Homeland Security + National Defense

As part of our mission, SRI helps the U.S. government meet imperative homeland security needs. In the past decade alone, SRI has performed more than $4B in contract R&D, primarily for the U.S. government.

Technologies and programs developed at SRI play important roles in U.S. military and civilian efforts to combat terrorism, at home and abroad—from mapping systems for air combat training used during the Cold War to speech-enabled translation software deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

SRI's solutions for safeguarding our nation range from instrumented combat training for the National Guard to cyber security, threat detection, and persistent surveillance technologies.

Through its unmatched engineering and systems integration expertise, SRI has developed solutions to challenging technology and security issues for more than 65 years. An experienced and reliable government contractor, SRI excels at collaborative partnerships with multiple stakeholders. We are skilled at early-phase, collaborative definition of new systems, and create platform technologies that enable future applications. Projects span the system life cycle, from concept definition through production and support, for end-to-end customer solutions.

Clients include the Department of Homeland Security, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency, National Institutes of Health, all branches of the Armed Services, and the National Guard.

Strategic Alliances for Joint Research and Development, Testing, and Practical Application

SRI partners with these organizations to develop, field-test, and deploy homeland security applications:

Program Areas

Projects

ground vehicle with complex mapping sensor system

SRI is developing technology that will enable warfighters to easily maneuver a robot, precisely map an environment, and have 3D situational awareness.

people in a computer server room

SRI provides technical, management, and subject matter expert support for the wide range of research, development, testing, evaluation, and transition activities conducted through the Center.

SRI researcher looks at a Deep STARE imager and camera system.

To keep astronauts, equipment, and satellites out of harm’s way, SRI provides a rare capability to quickly track tens of thousands of objects in near-Earth space.

soldiers viewing arial surveillance images

Called “the best training we’ve ever received” by participating soldiers, instrumented combat-readiness exercises for members of the National Guard develop life-saving skills prior to deployment.

green boxes highlighting people walking on street

SRI’s vision-based systems enable safe operations of moving unmanned ground vehicles around stationary and moving people in urban or cluttered environments.

PRIME project logo

SRI is developing a decision support tool to help analysts forecast and understand the plausible effects of actions taken within complex socio-cultural environments.

Two SRI researchers work on a RAX CubeSat

Disruptions in Earth's ionosphere from solar activity can cause communications blackouts, negatively affecting GPS and radio signals. SRI’s revolutionary small satellites offer a novel way to monitor such conditions.

SRI researchers examine a IPDM test device.

SRI has developed a novel approach to safely and efficiently render harmless weapons and ammunition that are no longer needed for military use.

image collage showing SRI's biometric system and a close-up of a man's eyes

SRI International is developing a system that delivers affordable, accurate iris recognition of moving subjects at a distance.

prototype camera on a tripod

SRI has developed a novel camera device that can detect unusual or excess vibrations in machinery and aircraft.

Products + Solutions

Warfighter with binoculars

Acadia® II is a real-time, low-power, integrated video processor that delivers enhanced perception and situational awareness. It supports embedded surveillance and portable processing needs for weapon-mounted sights, handheld range and target finders, unmanned air or ground platforms, and more.

three outdoor security cameras on a pole

The Acadia ILS-6000 hardware series of video stabilizers eliminates camera motion artifacts and delivers clear, actionable information. These products are designed to meet the challenges of inclement weather, unstable vehicle motion, and long-range viewing in remote or unprotected installations.

Acadia ILS-6500

The Acadia® ILS-6500™ video stabilizer combines real-time electronic image stabilization with H.264 encoding for improved distribution of quality video.

screenshot of a download in progress on a computer

BLADE blocks even unknown, zero-day attacks without interfering in normal browser operations.

view of skyscraper from below

SRI’s patented “soft catch” technology, available for license, retrofits windows to block shards of glass from entering after an exterior explosion.

BotHunter logo

SRI’s BotHunter system takes a unique approach to discerning networked computers that are under control of hackers, or may be spreading malware infections.

explorer equipment

ConTEXTract™ video OCR technology finds and reads text (such as street signs, name tags, and billboards) in real scenes. Recognition of text within imagery and video requires a more specialized approach than is provided by off-the-shelf OCR software,.

DL Micro digital data link module

The DL Micro™ digital data link and video processor delivers quality video from air and ground sensors. It supports the low size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements of unmanned defense systems.

demonstration of artificial muscle

SRI has patented a thin, flexible, smart material dubbed “artificial muscle” because it behaves much like a human muscle. Artificial muscle, available for license from SRI for a variety of application areas, uses a breakthrough technology called electroactive polymers.

electroadhesion demonstrated with a wall-climbing robot

SRI’s breakthrough electroadhesion technology, available for license, allows electrically controlled reversible adhesion
 to most surfaces.

Press Releases

J. Randall Good, Ph.D.

J. Randall Good, Ph.D., has joined SRI International as program development director, DARPA and Intelligence. He will expand SRI's relationship with key clients and develop programs that serve critical security and technical needs.

Aurora Skate

Aurora Flight Sciences and SRI International Sarnoff today announced the integration of the SRI Sarnoff DL Micro™ digital data link and video processor into the Aurora Skate® Small Unmanned Aerial System (SUAS). This pairing maximizes the real-time delivery of quality video from the SUAS.

SRI International Sarnoff and HGH Infrared Systems will launch a new mobile situational awareness solution in booth 120 at the ASIS International tradeshow for the security industry on Sept. 10 – 13, in Philadelphia, Pa.

Iris on the Move N-Glance machine scanning woman's eyes

SRI International Sarnoff's Iris on the Move® (IOM) N-Glance™ identification system is now protecting access to EGL USA's New York laboratory by confirming the identity of authorized employees as they enter.

Iris on the Move N-Glance

SRI International Sarnoff’s Iris on the Move® (IOM) N-Glance™ identification system is now protecting access to the Auburn University athletic facility.

IOM RapID-Cam II, a handheld, biometric camera system.

SRI Sarnoff’s Iris on the Move (IOM) RapID-Cam II was named Best in Biometrics, Identification and Credentialing by the Security Industry Association (SIA) New Product Showcase (NPS) at ISC West 2012.

SRI International and the National Disaster Resiliency Center (NDRC) have signed a strategic alliance agreement to collaborate on new technologies, systems, and enhanced training capabilities to assist first responders during emergency and disaster situations.

warfighter holding unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

A new digital data link and video processor from SRI Sarnoff enhances the quality of video images transmitted from unmanned aerial and ground vehicles. The DL Micro™ ultra-compact module increases image compression efficiency to improve the clarity and usefulness of video from moving vehicles.

SRI In the News

ASIS 2012: HGH Systems Offers Unique 360-Degree Surveillance Capability

This article reports that “HGH Infrared Systems was pleased to tell attendees at ASIS 2012 in Philadelphia that its 360-degree IR Revolution 360 system has been integrated into SRI Sarnoff’s mobile surveillance solution”

Boosting Biometrics

"SRI International, which makes the Iris on the Move family of biometric identification systems, is building a prototype for the Army Research Laboratory that will provide an “off-axis” capability, or the ability to recognize someone with just a partial shot of the person’s iris"

DL Micro Digital Data Link and Video Processor - AUVSI Unmanned Systems 2012

This video interview with Mike Melle, product director at SRI International, was taken at the recent AUVSI Unmanned Systems tradeshow in Las Vegas, NV, and showcases SRI Sarnoff’s new DL Micro digital data link and video processor.

For ISR, A View of Full Motion Video

This article reports that SRI International’s TerraSight software has been deployed by all branches of the U.S. military and utilizes image processing to show multiple full motion video feeds in the context of other sensors, such as data from radar and from unattended ground stations.

Robot Vehicles Invade Las Vegas

According to this blog post highlighting technology from AUVSI 2012, “SRI International demonstrated a digital image stabilization system that was attached to a quadrotor. The video was rock solid when stabilization was on.”

Taurus robot being held by an SRI researcher
SRI's Latest Bot Disposes of Bombs

This video highlights SRI’s Taurus robot, a 15-pound robot that offers human-like dexterity from a remote distance.

Events

Airport Exchange

SRI will be demonstrating its family of easy-to-use, indoor/outdoor biometric identification solutions. These products enable fast, accurate identity verification for access control—allowing aviation authorities to accelerate screening processes while increasing overall safety.

AUSA Logo

Showcasing end-to-end solutions for force protection. SRI is demonstrating field-proven products for real-time vision processing, video exploitation, and identity verification.

UK Biometrics

SRI will be demonstrating its family of easy-to-use, indoor/outdoor biometric identification solutions. These products enable fast, accurate identity verification for access control—delivering unprecedented security without compromising throughput or ease of use.

people walking in an airport terminal

SRI will be demonstrating its family of easy-to-use, indoor/outdoor biometric identification solutions. These products enable fast, accurate identity verification for access control—delivering unprecedented security without compromising throughput or ease of use.

Intersec Logo

SRI Sarnoff will demonstrate its field-proven biometric and image processing solutions that deliver exceptional security without compromising ease of use.