Richland Based Laboratory’s Technology Could Keep Your Shoes On at Airports (& TSA’s Hands to Themselves)

For most travelers, flying is a stressful time. Sure, it's exciting once you're actually in the air, looking at jigsaw patches of crops and other terrains. It's just that the lead-up to actually boarding the plane is one messy pain in the neck.

Richland-based laboratory PNNL has invented a new technology to make flying easier.

A lot of great technology is researched and developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland. One of their projects was a new technology that can scan your shoes for threats without the need for you to remove them. This is a blessing for many as it speeds up the pre-check process, ensures safety without invasive measures, and prevents noses from being assaulted.

I have to look back a bit in my life to remember the last time I didn't have to take off my shoes at the airport. While many may point to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 on American soil, it wasn't until 2006 that the TSA enacted the requirement. Yes, it was five years after September 11 that we started taking off our shoes. I could have been fooled into believing we've been doing this for over twenty years.

While PNNL developed the technology, it was the job of Liberty Defense, who was given the license by PNNL, to implement it for airport use. Another technology that PNNL licensed to Liberty Defense was a scanner that makes wands and patdowns a thing of the past. This video gives a brief overview of how this new technology works and how it will make our lives a little bit easier.

Here's to more enjoyable air travel in the future.