24 Jan 2012 Relaxing the liquids ban on flights
Several new high-tech bottle-scanning technologies that will allow the lifting of the liquids ban at airports are currently being trialled in several countries. The UK-based Cobalt Light Systems’ explosives detector has just passed all its European civil aviation security tests.
The rule banning bottles larger than 100ml being carried through security and onto aircraft was introduced in 2006 following the failed attempt by 17 would-be terrorists who conspired to carry hydrogen peroxide-based liquid explosives onto aircraft in the UK.
The breakthrough, which will enable the lifting of the ban, is to assess the contents of any size of bottle without opening it. Cobalt Light Systems’ Insight100 desktop container screening device is similar in size to a domestic microwave oven and uses a near-infrared laser to interrogate the liquid, powder or gel molecules in a bottle and reveal their chemistry.
The technique, called spatially offset raman spectroscopy, shines the near-infrared laser into the bottle at a number of points. A small proportion of the light reflected back at each point is shifted in wavelength by the energy levels in the liquid molecules, and this small shift reveals what the substance is.
Within five seconds of placing a bottle in the machine, a simple readout says: ‘water’, ‘marmite’ or ‘hydrogen peroxide’ with an appropriate on screen ‘Clear’ or ‘Alarm’ message.
“Crucially, Cobalt’s newly-approved technology has a low rate of false alarms – it gives less than 0.5% false positives – and reveals the seemingly innocent precursor chemicals that could be mixed inflight to create a potent explosive,” said Cobalt Light Systems CEO Paul Leoffen.
Developments in Australia
This year, already, international travellers will be able to travel with their favourite bottle of perfume or alcoholic beverage, under a new security plan being implemented at Australian International airports.
The federal government has announced the “easing of restrictions” as Australia’s international airports begin introducing new explosive detection equipment, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Currently, around 8 000 items including water bottles are confiscated at Sydney Airport security checkpoints per month and 1 250 duty free items such as alcohol and perfumes.
The new detection equipment has been tested at Sydney airport allows authorities to detect the smallest sign of explosives in liquids.
Source: Cobalt Light Systems