TSA pat-downs may grow to be a factor of the previous with VR tech

Researchers on the Transportation Safety Administration have designed digital actuality know-how to successfully pat-down an individual with out touching them instantly, in accordance with supplies just lately revealed on-line by the Division of Homeland Safety.

The conceptual know-how, referred to as a “wearable sensor for contactless bodily evaluation,” combines touchless sensors, cameras, and a haptic suggestions pad with a digital actuality headset to “bodily simulate” the “sensation” of a conventional screening. DHS has utilized to patent the gadget, and 404 Media initially reported on the know-how.

TSA researchers designed this wearable know-how that might assist make airport pat-downs much less invasive.
Credit score: Division of Homeland Safety

A description of the wearable gadget famous that the know-how “can reduce potential hurt when touching unsafe objects, protect particular person privateness throughout a safety screening, or safely present bodily consciousness for visually-impaired people.”

In 2024, TSA screened 904 million passengers, in accordance with the federal company. An unknown variety of these passengers obtained a pat-down, which the company says is used to find out whether or not a passenger is concealing a prohibited merchandise, like a firearm or knife.

Such screenings have gone viral on-line previously, with passengers claiming they had been topic to invasive, sexual, or in any other case inappropriate touching.

The sensor system may use millimeter wave scanning, gentle detection and ranging (LiDAR), or backscatter X-ray know-how with a view to reveal gadgets hid by clothes. A handheld padded gadget containing these sensors would detect a person’s “contours” to in the end produce a map that may information the person’s hand by haptic suggestions.

In response to 404 Media’s evaluate of patent paperwork, the show of delicate physique elements can be restricted to protect privateness.

But 404 Media additionally spoke with an nameless, skeptical privateness skilled who questioned whether or not the know-how is actually non-invasive.

“I assume the concept is that the individual being searched would not really feel a factor, however the TSA officer can get all up in there?,” the skilled advised 404 Media. “The officer can really feel it … and maybe that is much more invasive (or inappropriate)? All whereas additionally gathering a 3D rendering of your physique.”

For now, the TSA nonetheless conducts its screenings the old style means — with millimeter wave imaging, walk-through steel detectors, and sure, often-dreaded pat-downs.