This, ladies and gentlemen, could be your Checkpoint of the Future -- a new airport security prototype that promises to move away 'from a system that looks for bad objects, to one that can find bad people.' Unveiled at the IATA's annual conference in Singapore yesterday, the setup is comprised of three, 20-foot long detectors -- one for 'known travelers,' one for high-risk flyers, and one for everyone else. Instead of funneling passengers through the same checkpoint, then, the prototype would use eye scanners and biometric chips to verify their identities and analyze their personal history, before dividing them into groups. People who complete and pass government background checks would waltz through the fast pass lane with their carry-on luggage in tow, whereas those deemed particularly risky would have to undergo a more intensive, full-body scan within the 'Enhanced' security lane. The rest of us, meanwhile, would be directed to the 'Normal' detector, which would automatically scan us for liquids, metals and everything that is evil. The IATA says this risk-based approach would reduce security lines and lower airport costs, but it would still require governments to share data on their own citizens, which could pose a major hurdle to widespread adoption. For now, the IATA and governmental agencies are still hammering away at the details and have yet to announce a pilot program, but you can check out an audio-less demo video of the prototype, after the break.
IATA's Checkpoint of the Future uses biometric IDs to separate do-gooders from terrorists (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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