The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is looking to use robotics in airport security screening lines to streamline efficiency and speed up inspections for travelers.
According to a recent document outlining plans for the robotic system, S&T said it envisions a solution that would offer a fully automated inspection system. This would eliminate the need for security personnel to physically pull suspicious items from travelers’ bags and manually inspect them.
“An item that triggers an alarm in the scanner would automatically be directed to the inspection area where a robotic system would open it, locate the suspect item, and swab the item with an explosives trace detector (ETD),” the document explains. “This system would increase safety for security personnel while also increasing screening capacity and accuracy.”
Specifically, the system would feature reference markers in the bins that travelers place their bags in that would help to guide robotic arms to open the bag and locate the suspicious item. Once located, the arms would swab the item for explosive trace residues and the system would alert a security officer if a threat is detected.
S&T said the system would provide a number of benefits, including to enhance operational efficiency, speed up inspections and screening lines, standardize inspections and reduce human error, offer an automated solution to critical security tasks, and integrate with existing detection technologies.
Although the system is still in the conceptual stage, S&T said that the technology could be applied to transportation security (including air, rail, and ship), restricted access sites with high screening volume (such as concerts or sports stadiums), and bomb squads.
