Icmore Prohibited Items uses artificial intelligence-based algorithms to automatically detect items determined to be a security risk at airport security checkpoints such as firearms, knives, scissors, axes, grenades, blasting caps, ammunition and blunt objects. With certification, such algorithms could lead to a more automated screening process which would enable alarm-only viewing of X-ray images at airport passenger checkpoints. Alarm only viewing has been successfully used in airport hold baggage screening for years, considerably reducing the number of images needing to be viewed manually by an operator, helping to speed up screening time.

The manual review process by an operator can be further improved by using remote screening or Centralized Image Processing (CIP), which utilises a single location for the screening and analysing of X-ray images from multiple systems in different locations.

In light of the severe staff shortages and increasing passenger numbers that airports have to face, this will be a key enabler for increased operational efficiency, throughput and security while also reducing operational expenditure and facilitating resource planning.

When used at non-regulated people checkpoints, the additional detection capabilities of Icmore Prohibited Items provides invaluable support to image analysts by automatically highlighting threats for further analysis, helping to improve security outcomes. Requiring minimal training and as Icmore has an intuitive interface it is easy to use, leading to immediate results.

Icmore Prohibited Items will initially be available for use with Smiths Detection’s Computer Tomography (CT) passenger checkpoint scanner the Hi-Scan 6040 CTIX. The algorithm will then launch across additional dual-view and multi-view checkpoint systems over the coming months, both, for regulated and unregulated markets. CT will remain the most efficient, flexible and future-proof X-ray technology to handle alarm-only viewing.

Global Director Digital Market Smiths Detection, Cymoril Métivier, said: “Icmore Prohibited Items is the latest in our suite of advanced detection algorithms designed to help our customers achieve their security and operational goals. With the well documented staffing pressures and increasing passenger numbers at airports, Icmore Prohibited Items will be a key enabler for increased operational efficiency and throughput, while also reducing operational expenditure and facilitating resource planning.”