AI improves airport speed and security

For almost 20 years there has been a restriction on the amount of liquid that could be taken on to a plane, mirrored with an increase in the items that have needed to be removed from hand luggage before going through airport scanners. But now the rules are changing.

Thales, a French multinational company that designs, develops, and manufactures electrical systems, as well as devices and equipment for the aerospace, defence, security, and transportation sectors, is changing the way holidaymakers, business professionals, and all other flyers check their hand luggage through airport security with its intelligent and compact baggage scanners.

The HELIXVIEW EDS-CB C3 is a stationary system with multiple x-ray sources positioned around the scanner tunnel, and it is the first to use x-ray sources based on carbon-nanotubes – giving it the benefit of being ultra-lightweight when compared to traditional scanners that use a single x-ray positioned in a rotating tunnel.

“I am very pleased to present HELIXVIEW, our new airport scanner. I am sure that passengers will appreciate this new smoother and faster security checks using attractively and ergonomically-designed systems. This new technology will bring higher security and comfort with an optimal cost-performance ratio,” commented Yannick Assouad, Executive Vice President, Avionics, Thales.

By combining expertise in artificial intelligence and cyber security, the scanner is designed to interpret a potential security risk. Programmed to recognise deadly weapons, as well as any item that may be dismantled and placed across several bags, the machine will send an alert to an operator stating whether a threat or not has been detected.

By utilising this smart, sleek, and security-conscious technology, which has a 30% smaller footprint than other EDS-CB C3 scanners, HELIXVIEW are not only increasing passenger safety and peace of mind, but because items no longer need to be removed from bags, they are also speeding up the process of passing through baggage security.

When it comes to airport safety, it seems that less is definitely more.