AIRPORT SHOW: New way to speed through security intelligently

Airports want customers who are happy, relaxed and have time to explore the airport facilities. These are the customers who spend money in airport shops and restaurants, and still arrive on time for flights, allowing airlines to keep to schedules. However, currently many passengers find themselves stressed, waiting for a plastic tray, and then unloading all their worldly goods into it, only to find the person in front has not taken out his laptop, so the whole queue stops.

Henrik Kyger Pallesen, product owner, Intelligent Track Systems, has the answer. The intelligent scannable trolley allows passengers to place all their baggage on the trolley, and take it to an automatic scanning area. The trolley and its contents are scanned, while they pass through the personnel scanner, and then collected by the passenger on the other side.

Pallesen said: “We are two companies who have merged our concepts to produce a solution to the delays and inconvenience at airport security. The system is totally automated, and has a huge capacity compared to the current system.”

The system offers better detection capabilities with automated identification of explosives. Passengers have no need to remove electronics and liquids from bags. This speeds up the process from a maximum of 200 passengers per line per hour, to a possible 600 per hour.

“There is no delay as passengers wait for trays, or empty their bags, and the operators can be anywhere,” explained Pallesen. “When a problem is flagged on the system, the trolley is diverted to a separate area for checking by security staff.”

As well as speeding up the security protocols, the system offers wider benefits. Each trolley is fitted with a screen. The user simply scans his boarding card and the system will identify the boarding gate, and give regular updates on the progress of the flight.

Pallesen said: “We call it the personal assistant and the airport operator can choose what information is displayed. Passengers do not have to keep checking boarding screens, as the system will offer reminders. It displays maps of the airport, enables shoppers to locate stores and products and generally enables them to remain relaxed, and more likely to spend time and money.”

The interface also allows airlines to locate missing passengers. Pallensen explained: “While data protection in Europe does not allow the information of who is where to be accessed, the system shows dots of where the trolleys of those checked in for a particular flight are in the airport. If the gate is closing, the airline can choose to hold the flight for a passenger that is nearby, or close it and unload the baggage if the passenger is in another terminal for instance.”

 

Screens on the trolley help guide you through the system - and the airport (Image: Intelligent Track Systems)