Airport screening technology research seems to be moving away from looking only for malicious objects and towards looking also for malicious intent.
The U.S. Homeland Security Department has been funding a project called FAST: Future Attribute Screening Technology whose purpose is to use physiological cues (perspiration, eye movement, heart rate, body temperature, etc.) to detect people who intend on doing harm. FAST builds on research that shows how one’s physical reactions reflect an emotional or mental state. Simply put, twitching and sweaty = nervous.
And nervous may mean you are up to no good. Or, not. An absence of factors would likewise be suspicious, according to project descriptions.
Similar efforts to build systems that use autonomic nervous system measurements to detect dangerous persons are ongoing in Israel and other countries, as well. In addition to bolstering security, the goal is to streamline and hasten the screening process to something more palatable to travelers.
Looking at intentions is an important focus. Means are easy to conceal, difficult to find, and moot if the perpetrator is determined and well trained. But at the end of the day, any identified indicators have to link back to an actual aggressor’s method of operation. The mission of a security screening process is to find terrorists and criminals, not nervous adulterers or stressed out petty thieves. Having a thorough knowledge of how terrorists operate, how they conduct themselves through the various steps that lead to an attack is the number one bit of information that will result in prevention and mitigation. We must know what we are looking for – on an operational level.
No doubt, high tech is cool. Many tools are useful. Let’s just make sure that all the pieces of a security system are related to an intelligent foundation based on the aggressor’s MO.
Great article: balanced perspectives and great content. No doubt there has been an overfocus on tools. Thank you for reminding everyone of the importance of an intelligent foundation.