The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) recently installed a next generation carry-on baggage screening system at Boston Logan International Airport.
“This new carry-on screening system is an important next step in aviation security,” S&T Screening at Speed Program Manager John Fortune said. “It combines two state-of-the-art systems into a hybrid that outperforms what the systems can do on their own. This data collection will help us fine-tune the Automatic Threat Recognition (ATR) algorithm and take advantage of the system’s ability to know which objects in our carry-on bags are actual threats and which just look like threats.”
The newer X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) system provides more information about the types of materials in bags than the CT X-ray and, in some cases, can identify what objects are made of in carry-on bags, aiding TSA in reducing the number of false alarms during carry-on bag screenings and the time passengers spend in line waiting for their bags to be cleared.
“TSA is focused on making air travel as safe as possible while improving the passenger experience through security checkpoints,” TSA Massachusetts Federal Security Director Bob Allison said. “This new technology would also improve screening methods and daily workflows for our TSOs who are on the front lines of aviation security. Technologies like the hybrid CT/XRD system allows us to bring those goals together in a single system.”