Together with the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Union and Executive Research Agency, Frontex – the European Border and Coast Guard Agency – has been monitoring the progress of selected EU research projects that soon could lead to important breakthroughs in the area of border security.
Intuitive user interfaces and wearables supported by artificial intelligence and with augmented reality capabilities, 3D facial and iris verification technology for “real-on-the-move” border crossing, digital identity based on blockchain technology, and highly accurate and cost effective handheld devices for drug and precursors detection in the field are some of the projects Frontex is helping to develop as part of its Horizon Framework Program for Research and Innovation.
Despite the difficulties associated with the COVID pandemic, the agency has been actively involved in pushing forward these projects in an effort to enhance technological capabilities critical for border security.
Frontex will continue to closely observe the work conducted within these projects, provide feedback and will actively participate in tests, trials and demonstrations. So far, the agency has identified seven ongoing projects of interest for the European Border and Coast Guard community: ANDROMEDA, ARESIBO, BorderSens, COMPASS2020, D4FLY, MIRROR and PERCEPTIONS. These address a wide spectrum of technological capabilities critical for border security, including unmanned platforms, document fraud detection, situational awareness, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, integrated systems and identification of illicit drugs and their precursors.
Frontex is continuously increasing its engagement in overseeing the parts of the Horizon Framework Program for Research and Innovation related to border security. The agency’s key goals are to bring border and coast guard and research and innovation together to foster technological developments for border management and bring more innovation into the operational environment.