By Calvin Biesecker
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) yesterday said it has begun using a millimeter wave whole body imaging system in primary screening mode in lieu of using metal detectors at airport checkpoints in Tulsa International Airport, Okla., as part of an ongoing pilot project using the millimeter wave imaging technology.
The use of L-3 Communications‘ [LLL] ProVision portal in a primary screening application is a new twist in the piloting of the system. TSA has acquired at least 30 of the imagers mainly for use in secondary screening of airline passengers at 20 airports.
However, TSA officials have been saying since last summer that they would explore the use of the whole body imagers in primary inspection mode.
The ProVision system is basically an upright cylinder that a person steps into and then stands still for a quick two-second scan. The person then exits the machine opposite the side he entered.
In addition to Tulsa, TSA plans to deploy the ProVision systems at five other airports for primary screening in the next two months. The additional airports are in Albuquerque, N.M., Las Vegas, Miami, Salt Lake City and San Francisco.
In the primary screening pilots, just as in the secondary screening mode, passengers can opt out. If they do so, they will go through a metal detector and be subject to a pat down search as part of the primary screening process.
TSA said that passengers have been reacting positively to the millimeter wave systems in the secondary screening pilots. In addition to millimeter wave technology, TSA has also been pilot testing a limited number of X-Ray backscatter whole body imagers at a number of airports. The backscatter systems are supplied by American Science & Engineering [ASEI] and OSI Systems‘ [OSIS] Rapiscan division.
In using the whole body imagers, TSA says it is ensuring passenger privacy by making sure the images being displayed are viewed remotely by an officer who cannot see the traveler. Also, the images cannot be stored or printed and are immediately deleted after being viewed. The facial area of the image is also blurred.