Baggage inspection device

Air travel could run smoother in the future with a new technology that quickly determines whether unattended luggage is a threat.

The technology is called the Unattended Luggage Inspection System (ULIS) and is currently being developed by EADS Sodern, a subsidiary of EADS Astrium.

The suitcase-sized inspection machine works using neutron integration technology, explained Philippe Le Tourneur, chief scientist on the project at EADS Sodern.

When an object needs to be inspected, a fusion reaction will be initiated inside the machine’s neutron tube. The machine will then eject neutrons onto the suspected object. These neutrons will react with the atoms of the object and free gamma rays.

The machine’s gamma ray detector will collect these rays to help determine the location of all the atoms in the object.

When the mapping of all the atoms is complete, the machine transfers the information to a remote laptop computer and uses an internal database to identify the molecules and determine whether they are a threat.