The current importance of protecting the general public from terrorist and criminal activities is well documented. This need is recognised by the European Commission's Sixth Framework Programme, which covers Community activities in the field of research, technological development and demonstration. The project described here is funded under the thematic area: "Nanotechnology and nanosciences, knowledge-based multifunctional materials, new production processes and devices", and specifically addresses the call for “Nanotechnological approaches for improved security systems”.

The objectives of this "Integrated Project" of 26 partners are to harness breakthrough nanotechnologies in sensing and detoxification to protect citizens against surprise attack in public buildings and transport, and to provide effective detection systems for explosives and drugs. In indoor spaces, people are vulnerable to attack from airborne toxic agents, maliciously introduced. Public security could be improved by the development of systems capable of wide deployed for early warning and for detoxification. Such systems are unavailable today, but nanotechnology promises sensing and detoxification with far higher efficiency than current methods. The project will pursue these, and integrate the technologies into combined protection systems that are intelligent, sensitive, flexible, compact and inexpensive, making them suitable for installation in major situations, e.g. airports, hospitals, communal buildings.