Liquid bomb tests continue at nation's airports
ICx puts its explosives detection system to the test; Boston, Los Angeles, and others host
When last year’s London liquid bomb plot was first reported, our e-mail box quickly filled with press releases touting this and that company’s ability to defend against the threat. Now one of those company’s will put its wares to the test: TSA announced this week that security screeners at a number of major U.S. airports would begin using handheld scanners to inspect bottled carry-on liquids for explosives. The manufacturer in question is Washington, D.C.-based ICx Tecnologies, best known with its Fido explosives detection systems (and not to be confused with its canine brother the [u]zNose[/u]).
Tests have already been completed at Miami International Airport — one that certainly could use some security assistance — as well as at Newark Liberty. Airports in Detroit, Boston, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas are currently testing the system, which is used during secondary screening. All told, TSA expects to deploy about 200 of the devices.
ICx, we should note, has also attracted attention recently through its partnership with iRobot, and the company recently announced the release of a new portable mass spectrometer system, the Griffin.
