Cee

Are there ways that a person can *deflect* an ultrasound wave? Like I said, this is not my gig, but everytime I have had an ultrasound done there are always certain preparations needed in order for it to be effective. Is it possible that it could be easy to get something past an ultrasound undetected? (In the same way it is easy to get something non metallic thru our WTMDs.)

bocastephen

If the device is tuned correctly, any object with density harder than fabric or skin would show up. My design for this device would include a neural net application which over time, would 'learn' how to detect certain objects, ignore others, etc.

Ideally, as the person walked through the tunnel, the system would detect and analyze all dense objects on their body, and display both the location and likely description of those items so the screener at the other end has an idea what to look for, and where.

A deflected wave would not be returned to the receiver, and thus could itself indicate something requiring further examination.

If you envision my design for a holistic system, you have two long tunnels - one for bags (CT/MRI/chemical) and one for people (ultrasound/chemical), so there is 1) ample time to screen, and 2) a better setup to keep people moving forward and through the screening process and reduce backups and long lines.

In the bigger picture, I would even move bag screening away from the checkpoint and into a centralized 'screening center', where a large staff are looking at monitors, checking bags and relaying 'pass' or 'stop' commands so the bags are routed out of the tunnel for either passenger retrieval or physical examination.

Three big benefits from this approach:

1) more than one person could be looking at the same bag - two eyes are better than one

2) the bag screening force becomes a 'just-in-time' labor pool and can be directed in real time to the busiest airports and checkpoints as needed throughout the day

3) the airport screening force is then directed to focus on passenger screening and bag management - taking one large task out of their hands and improving efficiency. They only need to search bags flagged by the screeners in the central location

oneofthosepeopleyouloveto hate

You're wrong; there is.

That said ... I dunno how it's done in other places, but where I work, you get either the puffer or a pat-down, but not both, unless you alarm the WTMD.

Wally Bird

So how do you randomise it ? Ooops silly me, that's SSI now isn't it.

Bet it's not really random though.

gj83

We have some cyclops working in TSA now?

The SSSS for ticket changes are a joke. Delta always SSSS's me when i switch on from another carrier due to irregular operations. If i'm already past security I ask the gate agent if I need to run and "get it taken care of" and they usually just give me a shhhh.

Airtran also gave me SSSS from that same trip and the gate agent didn't even pay attention scanning my BP. i was glad b/c that would have involved going from C to security and back to C in atlanta in 20 minutes.

I have no intentions of blowing up any flights.

oneofthosepeopleyouloveto hate

The way I do it (this is not SSI) when I'm assigned to random screening is simply to pop into a corral and tell the mag operator to send me the next female passenger.

Doesn't get much more random than that!

SJCFlyerLG

The very existence of SSSS screening implies that routine screening is inadequate. How does the TSA explain this one away?

Wally Bird

But you can only do one at a time, so while you are occupied with the first 'random' selectee no more can be selected. So the randomness is being inadvertantly controlled by you, but I'm splitting hairs now .

Fredrik74

Explain? Why would they have to explain that? They are a goverment agency.

I asked the second TSO to check my BP at EWR yesterday why he wanted to check it when someone else already had checked it. His reply was that the people at the entrance didn't do such a good job. Of course he used other words to say it but this is what he meant. He also said a third TSO would check my BP after I had walked through the machine to make sure TSO number 2 had really checked the BP.

Global_Hi_Flyer

Featherbedding.

Has the union been formed yet?

TheRoadie

It could also be outsourced to a low-bid operation in India. One minute, they could be telemarketing for mortgage refi - the next, their screen could show them xrayed bags to pass or block.

Cee

This is true. There are reasons for the multiple BP checks, but most of the reasons are overreactions to a previous incident. The TSA is awesome at being reactive, instead of proactive.

As far as the union is concerned...I work with people that are part of the union. I don't understand unions, and have been screwed by them before, so I will have no part of it.

Fredrik74

Isn't the whole SSSS thing a reaction to 9/11? Where security failed to find anything even though several of the hijackers were secondary selectees.

Cee

The whole TSA is a reaction to 9/11. The whole 3-1-1 is a reaction to London. The whole shoe carnival is a reaction to Richard Reid...

TheRoadie

And the ID/BP checking is a reaction to what thwarted terrorist threat? None. I guessed as much.....

If the screening was swift and effective, loved ones could be allowed to visit the gates just like before. No BP needed. No ID needed. Airside vendors would rejoice at having more customers.