Mechanics of the SRI camera have been completed and the detectors have been built and tested. The gantry to support the equipment to be developed is designed and ordered.
As concerns TNIS hardware, extensively experimental tests and hardware improvements have been performed. Studies via MC and experimental tests have been done for calculation of the dose rate maps in view of implementation in UC2 field trials. New artificial intelligence tools have been studied to help identification of materials, decision making software. A new tool starting from the energy calibration to the elemental characterization has been prepared. The development of X-ray imaging for enhanced depth and material discrimination using new software tools has been successfully started and demonstrated its potentiality.
An MCNP6 model of the photofission measurement was developed and validated experimentally at 9 MeV at the SAPHIR platform at CEA. This model was used to evaluate the performances of the technique at 7 MeV with a 40 feet cargo with 3He detectors. This sensitivity can improve by 20 % when operating at 160 Hz and is expected to improve by 50 % if the blinding time at 7 MeV is experimentally confirmed to be around 2 ms.
The RPM network monitoring system is installed, and RPM data files can be sent. The first two RPMs will be connected to the network in the coming months. A lot of work has been carried in software development but is not yet with visible results. The RPM control unit will be ready soon for the implementation of the High Speed and NORM identification algorithms and for the preparation of laboratory tests.
The first version of the ENARTIS platform has been setup in SMITHSD premises. For now, since we have not been able yet to access data from our customs partners, the system have limited capability. The alternative solution is to work with generate simulated data. The first results are there. Used together these two tools should allow use to demonstrate the benefit of using federated learning for collaborating in ENARTIS.
Several visits of the field test sites took place, gathering the technical partners involved and the local customs partners. These visits allowed mapping the areas where the tests will be conducted and the location of equipment; to identify technical needs to be anticipated; and to launch and advance the licencing procedures with customs partners (which should be completed by the third quarter of 2022).
Overall, most expectations for Period 1 have been met, as regards simulation, equipment definition and furniture, algorithm development, measurement efficiency and laboratory qualification.
Evaluating the needs and functional requirements of customs makes significant progress in identifying the policy and operational context for the project. Data sharing agreement between customs partners has progressed at slower than planned pace and some alternatives are proposed to developed the ENARTIS tool.
Acquisition of Lidar data has been completed and first tests have proved that the accuracy of distance measurement was compatible with the required accuracy for volume measurements. Mechanics of the SRI camera have been completed and the detectors have been built and tested. The gantry to support the equipment to be developed is designed and ordered.
As concerns TNIS hardware, extensively experimental tests and hardware improvements have been performed. Studies via MC and experimental tests have been done for calculation of the dose rate maps in view of implementation in UC2 field trials. New artificial intelligence tools have been studied to help identification of materials, decision making software. A new tool starting from the energy calibration to the elemental characterization has been prepared. The development of X-ray imaging for enhanced depth and material discrimination using new software tools has been successfully started and demonstrated its potentiality.
An MCNP6 model of the photofission measurement was developed and validated experimentally at 9 MeV at the SAPHIR platform at CEA. This model was used to evaluate the performances of the technique at 7 MeV with a 40 feet cargo with 3He detectors. This sensitivity can improve by 20 % when operating at 160 Hz and is expected to improve by 50 % if the blinding time at 7 MeV is experimentally confirmed to be around 2 ms.
The RPM network monitoring system is installed, and RPM data files can be sent. The first two RPMs will be connected to the network in the coming months. A lot of work has been carried in software development but is not yet with visible results. The RPM control unit will be ready soon for the implementation of the High Speed and NORM identification algorithms and for the preparation of laboratory tests.
The first version of the ENARTIS platform has been setup in SMITHSD premises. For now, since we have not been able yet to access data from our customs partners, the system have limited capability. The alternative solution is to work with generate simulated data. The first results are there. Used together these two tools should allow use to demonstrate the benefit of using federated learning for collaborating in ENARTIS.
Several visits of the field test sites took place, gathering the technical partners involved and the local customs partners. These visits allowed mapping the areas where the tests will be conducted and the location of equipment; to identify technical needs to be anticipated; and to launch and advance the licencing procedures with customs partners (which should be completed by the third quarter of 2022).
Overall, most expectations for Period 1 have been met, as regards simulation, equipment definition and furniture, algorithm development, measurement efficiency and laboratory qualification.
Customs authorities today are moving to systems that are more automated and integrated into the logistic flow where novel risk-assessment, ATR and NII techniques play an increasingly important role. ENTRANCE will represent an important and innovative step forward by taking a comprehensive approach where technologies are developed beyond the state of the art and combined to leverage their complementary strengths. ENTRANCE will implement self-contained technology components that can operate as system nodes that are compatible with a complete range of applications, and develop a beyond the state-of-the-art integrated toolbox for risk-based NII of cross-border cargo for more efficient detection of a larger number of threats and illegal goods, with higher levels of automation and minimal disturbance of flow.
ENTRANCE expects to ensure the take up of project results by continuously interacting with stakeholder groups, with a focus on the customs community and other relevant law enforcement agents, as well as to deliver technical and operational guidelines, recommendations and best practices and improve current data-driven risk assessment of EU customs.
ENTRANCE accomplishments should contribute to a better protection of the safety and financial interests of the EU and its citizens. ENTRANCE will also contribute to EU competitiveness in the global market for threat detection systems, by proposing several products/add-ons with new functionalities, new capabilities and enhanced performance beyond what is already available on the market – thus creating new business opportunities.
ENTRANCE expects to ensure the take up of project results by continuously interacting with stakeholder groups, with a focus on the customs community and other relevant law enforcement agents, as well as to deliver technical and operational guidelines, recommendations and best practices and improve current data-driven risk assessment of EU customs.
ENTRANCE accomplishments should contribute to a better protection of the safety and financial interests of the EU and its citizens. ENTRANCE will also contribute to EU competitiveness in the global market for threat detection systems, by proposing several products/add-ons with new functionalities, new capabilities and enhanced performance beyond what is already available on the market – thus creating new business opportunities.