Unisys and Data61 secure global borders

Collaboration to develop an advanced data analytics solution for border security has been undertaken by Unisys Corporation and CSIRO’s Data61.

The system will be designed for automated security risk assessment of travellers and cargo at air, land and sea borders.

It will build on Unisys’s existing large-scale border security analytics capability, available to governments globally.

The research involves assessing anonymised data sets from airlines using analytics and machine learning to identify patterns that indicate potential risks of both traveller intent and cargo contents.

Unisys and Data61 plan to conduct a proof of concept at a major Asian hub with the intention to develop the technology into a product to be made available to governments to secure their international borders.

Unisys works with governments worldwide to secure their air, land and sea borders and facilitate the movement of people and goods, with clients including the Australian Department of Immigration and US Customs and Border Protection.

“The end goal of this international collaboration is to make border security processes more efficient, cost effective and safer for countries around the world,” said Data 61 Chief Executive Adrian Turner.

“It’s one of the ways Data61 is working with industry to translate data-science — in this case, deep analytics and machine learning into a viable product to help deliver economic and societal impact.”

Unisys Global Border Security Director John Kendall said Data61 brought an ideal combination of data science research innovation and deep experience in the transport and logistics sector.

“Most border agencies today rely on human-designed rules to identify suspicious people or cargo,” Kendall said.

“Working with Data61, we are incorporating machine learning and real-time data analytics to reveal the actual intent of travellers and shippers.

“This will allow border agencies to automate the processing of low-risk people and cargo while reserving specialised border security resources for the small percentage of travellers and cargo that present a higher risk profile.”

Image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/Bamlou

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