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Do a Twirl for the Millimeter-Wave
Airport security could soon take a giant leap forward thanks to a breakthrough in millimeter-wave component technology.
Farnborough-based QinetiQ's new passive millimetric imager—designed for use in a walk-through security scanner—takes moving pictures and allows full body capture as passengers do a 360º pirouette. It sees through clothing and baggage to detect metals, ceramics and plastic explosives, producing real-time, high-resolution moving images of people in complete safety. Its easy-to-read display allows operators to accurately locate where a threat item is hidden. It's speedy, too—up to 60 people a minute can pass through the gate and be visually searched
QinetiQ (Hall 1, Stand A19 and Chalet L1) claims that this system will not only radically speed up passenger transfers, but also reduce costs to airports as fewer security staff will be required. QinetiQ's director of security, Jeremy Attree, told Show News, " I can foresee millimeter-wave technology becoming to people screening what x-ray is now to baggage screening."
According to Michael Burns, QinetiQ's director of aviation markets, the company isn't planning to produce the machines in-house, but is talking to potential manufacturers. "If we made them ourselves they would cost in the region of €405,000 ($500,000) each," he said, "but once in production this figure should drop significantly."
—Mike Vines
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