New airport security device promises non-invasive screening

In a post 9/11 world, airport security has gone pretty George Orwell. Fortunately, a Florida-based company is looking to make it a little more Gene Roddenberry .
Airport security, post 9/11. At first, belts and shoes had to be removed, pockets had to be emptied, an inconvenience. More recently, of course, it's physical pat-downs and full body scanners, an outrage, draconian, very George Orwell...

As an alternative, Mitchel Laskey, CEO of Brijot Imaging Systems, is channeling his inner Gene Roddenberry with what he believes will make the air travel experience once again a breeze - or not outrageous, at least.

The company has announced its latest entry into the world of airport security, the AllClear, a battery-powered handheld scanner that resembles the metal detecting wand commonly used by security personnel - but much more advanced, more Star Trek tricorder about it.

The AllClear is a radiation-free detector of "millimeter waves," the naturally occurring electromagnetic wave energy emitted by objects both metallic and non-metallic.Reportedly it's able to detect metal, liquids, solids, powders, explosives, paper, ceramics, various types of drugs and other forms of contraband without making any physical contact.

While agreeable to the necessity of airport security - Brijot also manufactures full body scanners - Laskey questioned the invasiveness of the current state-of-the-art. "I knew that there had to be a better way than taking naked pictures of people or patting them down like common criminals," he said. "That's why we developed the AllClear."

Laskey explained that there is no radiation involved with Passive Millimeter Wave (PMMW) technology; AllClear's screening system poses no health risks to anyone, including children, pregnant women, and people with pacemakers.

Laskey added that the AllClear has the potential to speed up the lines at security check points in airports as well as schools, public buildings, courthouses, concert venues and theme parks. "The AllClear only requires one operator, minimal training, and is easy to use," he said. "The time it takes to screen a person using the AllClear is similar to using a handheld metal detector and takes less time than a pat-down."