Thales launches HELIXVIEW, a revolutionary airport scanner allowing passenger to not remove item from luggage

Airport security checkpoints are synonymous with the stressful and complex process of having to juggle with bags, liquids, and electrical appliances. Passengers are rediscovering the pleasures of flight… along with some of the more laborious aspects of catching a plane such as that delicate phase at the security checkpoint where liquids and electronic items have to be removed from our hand luggage and scanned separately. In this context, Thales has developed a new scanner named HELIXVIEW, which could revolutionize the airport experience for both passengers and airlines companies.

HELIXVIEW, based on Thales expertise in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity, is a stationary, compact, and lightweight EDS CB C3-compliant scanner (the next standard applied to the certification for EDS CB) that combines X-ray nanotechnology-based electronic scanning and 3D imaging reconstruction. With this solution installed in checkpoints, passengers will no longer need to remove their items from luggage. The technology is fine-tuned to detect all forms of prohibited items, whether explosives, knives, or even weapons that have been dismantled and positioned in separate parts across several bags.

Artificial Intelligence capabilities are leveraged to detect and interpret threats. The system then instantly provides the operator with a threat/no threat instruction for the bag.

Security airport concerns remain as present as ever for airport staff and airlines, who need to be able to ensure precise and failsafe threat detection. Checkpoints need higher degrees of security and, by association, higher levels of technological requirements and more powerful new-generation equipment. With a reduced size, weight and overall footprint, HELIXVIEW will enable airports to optimize the space at their disposal. Instead of heavy and cumbersome parts that require two people to lift them out of the machine for repair, the mechanics of this system are simple and motionless; there are no moving parts or vibrations. Anything that needs to be replaced can be done quickly, easily and no physically demanding.

Yannick Assouad, Thales, commented: “I am very pleased to present HELIXVIEW, our new airport scanner. I am sure that passengers will appreciate this new smoother and faster security checks using attractively and ergonomically-designed systems. This new technology will bring higher security and comfort with an optimal cost-performance ratio”

The HELIXVIEW product is aiming for certification by the end of 2023. This new solution beneficiates from the support of BPI through i-demo project initiative.