Checkpoint Ancillaries
algorithms are less effective. This more
“elipsisseveral airports, pragmatic approach towards fusion of
the best of human and machine
especially in the UK, inspection capabilities is likely to be
more common in future.
are investigating and
Checkpoint Management
using tray return and Cost Reduction
Enhancements
devices and even Many manufacturers and airports are
taking lessons learned from hold
automatic diverters baggage system integration and
adapting them to the checkpoint.
for rejected bagselipsis” Divesting and separation of an ever-
increasing number of items from
passengers and their bags, along with
the increased use of trays places
other clutter, the system performs a 3D additional burdens on security
reconstruction of the container’s X-ray operators, and causes more confusion
image and then strips away the for passengers. Several airports,
container to perform a more detailed especially in the UK, are investigating
density and atomic number analysis of and using tray return devices and even
the liquid itself. The approach is automatic diverters for rejected bags.
analogous to what Computed Several X-ray vendors offer baggage
Tomography does, but in a more limited handling and tray return systems that
manner and with simpler and hence less work with their own products, such as
expensive hardware. Such a system is Smiths’ iLane and Analogic’s COBRA
targeted at the “C” Category of liquids while other airports (for example
inspection, defined by ECAC. Manchester Airport) have sub-
contracted baggage system integrator
Laptop Inspection companies to develop their own.
A second application that is still under These systems are in the early stages
development is for electronics of deployment in Europe but are of lower
inspection. X-ray imaging works best for priority in the US, according to a TSA
separating out objects of different source. In the UK, passenger confusion
contrast from each other, such as was significant at a checkpoint I visited a
explosives against metal, or metallic couple of months back, but as the
objects against clothes, food and systems become more robust and
plastics. High false alarm rates are passengers become more familiar with
caused by attempts (both by software them, it’s likely that operations will
and operators) to differentiate similar improve and could result in a significant
materials from each other (such as reduction in non-inspection manpower
explosives from certain types of food). An (and associated cost) at the checkpoint.
operational and security challenge has CastScope’s system uses X-ray
been the inspection of laptops and other Systems Integration backscatter technology to scan
electronics. In the US, laptops and Communications technologies that medical casts, bandages an
camcorders must be removed from most have been used in the computer prosthetic limbs
briefcases and scanned separately, industry for over 20 years have yet to be
causing checkpoint delays, requiring applied to the security checkpoint. – be done to integrate and improve the
more scanning time and raising the Today’s checkpoint screening method checkpoint process.
potential for loss or damage to can be compared to early 20th Century Typically, RDS are manufacturer-
passengers’ valuable assets. If successful, manufacturing: each inspection step is specific: a Smiths RDS will only work
new algorithms could allow close completed with little knowledge from behind Smiths’ devices and the same is
electronic scrutiny of laptops hopefully the prior step or data transfer to the true for Rapiscan and L3.
without such intensive measures. next step in the security process. While One company has a system that is
companies like Smiths, L3 and manufacturer-neutral, which is
Other Areas Rapiscan offer Remote Display Stations important as no single company provides
Automatic inspection techniques for guns (RDS) that take a first step towards all of the best bag and passenger
and knives are being studied in Canada to sending information gathered during X- screening technologies. The device,
allow operators to focus on those ray screening to the secondary search called SecuriFlo, combines off-the-shelf
(hopefully fewer) areas where software location, much more can – and should components with its own proprietary
Aviationsecurityinternational February 2009 www.asi-mag.com 33
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