DHS S&T Finances Development of Self-Screening Hardware Subsystem at Airports

Voxel Radar has received $387,415 in funding from the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate to build a passenger self-screening hardware subsystem for airport checkpoints.

The development effort supports the DHS S&T’s Screening at Speed Program, which is aimed at increasing aviation security effectiveness while significantly reducing wait times and improving passenger experience.

The company’s system design will incorporate next-generation millimeter wave panel sensors, enabling real-time collection of data as passengers move through checkpoints. Feedback will be provided if additional screening is required, DHS said.

To ensure rapid system integration and algorithm upgrades, Voxel Radar will develop the self-screening system with an open architecture.

“Future passenger self-screening automation is expected to not only keep travelers and transportation security officers safer in pandemic situations like the one we face today, but will also improve the quality of screening from a security perspective and provide an innovative and convenient experience for airline passengers,” said John Fortune, manager of the Screening at Speed Program.

Improving airport security has been top of mind for the DHS.

The department recently awarded Phase II Small Business Innovation Research contracts totaling approximately $2 million to spur the development of handheld aviation screening devices.

Spectral Labs got funding to produce a compact and transportable handheld anomaly recognition tool for checking people’s clothing at checkpoints for concealed threats while TeraMetrix received funding to create a prototype handheld millimeter-wave advanced threat detection and imaging wand.