The U.S. Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) and the Department of Homeland Security have brought forth a new generation of passenger screening technology. The TSA’s public affairs division announced that the agency “has developed new ways to enhance current millimeter wave technology and create much sharper x-ray images” as The Mirror US reported.
However, the main focus of the new technology will be developing an algorithm that will eventually help to reduce the number of false alarms for passengers. Besides this, the TSA’s Requirements and Capabilities Analysis unit is also apparently working on enhancing off site screening methods that would help employees from other sites to view other airports’ images remotely.
This would significantly help situations where there is a lack of staff in a certain airport as employees from other airports can take over remotely.
There is some development regarding the way TSA screens shoes as well, since “DHS Science and Technology and TSA are also researching ways to renovate or retrofit existing screening technologies”, as reported by The Mirror US. The screening prototype shoes by TSA were being tried on by some visitors at the Consumer Electronics Show.
It should be noted here that the Transportation Security Integration Facility at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport serves as the primary testing facility for such new innovations. However, many technologies can also directly go to operational environments at different airports.
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These technological changes are coming as part of President Donald Trump’s initiation of changing TSA and the way it works. The Mirror US reported, “Last month, DHS said it was ending the collective bargaining agreement with the tens of thousands of frontline employees at the Transportation Security Administration.”
The TSA union however, called it “an unprovoked attack” and also promised to fight it. During Thursday’s announcement, a fact sheet of The White House mentioned, “Certain Federal unions have declared war on President Trump’s agenda” and that Trump “refuses to let union obstruction interfere with his efforts to protect Americans and our national interests.”
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It further added, “President Trump supports constructive partnerships with unions who work with him; he will not tolerate mass obstruction that jeopardizes his ability to manage agencies with vital national security missions.”
It should be noted here that while TSA is making such technological advancements, there has been a sharp increase in fatal aviation mishaps. American citizens are also reportedly growing more and more skeptical of air travel, given the rise in the number of plane crashes in recent times.
It now remains to be seen how far these new technological advancements by TSA helps passengers in making their rides smoother and hassle free.
