Security Watch | Matt Hines » Newest airport security screening device a day late and a dollar short

April 25, 2007 | Comments: (0)

Newest airport security screening device a day late and a dollar short

TAGS: Security

On a very recent pass through the San Jose, CA International Airport (SJC), I was the first "passenger volunteer" to try out a new millimeter wave technology used to see through objects like prosthetics, casts and heavy bandages. Yes, this is the type of technology that caused privacy concerns a while back since it can easily see through clothes and other materials. Based on literature, I'm under the impression that SJC is only one of two locations in the country currently trying out these portable devices.

At the airport there were several representatives from Spectrum San Diego, Inc, and of course TSA officials were also tucked away behind the normal screener location. I was the willing guinea pig and was escorted to a small privately curtained area where the large, but portable, Falcon device was housed. In the past I've always thought that someone with a prosthetic or cast could easily pass through security with a sharp implement, portable and disassembled firearm, or explosive. This seems especially true since airport security doesn't require removal of these devices (unlike airport screeners in some countries). Of course, the chemical screening (with a gas chromatography swab and a EGIS Explosives Trace Detection Machine) that a passenger with a prosthetic goes through should weed out trace chemicals used in the bomb manufacturing process, but there are a variety of other ways to smuggle nefarious devices on board.

The problem with what I experienced with this all seeing device is it's image aperture size and number of 'snapshots' that had to be used to get a clear picture around a prosthetic. Since the aperture of the device, while highly maneuverable, was only about five inches wide by about ten inches long, it took several (about a half a dozen) snapshots to get all the way around a lower leg/foot prosthetic. The aperture also has to be about one to two inches from the subject. The images were pretty good once rendered on the Falcon's screen, and the TSA trainee could easily discern flesh from carbon, metal, or other objects of various densities. Thing is, this device is supposed to save time for passengers, but just the image taking process took about ten minutes, and I can't imagine it taking any less then five to ten minutes per person. Since it was a foot/lower leg we were looking at, the TSA trainee had to maneuver the Falcon aperture down to the leg, take a picture close to the knee, take one lower down, take several from the other side (since the radiation won't pass though flesh and bone and images have to cover all the way around the subject) and then take an image from the bottom of the foot. Of course in my case the process left the gap at the top of the foot unchecked. So I might have been able sneak something up there. But I went though a rough process (including stepping on foam and other materials to stabilize my stance) and this process may very well get much more refined as trials continue.

While the process for a lower extremity was slightly arduous I could see this being very effective for weapons detection around an arm, hand or wrist cast or artificial limb. The images presented on the screen, while about three inches by three inches and grainy, were easily recognizable and different materials displayed were easily identifiable.

Of course, it being me, I had to go through the usual chemical swab, wand and pat down process after being irradiated.

I will say that TSA individuals were very courteous and showed me quite a bit of respect during the whole ordeal, so I can only imagine that passengers who have to go through this extra screening in the future will find the whole process only slightly invasive.

I also found out that with each image taken, I was only exposed to several minutes of radiation, similar to what I would experience in a plane during flight. And since I'm up in the not-so-friendly skies relatively often, I've probably already experienced the amount of radiation that I would get from this device and then some.

I must say that I don't think that there will be any more successful attempts to use a plane to cause mass destruction. There are way too many other effective ways to get the same job done without using a passenger on an aircraft to try and take over the flying tin can but this technology is an interesting tool nonetheless.

Posted by Victor R. Garza on April 25, 2007 03:47 AM

RATE THIS ARTICLE: