TRAVELERS might soon be able to go through airport screening without being patted down by TSA agents.
New virtual reality technology could provide a hands-free approach to pat-downs that are known to slow the check-in process.
The VR technology uses gloves with sensors for a contactless physical interaction[/caption]
The new contact-free screening would limit interactions between TSA agents and passengers (stock image)[/caption]
Researchers at the TSA are looking into wearable sensors that would allow agents to feel objects without even touching them, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
TSA agents would use VR goggles and special gloves to analyze passengers at security checkpoints.
The development could allow travelers to get to their flight gates faster by saving time with touchless interactions.
The process would prevent flyers from having to step aside to complete the pat-downs, which inevitably delays the boarding process.
Travelers who request to be taken to a private area for the pat-downs can also skip the time-consuming trip to another room by not having to be touched at all during the inspection.
The technology is still in development, according to DHS.
The agent would put their hand into the straps of the pad and place the glove in front of the passenger’s body.
It uses touchless sensors to “register the object’s contours,” according to an information sheet by the DHS.
The feedback from the sensors replicates the body, which allows the “physical sensation and assessment without contact,” DHS said.
Simulating the sensation of touching the flyer allows the official to screen for any dangerous items.
The hands-off system allows passengers more privacy as they won’t have to be patted all over their body by a stranger.
The tech could be used to virtually pat down someone’s belt buckle or sensitive body parts.
Plus, only the person using the goggles will be able to see the screening, which helps maintain privacy and safety.
One of the patents says only limited areas will be shown for certain body parts.
Description from the DHS
The Department of Homeland Security shared the following release about the new technology concept:
Virtual reality (VR) technologies simulate environments that allow users to sense virtual objects and experiences. VR systems digitally immerse users through simulated sensations delivered through head-mounted displays, gloves, suits, and other wearable devices. Compared to sight, hearing, and smell, touch-based sensing is harder to replicate virtually because the hand’s sensory and motor nerves are more complex than other body parts.
Researchers at the Transportation Security Administration pursued this challenge with a design for a Wearable Sensor for Contactless Physical Assessment (WSCPA), a technology that would allow a user to feel an object without touching it. The innovation uses touchless sensors to register the object’s contours and generate feedback to physically replicate the target object, enabling physical sensation and assessment without direct contact. The subject technology can minimize potential harm when touching unsafe objects, preserve individual privacy during a security screening, or safely provide physical awareness for visually-impaired individuals.
Source: DHS
It keeps the worker safe as well because it minimizes contact with potentially dangerous objects.
The VR could also provide more physical awareness for people with visual impairments.
Researchers noted that the accessory would feature touchless, cameras, and a feedback pad.
“The touchless sensor system could be enabled through millimeter wave scanning, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), or backscatter X-ray technology,” the DHS said.
It could potentially be used for medical examinations in addition to security screenings.
Patent filings by DHS researchers say the technology, invented by William Hastings, has been in the works since 2022.
