By Wagdy A. Sawahel, Ph.D., EurBiol

23/10/2001

Sophisticated technologies that may have helped prevent the hijackings of September 11 are now available. This new technology goes beyond traditional x-ray scanning and metal detection systems. It employees other promising security technologies such as facial, eye and heartbeat recognition systems; explosive sniffers; autopilot controls; and cockpit monitors. But, how is this new technology being integrated into the present system and how safe will it keep us?

The main catalyst for airport security upgrades are reports that the hijackers of the U.S. airplanes did not carry on guns, explosive materials, or other metal objects that could be easily detected, but knives with plastic handles and embedded razors. In view of some security experts, such weapons - and others made of materials such as graphite epoxy - could easily pass through existing scanning technologies undetected. As a result, two types of security measurements have been developed to fill in the previous gaps.

(1) Quick security measurements 

There will now be real policemen with real weapons conducting real security and professionals who are trained to notice body language - such as eye movement or nervousness - stationed at security gates. The latest technology in bomb-sniffing and x-ray equipment will also be installed at all check-in points. 

(2) Future security measurements 

The basic difference between airline travel now and travel prior to September 11 is security. However, the security we see today is nothing compared to the security we are going to witness six months from now, when the security programs are fully implemented. During these changes the following tools will be examined: 

(A) Air security software 

Security threats are frequently evident in patterns of traveler data. Thus, a new security software program that would sweep through reservation records for suspicious patterns and help flag potential hijackers is in the developing. The new software uses mathematical algorithms that identify patterns in millions of reservation records and other data, to identify suspicious transactions, which can be flagged for investigation.

This computer program would deliver a real-time scorecard to airlines, with a range of one to 1,000. Depending on the score, airlines could determine if they should cancel or delay a flight, re-check baggage, question passengers, or alert airline personnel of potential need to increase security.

(B) A sealed cockpit 

One strategy which airlines have explored in the past is simply to keep hijackers out of the cockpit by having a locked, reinforced cockpit door. However, this will not stop the hijackers from threatening passengers or cabin crew until the door is opened, which is believed to be what happened during the recent attacks on America. In addition, a sealed cockpit would also prevent cabin crew from helping sick or incapacitated pilots. 

(C) Cockpit monitor

Detecting a hijacking is another area in which new technologies could play a role. If the pilot cannot use the radio to call for help, he or she may soon be able to flip a switch to emit a distress signal that can be picked up by radar. 

Beyond the "panic button", numerous other new technologies could call for help even if the pilot and the crew were incapacitated. On board computers could detect when the plane has veered off course and then radio for help. Additionally, video cameras and voice recognition systems in the cockpit could also alert ground-based crews. In the future, researchers could deploy thousands of miniature networked sensors, or micro-electro-mechanical systems to detect odd behavior in the cockpit. 

(D) Autopilot controls 

Most modern aircraft have some form of autopilot that could be re-programmed to ignore commands from a hijacker and instead take direction from the ground. If a hijacking in progress is detected, being able to control a plane from the ground - using the automatic landing capabilities of aircraft - would be crucial. Autopilot - the system that maintains altitude, speed, and direction during flight - is fully capable of landing a plane without help from the pilot. Such a system, triggered by air traffic control, a pilot or a biometric alarm during a hijacking, could land an aircraft safely at a nearby airport in an emergency. It is already in use in unmanned military spy planes, so it is not far-fetched to think that a remote system could land a commercial passenger jet. 

But such a system raises almost as many problems as it solves, and has been ruled out in the past. Pilots and passengers have been naturally suspicious of handing control of an aircraft to a computer under any circumstances. In addition, there is the danger of the system failing or deploying accidentally. Furthermore, the idea of remote control could be a terrorist target in and of itself. 

(E) Un-crewed aerial vehicles (UAV)

UAVs are already capable of the kind of autonomous flight that could one day bring passenger aircrafts to the ground safely in case of an emergency. For instance, the U.S. Global Hawk, a UAV developed plane, is able to take off, fly for more than 24 hours, land and even taxi back to its hanger without any human intervention. The plane is flown entirely by two onboard computers, which take care of everything including flight planning. Another American UAV, the General Atomic Predator, is flown by a pilot on the ground via remote control. 

In terms of doing this with a manned aircraft, the technology is rather rough but capable. However, UAV operators accept a high level of risk that would be unthinkable among passenger aircraft operators. In addition, terrorists might jam control signals. 

(F) Bio-metric scanning technologies

This is the process of identifying people using identifiable facial measurements such as the distance between eyes, angle of the nose, thickness of lips, fingerprints, gene-print, retina, and iris. Biometric technology has replaced badges and ID cards for employees at many airports and there is a growing interest in using it at international access points in order to catch known suspects of crimes coming in on false papers. 

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