News

Toward the end of 2003, would-be entrepreneur Eric Bergeron walked through the doors of the National Optic Institute in Quebec City and told the researchers, "show me what you have got."

The result is an automated baggage scanning device that may do for air travel and building security what virus detection software has done for computers. Its software can automatically detect concealed threats of almost any form known today within five seconds. Better yet, the software can be quickly upgraded as new threats are identified.

The National Optics Institute is recognized as a world leader in optical research but lacks the ability to commercialize its discoveries. Mr. Bergeron figured he could play a key role in taking one or more of those new technologies to market. He had a master's degree in engineering, had spent years working in both the cellular and optical industries and had just finished a year long stint with a venture capital company, helping finance high-tech companies.

He was ready to go on his own — if he could find the right product.

"I looked at a dozen," he says. "But there was one that really stood out, not for what it did but for what it could do," Mr. Bergeron says.

The technology originates from a research project funded by the Department of National Defense. It was a hardware and software package that could greatly improve target acquisition. The system could not only see through clouds and smoke but artificial barriers as well; the software could then separate targets of military value from harmless objects standing nearby.

What Mr. Bergeron saw was the potential to use the military system as a foundation to create an affordable, highly effective security tool. Coupled with existing x-ray machines and other scanning devices, a civilian system could see through containers, automatically analyze the contents and spot any harmful objects — all within seconds. No more potential for human error; no more weeks of expensive training in threat recognition; no more playing cacth-up as new threats appeared. He snapped at the chance to license the technology.

A little more than three years later, Mr. Bergeron's Quebec City based company, Optosecurity Inc., has raised $5-million, lined up a Canadian distributor and is about to fill its first order for Optoscreener. The device will be piloted early this spring at an unidentified Canadian airport and used to replace existing passenger and carry-on luggage screening for those travelling to the United States.

"There has been enormous response from everyone involved with airport security on both sides of the border," says Casey Witkowicz, president and founder of Rycom Inc. in Mississauga. Rycom is a recognized leader in airport security and is in the process of rolling out its own security device in Canadian airports. Rycom is the creator of CanPass Air, a self-standing kiosk, which provides automatic check in and baggage clearance for frequent travelers to the United States by using iris scanning to identify and clear those who have signed up in advance and have agreed to have their iris digitally recorded and entered into the system.

Mr. Witkowicz is also one of Optosecurity's "angels", private investors, who have supplied $2 million of the $5 million Mr. Bergeron has raised to date. Of the balance, the Business Development Bank (BDC) in Montreal and Innovatech, a Quebec labour fund, has each invested $1.5 million.

Mr. Witkowicz sees OptoScreener as changing the fundamental nature of security.

"What we are looking at is a plug-and-play solution," he says. "The model is the computer virus protection industry. As soon as hackers create a new virus, companies like Symantec and MacAfee come up with a fix and send it out to everyone who uses their product.

"With this system, as soon as terrorists come up with a new threat, Optosecurity can update its software to recognize it. No extra training, no adjustments to equipment. It really is revolutionary."

Optosecurity was able to showcase its ability earlier this year at a demonstration at its Quebec City headquarters to all stakeholders in cross-border security including representatives from Transport Canada, the Canadian Airline Safety Agency and the US Homeland Security Agency. When asked if the system could recognize potentially harmful liquids, the company was able to demonstrate OptoScreener's talents.

"Some x-ray machines now come with the ability to recognize atomic numbers of items," explains Mr. Witkowicz. "If the software spots something with an atomic number that is on the dangerous substance list, it immediately flags the operator."

To date the focus has been on passenger clearance security, which is a different market from baggage handling. For passenger security, the company will supply an all-in-one solution, for baggage handling its market will be the companies that sell the x-ray machines themselves. They can purchase a version of Optoscreener as an add-on.

The cost? Mr. Bergeron is canny but says "the price is about the same as what you would pay for a good SUV."

The success of next spring's pilot will be crucial both Mr. Bergeron and Mr. Witkowicz say. If it goes as expected, however, then the company faces raising another $10 million in financing to go into full scale production.

In the meantime, Mr. Bergeron has held an international talent hunt for the best researchers, attracting them from countries such as Australia, Morocco and China. He has also managed to recruit former Deputy Prime Minister John Manley as the company's new chairman.

"We have managed to do in less than five years what most start-ups take at least 10 to accomplish," says Mr. Bergeron. "We have created a working model and are just a year away from full-scale production."