Estonian high-tech surveillance equipment (bugs) developer Borthwick-Pignon Solutions (BPS) has launched a new platform and established close cooperation with US giant Texas Instruments.
 
The new platform from one of the most mysterious Estonian tech company is aimed at surveillance, PDA and medical sectors, where hand held power management solutions with laptop performance are needed .
 
We are talking about a new embedded Linux mobile computer  (pictured below), that offers high performance signal processing with optimized hand held power management. 

The “Surveillance on the move”  idea
 
It’s the idea “Surveillance on the move” that is the impetus behind BPS. Their devices can be installed in a goods container, vehicle, ship or similar. They observe everything going on in and around showing, for example, who opens the containers, when and how. 

The device observes and records in real time. It integrates, in one unit, a motion and temperature sensor, a video camera, a microphone, a dictaphone and an infrared light.  It sends text messages and enables mobile positioning. The owner of the goods can maintain a comprehensive overview, via their mobile phone, of what is happening with their property en route.
 
In addition to preventing a vehicle or goods from being lost or becoming damaged without the knowledge of the owner,  the device also reduces, for instance, insurance costs in the transport of goods.

One of the weaknesses of these minicomputers seem to be the durability of batteries – the company promises the battery will last up to 60 days.  But will that be enough?

 
A universal device

BPS says  that  their devices can be used everywhere security is an issue – hotels, storerooms, shops, luxury boats, caravans, taxis and more.
 
In 2006  one of the founders of BPS Paul Pignon explained to the newspaper Postimees how  one of their device called  TecBox can be useful to owners of luxury cars: “A person can buy this device to protect their car. If it is broken into, the device raises the alarm and transmits video and sound to the server. The owner receives the alert message on their mobile, logs in to the server of the surveillance company and checks whether the matter was serious or whether a cat just jumped on the bonnet.”

Also, ATMs and the like can also be observed by means of the device. Nobody has to constantly sit staring at a monitor to see what is going on within the field of view of the device. You only need to look if the device raises the alarm.

Another hit product of the company – TecHead (Ninja) – is fixed to a person, or more precisely to the belt of e.g. a policeman or security guard. This is a wireless device equipped with a head camera and a microphone.
  
Protects employees who take risks

As the company says, TecHead helps protect people in risky professions from such threats as terrorism, vandalism, abuse or physical attacks. The information collected by the device can be used later, if necessary, as evidence in court, as it records the date and time of the incident.

In a crisis, the Ninja device can alert the colleagues of the person being attacked that the situation is serious. For the person under attack, all they need to do is press the alert button on the device. TecHead is comfortable to wear and can be both overt or covert.

Similar to TecBox, TecHead is equipped with GPS and able to send text messages. Borthwick and Pignon are of the opinion that TecHead could be successfully used by hospital staff, ticket inspectors, traffic wardens, social workers, and even driving instructors and nightclub doormen.

BPS devices have been tested by US and British companies. Also, some Estonian government institutions are familiar with the capabilities of the devices . 

Clients – BAA and SYTRAL
 
Among its clients BPS have named BAA, the operator company of British airports; Dublin Airport; and the French railway operator SYTRAL.
 
BPS’s new partnership with T exas Instruments enables enhancements such as number plate reading or suspicious object recognition . The smart sensor tags frame which are useful and alerts the system operator of events which require further attention.
 
The company was founded by the British duo Leon Borthwick and Paul Pignon eight years ago. The British men, with a background in physics, state that to date goods owners and logistics operators have lacked comprehensive ways of avoiding or preventing such threats as the theft of goods, fraud or illegal immigration. Goods containers and vehicles have been lost and never found or later abandoned.
 
In Tartu Technology Park, the development of innovative audiovisual surveillance systems began which were later tested in different operating environments both in Great Britain and the USA. However, only a few people know about this as the company keeps a very low profile.

Participation in the EU’s SAMURAI project
 
Borthwick-Pignon  is also participating in the EU research project SAMURAI . It is financed by the E U with the aim of developing an intelligent surveillance system, which could be used for monitoring people and vehicles inside and around critical infrastructure sites (such as airports and bus stations). The system would be designed to detect people whose behaviour is unusual or suspicious.

The SAMURAI project involves eight partners, including companies from Great Britain, Italy, Poland and France. The activities are led by Queen Mary University in London.