6 chapters across the catalog
The TSA is testing high-definition Computed Tomography (CT) scanners at security checkpoints in Phoenix and Boston to better identify explosives and firearms in carry-on bags. This technology, already used for checked luggage, creates 3D images and could eventually eliminate the need for passengers to remove laptops from their bags. Officials hope the 3D algorithms will speed up the screening process and reduce secondary inspections.
Airport Swab Machines and Security Industry Profits
Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak discuss the differences between European and American airport security, specifically the use of explosive detection swab machines. Dvorak notes that these machines are rare in Europe compared to the U.S. They speculate that the recent terror alerts may be a marketing tactic to sell expensive security hardware to European airports.
A press release from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reveals that the TSA allows travelers to pat down their own religious headwear. Administrator John Pistole confirms that after a self-pat-down, agents perform explosive trace detection on the traveler's hands. The hosts argue that if self-patting is safe for headwear, it should be applied to other sensitive areas to avoid invasive groping.
TSA Hand Swabbing, Ion Scan 400B, False Positives
The Transportation Security Administration has deployed mobile Ion Scan 400B machines to swab passengers' hands for explosives and narcotics. Reports from an anonymous photographer suggest the machines frequently produce false positives for nitroglycerin and can detect legal heart medications or trace amounts of drugs, raising significant civil liberty and airport efficiency concerns.
TSA Checkpoints, Glycerin Detection, Laptop Hygiene
A traveler at a TSA checkpoint triggered explosives detectors because of glycerin residue on his laptop. The hosts joke about the potential origins of the glycerin, suggesting it could come from excessive use of hand lotion. The incident highlights the sensitivity of the swabs used by airport security to detect bomb components.
The allocation of $500 million for TSA explosive detection systems is criticized as inefficient. It is argued that using trained dogs for sniffing out explosives, drugs, and fruit would be more effective and less costly than high-tech airport security machinery.
