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The TSA and U.S. government are enacting a wave of initiatives aimed at making airport security and customs faster, smoother, and still secure. But flyers shouldn't get too excited -- these scanners won't be used to ease bottled water rules.
The Transportation Security Agency signed a $6.8 million contract today for 390 bottled liquid scanners that will be deployed at U.S. airport screening checkpoints.
The RespondeR Bottled Liquid Scanner (BLS) units, supplied by Smiths Detection, can identify harmful liquids within 20 seconds.
The new units will supplement current technology used at U.S. airports to test medically necessary liquids transported in quantities larger than three ounces.
The machines can analyze clear, translucent, or frosted unopened glass or plastic bottles. If the liquid is deemed safe, a touch screen display reads “No Threat Found” in green and the next bottle can be scanned. If a match is made to a chemical in the scanner’s library, the display reads “Threat Found” in red. A second scan would take less than two minutes and identify the chemical found in the liquid.
Outside of airports, the scanners could also be used at large events and high-profile facilities.
A PDF with more details on the BLS units is embedded below:
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Photo credit: The RespondeR Bottled Liquid Scanner. Smiths Detection