Next-Gen Airport Scanners Will Be Faster and More Secure

Just two years after it installed scanners in airports all over in the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security is looking for the next generation of technology. The agency wants scanners that are "faster, smaller, more precise and less prone to hacking," Wired's Danger Room reported.

In an announcement, the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) called for new scanner tech that is more reliable and rings fewer false alarms. The agencies also asked for memory chips that work faster, but are cheaper and use less power. The chips should not be vulnerable to people seeking to steal their data.

Homeland Security and DARPA are holding a meeting Sep. 18 in Arlington, Va., during which researchers working on homeland security tech will present their latest results. Groups will show better ways of detecting explosives in checked bags, carry-ons and in-person clothing, Wired found. Researchers will also talk about a DARPA project working toward gathering higher-quality data from cheaper instruments. 

Overall, however, the Transportation Security Agency is trying to move away from screening everyone equally thoroughly, Wired reported. The agency has found ways of passing on frequent fliers, children and people who have top-level security clearances from the U.S. government.

Source: Wired

This story was provided by InnovationNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow InnovationNewsDaily on Twitter @News_Innovation, or on Facebook.