Liberty Defense Holdings Ltd. has received an award from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for $1.75M for the development of a prototype High-Definition Advanced Imaging Technology (HD-AIT) upgrade kit for testing on an AIT passenger screening system.
The HD-AIT next-generation people screening technology platform for threat detection uses high-definition imaging and Artificial Intelligence, which together are designed to provide greater detection with a lower false alarm rate.
TSA’s On-Person Screening program aims to detect a growing range of threats, with fewer false alarms and less physical contact. In addition to enhanced detection, the HD-AIT body scanners are anticipated to help improve passenger experience and move people through the checkpoint more seamlessly.
Liberty previously licensed a millimeter wave-based, High-Definition Advanced Imaging Technology (HD-AIT) body scanner and a shoe screener technology in March of 2021. Both technologies were developed by researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) on behalf of TSA’s mission. Liberty is now developing the technology in house with its experienced team of engineers.
Liberty has also recently signed a collaborative agreement to begin on-site beta testing of its HEXWAVE system this month with one of the largest U.S. airlines. Beta testing will take place in the airline’s employee screening area at an undisclosed U.S. international airport. The goal for this test deployment is to gather feedback from the airline on HEXWAVE while continuing to train the system’s AI algorithms on a diverse employee base.
HEXWAVE is a walkthrough screening system designed to automatically detect hidden weapons and other potential threats, including both metal and non-metal items such as 3D-printed ghost guns and improvised liquid, powder, or plastic explosives. HEXWAVE leverages technologies such as millimeter wave, video-rate 3D imaging, and Artificial Intelligence to detect potential threats, and provides security operators with a real-time, automatic go/no-go decision.
