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Fledgling U.S. center aims to give spies tools
AP The CIA's microdot camera is old technology now, but other spy gear is being developed.
STORY TOOLS 
More from BusinessWASHINGTON — Using a new laptop and a satellite link, FBI agents can find out within two minutes whether the fingerprint from a newly captured suspect overseas matches a terrorist database in Virginia.
Intelligence officials are running documents in languages such as Arabic through a new computer program called "English Now." It converts the foreign characters into the Roman alphabet and makes words such as Baghdad, President Bush or Osama bin Laden jump out to spies who can't read Arabic.
The language software and the fingerprint-recognition system are examples of new spy gear that the national intelligence director's office bought last year.
They may seem like tools that should have been available years ago, but the government isn't noted for its ability to quickly develop new technology.
A fledging center called IARPA is hoping to change that. The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity will try to develop groundbreaking technology for the 16 spy agencies.
If IARPA can clear some crucial hurdles, including convincing its congressional skeptics, the new office will be modeled after a similar agency that develops gee-whiz toys for the Pentagon. It will sponsor research at universities, national labs and other organizations.
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