»»TSA Starting Test of Millimeter Wave for Primary Passenger Screening
Last week Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began testing Millimeter Wave technology (MMW) in the place of a metal detector at Tulsa International Airport for primary passenger screening.
Millimeter Wave equipment is already working at checkpoints of 18 airports across the U.S., but in a “secondary” screening configuration. At these airports, randomly selected passengers and those requiring secondary screening can be screened by millimeter wave technology as a non-invasive alternative to a pat-down from an officer.
In Tulsa, instead of walking through the metal detector, passengers will go directly through the millimeter wave machine. A passenger can opt not to go through the unit, but will go through the metal detector and get a pat-down instead.
In addition to the security benefit of whole body imaging – it can detect metallic and non-metallic threat items.
TSA says that the technology is completely safe, WBI images are never transmitted, printed or stored, the officer at the machine cannot see the image and the officer viewing the image cannot see the passenger.
In the next two months, the pilot program will expand to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Miami, Albuquerque, and Salt Lake City. (source: TSA)
