ARGOS TransGaz Trial

The ARGOS FP7 Project successfully organized the 1^st Field Trial in Bucharest, Romania deploying the CI protection solution under development at the premises of the Romanian company TransGaz. The system testing and demonstration in a properly designed field trial took place between 22^nd and 25^th of June 2015. The trial was attended by several End Users originating from Romania as well by critical infrastructure protection operators and security experts invited from different EU countries.  The scenarios used during the trial dealt with several different types of attacks against a gas plant or installations, in this case the TransGaz facility in the outskirt of Bucharest. For this purpose a mesh network of different types of sensors including vibration and video sensors, as well as Wake-up Cameras were deployed in a buffer zone outside the perimeter of the facility in order to extend the protection of the critical infrastructure (distribution station, gas pipeline) beyond its perimeter from potential intruders.  

Why complex ICT systems should be standardised?

We may not be aware of them, but we use standards every day, in all aspects of our daily lives – in communications, media, healthcare, food, transport, construction, furniture, energy. Standards provide:

ARGOS visual analytics extraction

The processed outputs from many sensors need to be combined in an early warning system for critical infrastructure. Video-based sensors are usually expensive to process but can bring unique information in the system. For example, a car passing by can be identified by both audio and video sensors, but a car arriving at the scene, switching off and remaining there can only be observed by video.

Wake-Up Mode Camera System to Detect Unauthorized Persons and Vehicles

Wake-up mode camera (WUC) system, developed by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, is an innovative form of detecting persons and vehicles. The idea of the camera system is to detect unauthorized objects from camera scenery and send information to background control system.

Traditional detection systems are usually based on one master camera which detects, processes information and gives alarm if unauthorized object are detected. These systems can be power consuming due to heavy image processing algorithms and must therefore be installed near stationary power sources. When monitoring large and wide areas i.e. oil and gas pipe lines, power plants, border lines etc. these systems needs its own infrastructure with cabling and can therefore be too expensive in large scale. However the benefit of these systems is that with one unit it is possible to perform the whole decision chain from detection, object recognition to alarm.