Duluth International Airport in Minnesota has partnered with the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to install an advanced imaging technology (AIT) scanner at the airport’s security checkpoint.
The non-intrusive AIT is optional and provides passengers with an alternate screening option over the regular metal detectors and pat down security process. This is particularly useful for travelers with joint replacements or other medical devices that would regularly alarm a walk-through metal detector.
The AIT meets US health and safety standards and leverages non-ionizing radio frequency energy in the millimeter spectrum, which has no known adverse health effects. It does not use x-ray technology.
The AIT uses automated target recognition software that eliminates passenger-specific images and instead, auto-detects potential threats by indicating their location on a generic outline of a person. The generic outline is identical for all passengers.
Natalie Peterson, communications and marketing director at Duluth International, said, “The new AIT scanner will add an additional customer service convenience to an already expedited process at Duluth Airport. On average our current wait time in our screening area is seven minutes. We are also thrilled that this new technology will also provide a more convenient process for those that are traveling with joint replacements or other medical devices.”