New technology aims to improve airport security
EXPLAIN HOW A YEARS LONG EFFORT
FINALLY SAW RESULTS. THOSE
STORIES AND MORE AT THE TOP
OF THE HOUR. NEW CUTTING EDGE
X-RAY TECHNOLOGY COULD CHANGE
THE WAY THAT YOUR BAGS SCANNED
AT THE AIRPORT.
>> AND IT'S BEING DEVELOPED
RIGHT HERE IN THE TRIANGLE.
WE COULD SAVE YOU TIME. AVOID
FRUSTRATION AND EVENTUALLY
ALLOW YOU TO BRING MOORE ON
THE PLANE, INCLUDING LIQUIDS
WRAL'S HEIDI KIRK TAKES US
INSIDE THE PRODUCTION FACILITY
IN HILLSBOROUGH WHERE IT'S
BEING DEVELOPED.
>> IT'S A FACILITY THAT'S ONE
OF A KIND.
INSIDE AN OLD TEXTILE MILL IN
HILLSBOROUGH. WE DO ALL OF THE
DESIGN.
>> MANUFACTURING AND ASSEMBLING
OF OUR SYSTEMS HERE. THOSE
SYSTEMS IN BOTH NEW AND
IMPROVED X-RAY TECHNOLOGY THAT
WILL BE USED IN MORE WAYS THAN
ONE. SOME OF THAT GETTING READY
TO BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE
AIRPORT. THE X-RAY SYSTEMS THAT
ARE CURRENTLY SCANNING BACKS
AND CHECK BAGGAGE HAVE BEEN
AROUND FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS NOW.
AND SO THOSE SYSTEMS ARE AGING
OUT. FOUNDER OF THE COMPANY
QUADRANT DOCS, JOEL GREENBERG'S
SAYS RIGHT NOW THEY'RE WORKING
ON MACHINES. THAT SCAN CHECKED
BAGGAGE AND MAKING THE PROCESS
SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT FOR
YOUR AVERAGE PERSON WHO'S, YOU
KNOW, GOING TO THE AIRPORT A
FEW TIMES A YEAR. HOW IS THIS
GOING TO AFFECT THEIR PROCESS?
OUR TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP MAKE
IT SO THAT IT'S MORE LIKELY
THAT YOUR BAG DOESN'T GET OPEN.
>> MORE LIKELY THAT YOUR BAG
MAKES IT TO YOU AT THE END OF
YOUR JOURNEY. BEHIND THE
SCENES, IT MAKES THE TSA IN THE
WHOLE PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT.
EVENTUALLY YOU COULD EVEN SEE
THIS AT TSA CHECKPOINTS
ALLOWING YOU TO BRING ITEMS
LIKE LIQUID THROUGH SECURITY.
PLUS, IT'S NOT THE ONLY USE THE
TECHNOLOGY IS ALSO BEING
IMPLEMENTED IN TOOLS THAT COULD
DETECT CANCER AND SAVE LIVES.
THE HOPE IS TO START TESTING
THIS BAGGAGE SCANNER TECHNOLOGY
IN AIRPORTS NEXT YEAR. HEIDI
KIRK, WRAL, NEWS IN
HILLSBOROUGH AND THE TIMELINE
SAYS IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS, YOU