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Manufacturers such as Smiths Detection and L-3 Communications
are developing and testing new scanners using computed
tomography (CT) imaging, which produce more detailed images than
a regular x-ray.
Because liquids and electronic devices do not need to be removed
with the new scanners, fewer trays of belongings and images of
their contents are required, representatives of Smiths and L-3
told Reuters at a security conference in Brussels.
Europe's airports spend 5 billion euros ($5.3 billion) a year on
security, according to airports association ACI Europe, which
organised the conference.
L-3, which already makes CT scanners for hold baggage, is
currently trial ling its ClearScan scanner for hand baggage at
airports in Amsterdam and Johannesburg, a marketing
representative at the conference said.
A spokeswoman for Schiphol airport in Amsterdam said the results
of the test were good. Passengers still need to place liquids in
a clear plastic bag, but the bag can remain in the luggage.
"It leads to fewer rejections of checked hand luggage and
therefore fewer additional checks," she told Reuters, adding
that if the trial is completed successfully, Schiphol will use
the scanners in all its 67 security lanes from 2017.
Rival Smiths Detection is still in the development stage with
its scanner and hopes to launch it at a trade fair in Munich in
October next year. It said its scanner will have an advantage
over rival CT models because the conveyor belt will move at the
same speed as current scanners, whereas others are slower.
In addition, the images take longer to analyze due to their
level of detail, Cameron Mann, global market director for
aviation at Smiths Detection told Reuters.
The Schiphol spokeswoman confirmed that the new L-3 scanner was
not as fast as current devices, but said that overall the
security process was quicker, because passengers did not need
time to retrieve their bag, laptop and liquids.
(Reporting by Victoria Bryan; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
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