Smiths Detection and Riskaware join forces to develop next generation CBRN solution

Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies, and a business of Smiths Group, in partnership with Riskaware, an incident modelling specialist, have today launched UrbanAware, an end-to-end platform to augment, integrate and digitise the delivery of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) hazard intelligence in real time during an incident.

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This joint solution not only closes the gap between data collection, analysis and strategic awareness of CBRN threats, it also brings insights closer to the tactical edge, enabling stakeholders to quickly identify and understand chemical and other hazards in the field. Threats can be seen in real time on a map in relation to the team’s position, thus providing critical and potentially life-saving intelligence. Likely next stages of a chemical attack or accidental industrial release can also be forecast using the simulation capabilities.

Dr Sarah Robinson, Global Industry Director - Defence at Smiths Detection, said: “Our partnership represents a joint mission to create safer spaces and address complex global challenges in order to protect people, environments, infrastructure and societies worldwide. First responders and military planners need to act quickly when faced with disaster management and UrbanAware enables incredibly fast access to critical information. When combined with sensor data, it becomes a very powerful tool as a situation unfolds – supporting faster, more informed response strategies.”

Landscape and population considerations make it challenging to evaluate the potential impact of any incident and determine the best course of action. As the name suggests, UrbanAware is optimised for these complex urban environments where the topography of streets and buildings influences dispersion of airborne hazards. Typical use cases range from planning evacuation routes in a civil emergency to establishing optimal cordon areas based on predictive hazard modelling.

Underpinning Riskaware’s CBRN system is the Hazard Assessment Simulation and Prediction (HASP) Suite, which was developed over two decades by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and is licensed to Riskaware by Ploughshare. The HASP Suite was originally developed to provide rapid hazard prediction in complex urban environments in a matter of minutes, greatly improving upon previous models. It also takes into consideration the interactions between indoor and outdoor dispersion and is able to estimate source parameters, such as location, discharge time, and the amount of substance released. Integrating these robust capabilities with Smith Detection’s well established chemical sensor gives defence and security organisations a rich hazard modelling solution which surpasses any traditional options.

Dr James Christley, Senior Principal Scientist, Dstl, said: “Sustained Defence investment in science and technology consistently produces innovation that protects lives. We’re pleased that Dstl’s work developed originally for UK Defence will be exploited to benefit a wider audience.”

Simon Agass, Riskaware Business Development Director, added: “We’ve worked with multiple military agencies and have seen that the available CBRN solutions are highly manual and not fit for purpose in today’s threat landscape. Bringing together our comprehensive CBRN modelling capabilities with Smith Detection sensor technology provides a much-needed, end-to-end CBRN incident response capability that saves critical time, informs targeted action and protects more people.”

About Riskaware

Riskaware is a leading incident modelling solutions provider. Using data, systems and software expertise, it creates operational solutions that support organisations to make informed decisions and enhance their resilience. Working primarily with defence and security industries, Riskaware helps its partners address the most complex global challenges and protect people and environments worldwide.

About Smiths Detection

Smiths Detection is a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies. It delivers the solutions needed to protect society from the threat and illegal passage of explosives, prohibitive weapons, contraband, biological threats, toxic chemicals and narcotics, to protect people and infrastructure.

HASP Suite Background Information

The Hazard Assessment Simulation and Prediction (HASP) Suite is a software toolset providing superior situational awareness and decision support in the CBRN/HazMat domain. It has been developed by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in conjunction with Riskaware and licensed by Ploughshare Innovations. ¹

The HASP Suite is comprised of a number of individual components, each tackling a different aspect of the CBRN/HazMat challenge to create complete situational awareness. These include:

• Urban Dispersion Model (UDM)
• Urban Subsystem (USS)
• Sensor Placement Tool (SPT)
• Source Term Estimation (STE)
• Geographical and Environmental Database Information System (GEDIS)

A core component of the HASP Suite is the Urban Dispersion Model (UDM). UDM was originally funded by Dstl and the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to satisfy a requirement for a numerical model that accurately predicts the dispersion of airborne contaminants through urban areas at ranges between about 10 m and 10 km. The model needed to be fast running in order to meet 'real-time' incident support requirements and operational analysis requirements. Since its inception in the 1990's UDM has been used in support of many major events. Early examples, in the public domain, include²:

• 2000 Sydney Olympics
• 2001 US Presidential Inauguration
• 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
• 2004 Athens Olympics

Throughout its development, the UDM has been validated in a number of field trial experiments including ²:

• Project Prairie Grass
• Urban 2000 Dataset, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Joint Urban 2003, Oklahoma City release
• Madison Square Gardens 2005
• Wind tunnel experiments
• MUST Experiment, Conex containers to create mock urban setting

UDM has also undergone independent external reviews, including:

• Defence Scientific Advisory Council (2006)
• Scientific Review by Hanna Consultants (2009)

UDM and other components of the HASP Suits have also received significant funding from the US Department of Defense through the US Program of Record and are integrated into the US Hazard Prediction and Analysis Capability (HPAC) and the Joint Effects Model (JEM)^{3,4,5, 6}. Riskaware continue to support these programmes though its US Prime Contractor partnerships.

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1 “The UDM A Puff Model for Estimating Dispersion in UrbanAreas”, D.J. Hall, A.M. Spanton, I.H. Griffiths, M. Hargrave, S.Walker, C. John, 7th Int. Conf. on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes (https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/22174201/the-udm-a-model-for-estimating-dispersion-in-urban-areas)

2 “Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling in Support of Civil Emergency Operations”, Ben Swindlehurst, Dstl, https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA460246.pdf

3 “Acceptance of mathematical modelling - a defence science perspective”, Paul Westoby, CBR Advice Dstl. https://nc3rs.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Workshop_reports/maths/14%20-%20Defence%20%E2%80%93%20Dr%20Paul%20Westoby,%20DSTL.pdf

4 “Acceptance criteria for urban dispersion model evaluation”, Steven Hanna, Joseph C. Chang, Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics 116(3-4), https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257448979_Acceptance_criteria_for_urban_dispersion_model_evaluation

5 “The Geographical and Environmental Database Information System (GEDIS) as a Tool for Urban Dispersion Modelling”, Richard N. Fry, Jr. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Ian Griffiths* Dstl, Iain Crawford, Tim Dudman, Matthew Gilbert and David Stewart RiskAware Ltd, https://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/80142.pdf

6 “Urban Subsystem CBRN Dispersion Modeling”, CBRNE Central, Urban Subsystem CBRN Dispersion Modeling (cbrnecentral.com)

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