AIRPORT SECURITYRemote Screening Demonstration at Cape Cod Gateway Airport
DHS S&T successfully conducted a demonstration of remote screening infrastructure for airport security checkpoints. The Integrated Defense & Security Solutions (IDSS) can send computed tomography (CT) X-ray images of carry-on baggage flagged for threats to remote locations for near real-time analysis.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) successfully conducted a demonstration of remote screening infrastructure for airport security checkpoints with the developer, Integrated Defense & Security Solutions (IDSS), on June 23 at the Cape Cod Gateway Airport in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
The demonstration showed that IDSS’ remote screening software can send computed tomography (CT) X-ray images of carry-on baggage flagged for threats to remote locations for near real-time analysis. The software identifies which Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Transportation Security Officer (TSO) is immediately available to analyze the images, whether in a screening room at the same airport, a centralized office off-site, or at a different airport anywhere else in the country. This would allow TSA to optimize workflows and direct images to specialists or TSOs with availability, based on screening requirements and workload demand.
“Remote screening would provide TSA the capability to engage expert assets in analyzing images of carry-on baggage and adjudicating alarms even if they are in different locations, promoting more effective and efficient screening and reducing screening times,” said Dr. John Fortune, S&T’s Screening at Speed program manager. “The technology will also enable future concepts of operations, such as checkpoint automation, which is a priority for TSA, and allow passengers a more seamless and expeditious screening experience.”
S&T says that its Screening at Speed program conducts transformative research and development (R&D) to assist TSA as it increases aviation security effectiveness from curb to gate, while dramatically reducing wait times and improving the passenger experience. Overall, the Screening at Speed program awarded $500,000 to IDSS to develop a remote screening capability, with the most recent award starting in October 2021.
S&T partnered with the Cape Cod Gateway Airport for the demonstration because of its interest in fostering, developing and demonstrating advanced aviation technologies. The remote screening demonstration further exhibits this commitment to work with S&T and improve the future of aviation screening.
