Two new scanners at the Norfolk International Airport will produce three-dimensional images and allow security officers to clear more bags without having to physically touch them.
The Transportation Security Administration announced Thursday that the new scanners — only 186 have been installed nationwide as of August — make it easier for screeners to detect security threats.
The new “computed tomography” technology allows TSA officers to manipulate the image on a screen to get a better view of a bag’s contents. It can allow an officer to clear a bag without opening it
Few explosives are actually found by TSA officers at the Norfolk airport. TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said she is only aware of a smoke grenade being detected in 2019.
The system detects explosives, including liquids, by shooting hundreds of images with an X-ray camera spinning around the conveyor belt. TSA officers then see a three-dimensional view of the contents of a carry-on bag.
The new technology doesn’t mean an end to TSA officers physically inspecting bags. Officials stressed that will still need to happen sometimes.
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