Channel NewsAsia - 2 hours 1 minute
ago
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal 3 is testing out
a new screening machine which is said to be more effective in
detecting illegal objects concealed on the body. But the new device
could leave travellers a little more exposed.
Called the Millimetre Wave scanner, it is currently on a
three—month trial at Terminal 3 (T3).
The scanner produces images that outline the body contour.
High—frequency radio signals generate millimetre waves which bounce
off the body to reveal any hidden foreign objects.
While some travellers may find the image too revealing, the
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said care has been
taken to protect their privacy.
For example, the passenger’s face and sensitive parts of the
body are blurred. The image, captured at a location away from the
scanner, is deleted after each passenger is processed.
Travellers Channel NewsAsia spoke with did not seem to mind much
about a little exposure.
One traveller said: "I would choose it just because I would
rather someone not pat me down."
"I will go through the scanner as this is a very important thing
for security," said another.
Currently, only one scanner is being used at T3’s A1 to A8 gate
hold room.
If passengers set off a metal detector, they still have the
option of the traditional 'pat—down’ physical search or going
through the new scanner.
CAAS is evaluating whether the US$200,000 scanner improves
passenger flow and is gathering feedback from travellers before
deciding whether to deploy the machines across the airport.
Developed by US—based L3 Communications, Millimetre Wave
scanners are already being used at airports in countries like the
Netherlands, Australia and Indonesia. — CNA/vm