R&D:
research and development or
research and deployment?
by Philip Baum
H
ave you been to any one of commonplace. Meanwhile, airlines imaging systems cost more than
the recent plethora of avia- are using online check-in and self ten times the cost of a top of
tion security-related exhibi- service kiosks to limit the time the range archway metal detector,
tions and trade shows? If so, you will passengers spend registering for are considerably slower and take
have had an opportunity to exam- flights once they have arrived at the up far more space; one can say
ine many of the latest technolog- terminal. So, it begs the question, the same about CT systems in
ical advances that could enhance why are security checks more comparison with X-ray machines.
the effectiveness of the checkpoint, Explosive trace detection systems
perimeter or terminal security opera- “...there is little chance are available at most checkpoints,
tions at the world’s air terminals. yet their usage is only for baggage
Have you been to any one of the of our dispensing with and is usually secondary to that
world’s major international airports of X-ray, even though we are
recently? If so, there is a noticeable technologies that, supposedly more concerned about
absence of many of the technologies explosives than firearms, grenades
that we have seen at trade shows, despite their limitations, and bladed weapons.
especially when it comes to checkpoint There is, however, another factor
security operations. Furthermore, the the travelling public preventing the deployment of the
likelihood is that, if you have noticed latest technological offerings – the
new technologies actually in situ, the actually expects passengers themselves. There is
deployment will be a trial rather than a little chance of our dispensing with
permanent deployment. and even wants to technologies that, despite their
The passenger screening limitations, the travelling public
checkpoint is widely considered encounter at the actually expects and even wants
as being central to our efforts at to encounter at the checkpoint
safeguarding civil aviation from checkpoint...” and, should they be absent,
a terrorist attack. Personally, I would complain about. I’m all for
consider this a flawed approach and arduous nowadays when everything deterrent and perhaps we should
believe that far greater attention, else has become far easier? be positive about the fact that
and associated regulation, ought The simple answer is that the the general public have such faith
to be given to safeguarding threat to aviation in 2009 far exceeds in our approach. That would be
airport perimeters, terminals, that of the late 60s. Our paranoia reasonable were it not also true
airfields and their access points, over suicidal pilots and saboteurs that the modern terrorist is familiar
from those with airport ID cards equipped with liquids, aerosols and with the capabilities and limitations
who are of questionable character. gels, somehow justifies the hurdles of the technologies we utilise, so I
The checkpoint of 2009 bears passengers have to overcome in question to what extent they deter.
a close resemblance to that of order to make it to the duty free For now, it would seem we are
forty years ago and one must ask shops airside. However, the reality resigned to add-on technologies to
why functional progress has been is that most of the technologies we the standard equipment deployed
so limited? Airports are certainly deploy cannot identify the threats as and when they prove their
keen to embrace technologies we are concerned about. So, why effectiveness in detecting the latest
that can facilitate passenger flow are we not utilising the advanced threat substance. Some of the
through the airport terminals. As technologies that can? more futuristic solutions, such as
a result, immigration controls have The answers cited most frequently layered voice analysis, gait analysis,
become increasingly automated are cost, throughput rate and brain fingerprinting, and facial
with biometric solutions now size of footprint. Millimetre wave hotspot identification, which focus
2 Register now for FREE instant access to ASI online by visiting www.asi-mag.com December 2009 Aviationsecurityinternational
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