With a long inning with the company, Mohan Manmohar Kakde, Director Projects, Sales & Operations, Rohde & Schwarz India, is a man with deep knowledge and experience of the manufacturing and telecom industry. Over the years Rohde & Schwarz is focusing on the defence market in India having good experience in understanding the nuances of the opportunities against the challenges, found here. Kakde, here speaks about Rohde & Schwarz’s global business strategy, giving particular focus to the introduction of the Quick Personnel Scanner (R&S QPS), with which the company is preparing to conquer the body scanner market in India.
How is R&S business globally? What are the updates?
Across its business fields, R&S is doing satisfactory progress. Especially for Software Defined Radio, company has huge success with German Armed Force. The company has added new business fields like Media solutions, IP based Voice Communication System, Cyber Security solutions, Counter UAV System, Body scanner etc. In addition, the company is consistently striving to be innovative on the technology development, share all the updates with their clientele, media. Today we have invited you all to share information on the body scanner solution from R&S, Quick Personnel Scanner.
Please tell us what the current security aspects are and why is the need of body scanner?
Director Projects,
Sales & Operations, Rohde & Schwarz
Twenty First Century has witnessed unprecedented transformation of security dynamics in the world. Terrorism and extremism have changed the threat perception of states. The old security paradigms are giving way to new ones in which many governments now view global security concerns at the domestic level. Insecurity reflects a combination of threats and vulnerabilities, implying that states can reduce insecurity by either reducing vulnerability or decreasing threats. How the security measures are planned and actually implemented depends on the region, country and the authorities. In this perpective, body scanner in of the key need, which helps human efforts by automated, faster & accurate analysis/results.
Please tell us on the technology used in R&S solution, how safe it is for human body. Any apprehensions on the use?
Body scanners were developed in the early 1990s, operating in the X-ray range, later in microwave range and now on millimeter wave. Previously, body scanners were designed to generate images but this lead to emotionally charged public debate that forced authorities in the US and Europe to change their acceptance regulations. It is now forbidden to display photo-like images at checkpoints. The challenge was to develop a method of detecting suspicious objects fully automatically; millimeter wave technology is the solution, which has rapid image processing system that could reliably filter out anomalies from the measured data for display on an Avita.
What about the shape and convenience at the airports? Does body scanner takes consideration of the emergencies, evacuations etc. How is overall convenience?
The tight spaces common with booth solutions are outdated. R&S solution has visually appealing, space-saving flat panels that can be integrated without barriers into the checkpoint area. The open design gives security personnel an unobstructed view of the entire checkpoint. The scan procedure, considered unpleasant with traditional equipment because passengers are required to hold their hands up in the air as if being stopped by police is now significantly more comfortable for passengers. Arms are slightly spread in a natural pose that is possible even for physically impaired individuals and is considered ethically correct across cultures.
R&S solution has no moving parts hence no stoppage of operation for calibration, it can works run continuously, its noise less. It uses modern technology of multistate principle familiar from radar technology, where the reflected transmit signal is applied to a large number of receive antennas simultaneously; it should provide better illumination of the scanned individual, leading to an improved quality of detection. R&S has used their core strength of RF technology and German engineering in their solution.
Will you please elaborate on the RF technology you have mentioned?
Traditional microwave scanners illuminate objects at frequencies below 30 GHz. In contrast, R&S system achieve higher spatial resolution as it operates in the millimeter wave frequency band between 70 GHz and 80 GHz, the band also used by vehicle parking sensors. At about 1 mW, the peak transmit power is approximately three orders of magnitude lower than that of cellphone emissions and is almost undetectable in the spot where the scanned person stands.
How the technology adoption globally? What is R&S success?
Any change takes some time, depending on the area of implementation, economics it will take short, moderate or long time. Body scanners are fast adopted in America, Europe, now picking up in Asia. The benefits of R&S solution are well understood & appreciated by the end users and decision makes, the success is picking up.
Last but not the least, how will you summarize R&S solution and what are the plans for India?
Rohde & Schwarz opens a new chapter for body scanners. Innovative hardware and software solutions satisfy the requirements of operators responsible for airport security while meeting passenger expectations to the greatest extent possible. Operators can integrate the space-saving devices into the checkpoint area without barriers to ensure high passenger throughput. Passengers experience a comfortable and non-discriminatory scan procedure. Body scanners have immense applications & need in other segments e.g. parliament, state assemblies, defense& security organizations, key establishments, exhibitions and seminars, hospitality etc.
