Airport Security Trends for 2010 Travel

If planning your 2010 timeshare rental vacation includes flying, you are undoubtedly wondering about airport security measures in the aftermath of the thwarted 2009 Christmas Day terrorist attack on an airplane destined for the U.S.

The following are the 2010 trends in airport security - what is now in place and what is being studied.

Full-body Scan
Metal detectors are efficient for detecting most metals, but unless they are set to a particularly high sensitivity they will not detect non-ferris (no iron added) metals such as titanium, gold and silver. And they obviously do not detect non-metal such as plastics and powdered substances. Hence the full-body scan, which is currently in a pilot program in the U.S. with trials being conducted at various airports across the country.

The TSA (Transportation Security Agency) is attempting to address the public's concern over privacy issues of the full-body scan by using a pair of security officers, one working the machine, who never sees the image, and a second in another room who sees the image but never sees the person.

CastScope
Implemented last year after a successful pilot program in 2008, the CastScope allows for easy scanning of anyone wearing a prosthetic device, plaster cast, leg or arm bandages, or braces. The dignity of passengers is maintained since they no longer must submit to removing clothing or to the embarrassment of taking off a prosthesis.

Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST)
This is a Homeland Security-funded project to study ways of using sensors to detect such things as heart rate, shifty eyes and fidgeting of passengers, that might help security agents figure out if a person has something to hide. A modified Wii Balance Board (from the home video game by Nintendo) is being used to detect variations in human behavior including standing still if calm, and shifting position if nervous.

Mind Reading Technology
This proposed security protocol "would allow the authorities to apprehend the wrong doers even before they have a chance to formulate their plans." An Israeli company, WeCU, is currently testing a device that will "project the images and symbols associated with terrorist organizations onto airport screens and then look for individual reactions, such as increased heartbeat, nervousness, faster breathing, etc." allowing immediate apprehension of suspects. No kidding.

Enjoy the process of planning your family vacation, and deciding on the perfect destination and budget timeshare rental. The TSA and its counterparts world-wide, charged with the job of keeping planes and passengers safe, are doing their planning as well to improve airport security measures and ensure your safety.

(Photo courtesy of TSA.gov)
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