Shoe scanner technology on the horizon
PICTURE: The shoe scanner builds on the millimeter wave technology used in passenger scanners used in airports to detect hidden weapons. view More Photo credit: Photo by Andrea Starr | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland, Wash .-- Take off your shoes and put them in the trash can! This has been part of the flying experience since 2006. It is the result of a number of threats to the aviation sector that emerged after the fateful events of September 11, 2001, including a failed attempt by an airborne terrorist to set off a fuse hidden in his shoe . It's one of the most uncomfortable parts of flying and one that can slow down the security clearance process. But someday, even those with no "pre-check" status may be able to put on their shoes, step on the shoe scanner, walk through a next-generation body scanner, and get to their gates safely. The US Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory develop