Project Description

The Problem
The security of the southern American border with Mexico has been a topic of hot concern among the American people and lawmakers alike. Policing the border region has become a high cost activity through the use of drones, manned patrols, physical barriers, and security cameras. A cost effective solution is needed that is both effective, but can be used remotely by U.S. Border Patrol officials.

The Project

Sandia National Laboratories of Albuquerque, New Mexico has tasked Rayleigh Systems with the development of a seismic footstep detection system which can be used by U.S. Border Patrol agents along the southern border of Arizona with Mexico. This project will use geophones to detect human foot traffic. If human movements are detected, an alarm will be sent to the operators of the device.

Sandia has requested that Rayleigh Systems develop a working prototype which can eventually be put into production for use by U.S. Border Patrol.

 

Project Depiction

Figure 1, below, illustrates how the seismic footstep detector is designed to work. Individual geophone sensors will be placed along the border and collect seismic data from the area. This data will be relayed to a main unit which will make decisions on whether the seismic activity is in fact human foot traffic. Once a positive detection occurs, an alarm is sent to the operators of the system with the location and type of alarm triggered. The operators will then take action accordingly.