Homeland Security Today - Steve Karoly and Andrew Goldsmith
TSA’s goal to leverage remote screening and a “contactless” passenger experience does not stop at identity verification or accessible property screening. These fundamentals can – and we think will — be applied to passenger screening as well because they too will improve efficiency and enhance the Transportation Security Officer (TSO) and passenger safety.
On-person screening – TSA’s official term for passenger screening at the security checkpoint – is today conducted using a variety of technologies: millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) to screen for metallic and nonmetallic threats, walk-through metal detectors (WTMDs) to screen for metallic threats, and explosive trace detection systems (ETDs) that screen for trace amounts of explosive residue. Additionally (and unfortunately), there are times when pat-downs are required...read here