Qantas Test Laptop Screening Technology

[harvyk]

Qantas test laptop scanning technology | News.com.au

Hopyfully this is the end of needing to remove laptops from carry on bags.

 

[samh004]

Wow the Australian Government seems to like to pour cold water on a number of things that could make life easier! Hopefully neither party, if elected, cares to lengthen security lines

But Big Brother might pour cold water on the laptop concept, with sources suggesting the Office of Transport Security did not view with favour any new procedures that would allow passengers to keep laptops in bags.

 

[medhead]

Wow the Australian Government seems to like to pour cold water on a number of things that could make life easier! Hopefully neither party, if elected, cares to lengthen security lines

I think that is just the reporter jumping to the wrong conclusion. They can't say anything about government policy due to the election and they are aware that people are trying to make security easier. Where's the cold water? Maybe the reporter doesn't know what facilitate means?

Basically the are giving bags a CT. Anyone know where the trial a has been taking place in SYD?

 

[anat0l]

It would be good if we can get to a point where we don't have to worry about taking laptops out of bags. Better if they roll out the practice overseas.

I guess the only possible problem might be if the 'strength' of the equipment is increased when a 'covered' laptop is in the screen, then could this mean media (e.g. CDs, flash drives, etc.) are more at risk of being affected.

 

[medhead]

It would be good if we can get to a point where we don't have to worry about taking laptops out of bags. Better if they roll out the practice overseas.

I guess the only possible problem might be if the 'strength' of the equipment is increased when a 'covered' laptop is in the screen, then could this mean media (e.g. CDs, flash drives, etc.) are more at risk of being affected.

From the use of the word "topography" I assume the new machines are basically a CT scan. In that case they x-ray from all sides and make a 3d image. So no need to increase the xray 'strength'* The problem with plain xray is it can't see what is on the other side of the laptop. X-raying from all sides deals with that problem.

* but the total amount of radiation might be increased

 

[samh004]

If X-raying from all sides, wouldn’t it take longer to screen bags too? And when you say all sides, you mean top bottom and sides, but not the in/out of the conveyor belt?

 

[medhead]

If X-raying from all sides, wouldn’t it take longer to screen bags too? And when you say all sides, you mean top bottom and sides, but not the in/out of the conveyor belt?

Not necessarily. Thinking of human ct scanning technology, the most advanced can image an individual heart beat. So that xray tube/detector is capable of rotating around an object quickly. Whether they would use the most advanced technology is another question. But even ordinary ct can rotate pretty quickly and can scan moving objects. If you imagine a spiral around the bag that would be the path of the xray tube relative to the bag. (but bag moving and tube only rotating).

Oh, yes, only 4 sides. Good point. But, at least looking across the end it should be able to see what is there.