Passive millimeter wave imaging tested at Italian airport

Photo from Brijot Imaging Systems
The Gen 2 system from Brijot Imaging Systems allows for screeners to spot weapons, stacks of currency, even liquids and gels, behind a passenger's clothing.

Passive millimeter wave imaging underwent a succesful test at an airport in Rome according to the manufacturer of the system. Brijot, which worked with security integration firm Pickel Security, said the company's Gen 2 passive millimeter wave system had been effectively deployed at Rome's second largest airport, the Ciampino Giovan Battista Pastine Airport, which is Italy's fifth largest airport. The airport sees some 5.5 million passengers every year.

The company's new "Gen 2" version is designed to spot items hidden on the body, and the company says it can spot liquids, gels, plastic explosives and even drugs and currency on persons through their clothing. Most applications, the company says, are for primary screening, and if the imaging alerts attending guards of suspect items, the travelers could be directed into a secondary screening process.

Pickel Security's CEO Boaz Harpaz compared the technology's reach as to the impact of metal detectors when they were first becoming prevalent in the 1970s.

"Many airports are still working with dated technology because they are afraid to increase the time at security checkpoints," said Harpaz of the seven-day test.

The airport tested the Brijot solution at Campino's general aviation building.