Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are field testing the use of new handheld language translation-interpretation devices at John F Kennedy International Airport in an effort to support a more positive security checkpoint experience for individuals who are limited English proficient, international travelers and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or who are blind or have low vision.
TSA announced in March that tests had been carried out with the devices at Philadelphia International Airport.
The goal of the field tests is to enable TSA to evaluate the viability of these devices by assessing the ease and effectiveness of use and their impact on checkpoint operations.
“We hope that this will turn out to be a valuable tool for our officers to provide guidance to passengers who might not speak English,” explained John Essig, TSA’s Federal Security Director for John F Kennedy International Airport. “For example, it will help us to explain in the language that the traveler understands, that we may need to open a carry-on bag for a search.”
The device is smaller than a cell phone and contains a library of 83 languages. A TSA officer or a traveler can speak into the device and it will translate the message into the language that is selected. The device will audibly repeat the message into the chosen language for the traveler and it will appear on the screen for travelers to read if they are deaf or hard of hearing.
TSA has deployed a handful of units to be used at checkpoints at JFK Airport. Since the rechargeable units work via wi-fi or data connection, they can easily be moved to any checkpoint lane where they are needed because they do not need to be tethered to an electrical outlet. “That agility is extremely valuable to us,” Essig explained.
TSA can pre-program common advisements that TSA officers use in typical checkpoint conversations. The device can keep up to 10,000 translations that are “favorites” and commonly used. Software updates can be downloaded to add languages and words to the vocabulary library. Some foreign languages have specific dialects and other nuances. For example, the units distinguish four types of Spanish: that spoken in Spain, Argentina, Columbia and the USA.
“The field testing of these units is one step that we are taking to improve our communication with a broader traveling population and further enhance the customer experience,” explained Jose Bonilla, TSA’s Executive Director of the agency’s Traveler Engagement Division. “The results of this field test will allow us to evaluate the viability of a small, standalone communication device at our checkpoints by assessing the ease and effectiveness of use and its impact on checkpoint operations.”
“This has the potential to be a game-changer for travelers who are not fluent in English who come to our checkpoints,” Essig said. “It will ease their travel experience. Already we are seeing a positive impact.”
In related news, the TSA recently tested the translation tool at Philadelphia International Airport. Click here to read the full story.