UCD Prof's Invention May Ease Airport Security
DAVIS, Calif. (CBS13) -- A UC Davis chemistry professor's invention that was originally developed to test the quality of fine wine could soon be used to make airport security more convenient for travelers.
Professor Matthew Augustine helped develop and patent a device about a decade ago that uses radio waves and magnetic fields to show the chemical structure of a liquid inside a container.
The technology was first used to check bottles of wine for spoilage without opening them or disturbing the contents, but after the terrorist plot to carry liquid explosives on board a number of airliners was thwarted in 2006, Augustine tried to apply the idea in a new way.
Tests showed the device could tell the difference between benign and harmful liquids, even if it's inside a metal container such as an aluminum can.
The Department of Homeland Security awarded a contract that gives Augustine an $800,000 initial investment to develop the technology for use in airport security.
Officials want the device to make things easier for travelers, not more frustrating.
"The Department of Homeland Security is very sensitive to that. They do not want long lines, they want people to enjoy their travel," Augustine said.
The final product will hopefully be scaled down to the size of a video game console and be able to scan a container in just a few seconds. If it proves effective, it could be good news for travelers who have been forced to throw away containers with more than three ounces of liquid.
