Technology Could Eliminate Security Shoe Hassle
INDIANAPOLIS --
Hoosiers were happy to keep their shoes on while testing a new security feature at Indianapolis International Airport.
About 1,000 passengers on Wednesday volunteered to go through a pre-flight security station that scans shoes automatically.
"It was hassle free, totally hassle free," said Sharon Runnels, one of the testers. "You just walk on, you stand on it and you feel absolutely nothing. In 10 seconds you're done."
The device, from Morpho Detection, uses automatic radio frequency magnetic fields to excite and detect specific atoms of explosive materials, identifying hidden weapons in shoes without removing them.
"We're offering a technology that's both more convenient for the passengers and also convenient for the government, because they won't have to look at the X-rays," said company spokesman Christopher Crowley.
The data from the Indianapolis test will be compared to dangerous items to see how the machine responds.
While safety may come first for most passengers, convenience isn't far behind.
"I'm tired of taking my shoes off, and that will definitely help," said tester Kenneth Boykin.
The technology was developed with funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, the Technical Support Working Group and the Department of Defense.
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