Posted: Dec 15, 2011 10:32 AM
Updated: Dec 15, 2011 10:32 AM
HEREFORD - Most people agree we need to secure the border, right? The issue is, how do we know when the border is secure? How do we measure that? The American Border Patrol, a non-governmental organization that monitors the border, thinks an old technology may hold the new answer.
They're called geophones, basically, a magnet inside of a coil. But they can sense the smallest vibrations, like someone walking across the border. American Border Patrol installed the system on their ranch to test its effectiveness.
"And it works. It's been here for 11 months underground, working. And it counts everybody who crosses," said Glenn Spencer, American Border Patrol.
The sensors pick people up at 600 feet, but can start to analyze it better and tell if it's human from 300 feet.
"Showing in Google Earth where on the border the detection and the alert happened," said Spencer.
Oil companies have been using this technology to find oil for decades, and members of American Border Patrol believe this will change the way the U.S. Border Patrol actually patrols the border.
The state is getting ready to test the system on the Arizona/Mexico border within the next few months.
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