Paragon engineers have been providing state-of-the-art technologies, integrated systems, command and control solutions, engineering services, software development and IT solutions to Federal, state, and local government. With expertise in designing advanced sensor systems, staff members have delivered monitoring solutions to Department of Transportation, U.S. Port Authorities, Department of Energy weapons facilities, Department of Defense and law enforcement communities. Our extensive knowledge of sensors and communication technologies is leading efforts for the Department of Homeland Security. As a result, Paragon is able to help agencies meet the infrastructure demands and performance requirements with technology-enabled solutions. These systems have been developed for use in air, land and sea which shows the extensive capabilities of our engineering workforce.

Paragon has a broad spectrum of capabilities including software development, system integration, sensor technologies, video analytics, wireless communications, advanced security technologies and IT services.

Paragon employees have been designing, developing and deploying advanced integrated solutions to support DHS, DNDO, DOD, DOE and DOJ activities in the on-going fight against terrorism. Among these programs, staff members have been supporting DHS efforts to provide advanced technologies to improve port security. As part of these programs our staff members have been developing architectures and deploying systems used to detect, combat and defeat radiation threats and devices being transported into our country via shipboard containers. This has included the integration of radiation detection equipment, GPS positioning equipment, video surveillance cameras and secure RF communications into sea deployable systems that could be installed into harbor patrol boats, port security vehicles and at stationary locations throughout the ports. The information from these systems was then integrated into a centralized command and control center for storage and real-time viewing of sensor data and video feeds.

As part of an effort to improve transportation security on our nation’s highways, Paragon engineers have been involved in developing advanced DOT weigh station monitoring technologies including the installation of advanced nuclear detection and identification sensors into these weigh stations as part of a DNDO sponsored program. This DHS program included the integration of these nuclear detectors, laser scanners, load cells, infrared beams, video cameras, video analytics, container identification, truck configuration analysis, optical character recognition (OCR) and infrared imaging technologies. The combined data from these sensors were then incorporated into a standard user interface that provided automated monitoring and alerting of predefined conditions related to long-haul trucks traversing weigh stations in seven southeastern states.

Paragon engineers were also involved in the combined efforts of tracking shipping containers from shipboard onto trucks and across our nation’s highways, also referred to inter-modal transportation. Data from the associated sea ports and weigh stations was transferred into regional data fusion centers. The architecture and system was developed and deployed by Paragon engineers to support DHS efforts to better track and monitor these shipments as they travel across the country and to monitor for the illegal transportation of nuclear material.

Our staff members also designed developed and deployed a mobile chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) monitoring system that is currently in use by the DOD and law enforcement to help mitigate and protect against terrorist activities. The primary function of this system is to provide first responders with an early warning of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives materials in and around large populations of people. The system uses multitudes of sensors that are easily deployed or that are permanently stationed in and around large events or populations that detect, identify and measure true concentration levels of toxic chemicals, chemical weapons, nuclear materials, etc… The system also utilizes video cameras for surveillance of the areas where the sensors are located to record pre and post video information related to such an event. If a material is detected, the concentration or level of the material along with the weather information is automatically used to provide a real-time plume model for first responders. The plume model is a graphical overlay on a geographic map of the area that shows the effect the material will have on the population if exposed, along with the predetermined spread of the material based on current weather conditions. First responders can then use this information to best determine how to handle the situation including evacuation routes, how fast and how far the material will spread, treatments for exposures, etc… This information can also be transmitted via a secure wireless network to a regional command center or emergency response center where the information provides time-critical data to emergency management teams, thus allowing a much quicker response time for evacuations with pinpoint accuracy.

Networking, communicating and collecting data from remotely deployed sensors and systems is a specialty of Paragon engineers. They have designed, developed, improved and proven the latest and most efficient methodologies in this area for various clients throughout the years. One system designed by our staff is currently operating in over 200 locations across the United States. This system has over 600,000 sensors deployed throughout those locations and data from those sensors is being monitored in real-time to control and provide early warnings of maintenance issues at each location. These types of systems shows the true ability of our engineers to deploy, not only nationally, but global networked sensors and systems that will stand the test of time.

Paragon engineers have also designed and deployed several advanced alerting systems for DOD, DOE and law enforcement agencies. These systems are designed to monitor sensors, web pages, e-mails and many other data feeds in real-time and provide not only warnings but suggest actions to the recipients of these messages. These systems can determine what is happening and immediately send out thousands of messages with specific information to specific individuals based on the event at hand. One such system designed by staff members is currently running at the heart of our defense headquarters in Washington, DC.

Situational awareness is the most important aspect of most of the systems that our staff members have developed. Providing the right information to the right people in a way that is direct and easy to understand is the key to the success of those systems. Paragon staff members aided in the development and deployment of advanced waterway security systems at an existing military base in Tennessee. This system utilizes radar and video surveillance cameras to monitor the river that runs next to this DOD facility. This system provides the security forces with real-time monitoring, alerting, radar and video feeds of any unidentified person or boat attempting to access the river near this facility. The cameras and radar both utilize customized analytic algorithms to detect and provide location and video feeds of the intruder. This capability has also been applied to sonar technology which is being developed to detect underwater divers and vessels.