Lockheed Martin opens biometrics centre

Lockheed Martin has opened a Biometric Experimentation and Advanced Concepts (BEACON) centre for academic and industrial collaboration in integrated biometrics solutions initiatives.

Operational domain experts and specialists in service-oriented architecture and biometric technology will staff the facility, located in West Virginia’s High Technology Corridor. The company is also inviting vendors to bring solutions forward for integration into Lockheed Martin’s service-oriented biometric framework and extensive testing.

The BEACON will use two key networks as part of this development effort. The Global Vision Network connects Lockheed Martin engineering and laboratory locations throughout the US. The Multi-Sector Crisis Management Consortium is a collaboration of US government agencies, academic institutions, and private sector entities dedicated to improving crisis management and emergency response.

BEACON will also work with the Centre for Identification Technology Research (CITeR), an academic centre at West Virginia University which focuses on advanced biometrics research.