Do you ever wonder where your bag goes after it enters the curtain behind the person who helped you check it in?
What are those machines doing? What goes on back there?
Well, among other things, all bags are screened for explosives materials, weapons, and other dangerous articles.
Did you know that many explosive substances and devices are made with things found at home?
The use of homemade explosives is a challenge for aviation security.
To meet this challenge, the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Checked Baggage Screening Program works with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), academia and industry, to keep improving the technology that can detect explosives and other threats in bags, even when surrounded by common items like clothing, electronics or food.
(Learn More. TSA has 20 integrated components, that we call the Layers of Security, working together to keep you secure . The layers are both seen and unseen and work like a very complex combination safe designed to keep our adversaries at bay and our transportation systems safe. Courtesy of the TSA and YouTube. Posted on Aug 1, 2017.)
Find out how the research and development that goes into explosives detection does a lot more than shorten the time you stand in line at the airport and ensure the safety of air travel.
Bring your questions and join the conversation on S&T’s YouTube page July 17 at 1 p.m. ET for a live tech talk discussion about screening technologies and tools under development that can find explosives in baggage, oddly shaped objects, and other checked items as well!”
(Learn about TSA’s inline baggage screening systems, which are automated screening equipment that remotely screen and clear a bag without the use of a physical inspection. Courtesy of TSA and YouTube. Posted on May 24, 2016.)
The DHS S&T Checked Baggage Program has three specific focus areas:
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Advanced X-ray Systems Development
- Development and testing of full up system engineering design models (EDMs) (TRL 6-7 level of maturity).
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Advanced Algorithms and System Integration
- Development/maturation of threat detection and false alarm reduction algorithms, integration into operational /prototype systems and demonstration of real time operation.
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Supporting Component Technology Development
- Development/maturation of system components and subsystems (such as X-ray Sources and Detectors) necessary to evolve laboratory and experimental prototypes into full up X-ray system designs able to meet the Advanced X-ray Systems requirements.
Future Program Capabilities:
- An expanded library of explosives and explosives signatures that can be effectively detected
- Improved automated explosives detection and false alarm performance
- Improved imaging tools for operator alarm resolution
- Improved system reliability, screening speed (throughput) and reduced cost of ownership compared with currently deployed explosives detection systems (EDS)
