Millimeter-Wave Shoe Scanner
Established in 1963, the R&D 100 Awards is the only S&T (science and technology) awards competition that recognizes new commercial products, technologies and materials for their technological significance that are available for sale or license. The R&D 100 Awards have long been a benchmark of excellence for industry sectors as diverse as telecommunications, high-energy physics, software, manufacturing, and biotechnology. This 2021 R&D 100 winner is listed below, along with its respective category.
Category: IT/Electrical
Developers: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Co-Developers: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate
United States
Product Description:What if airline passengers could leave their shoes on while still being scanned for security? Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed the Millimeter-Wave Shoe Scanner — a solution that relies on proven state-of-the-art imaging to improve throughput at aviation security checkpoints. Leveraging decades of experience with millimeter-wave technology, PNNL’s system can quickly scan footwear from under a person’s feet. Similar to the full-body scanners at the airports, which also use harmless millimeter waves, the scanner looks for concealed threats in the soles of shoes. When a passenger steps on the scanner, millimeter waves pass through the shoe’s material, reflecting any concealed items, and subsequently produces a high-resolution, three-dimensional (3-D) image using low-power holographic radar imaging technology, in a matter of seconds. Millimeter-wave technology has been proven to use non-harmful, ultra-high-frequency radio waves to detect and identify concealed objects in airport security body scanners nationwide. This innovative technology can integrate with existing architectures, streamlining security screening while sustaining detection capabilities that protect our nation’s travelers.
Developers: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Co-Developers: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate
United States
Product Description:What if airline passengers could leave their shoes on while still being scanned for security? Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed the Millimeter-Wave Shoe Scanner — a solution that relies on proven state-of-the-art imaging to improve throughput at aviation security checkpoints. Leveraging decades of experience with millimeter-wave technology, PNNL’s system can quickly scan footwear from under a person’s feet. Similar to the full-body scanners at the airports, which also use harmless millimeter waves, the scanner looks for concealed threats in the soles of shoes. When a passenger steps on the scanner, millimeter waves pass through the shoe’s material, reflecting any concealed items, and subsequently produces a high-resolution, three-dimensional (3-D) image using low-power holographic radar imaging technology, in a matter of seconds. Millimeter-wave technology has been proven to use non-harmful, ultra-high-frequency radio waves to detect and identify concealed objects in airport security body scanners nationwide. This innovative technology can integrate with existing architectures, streamlining security screening while sustaining detection capabilities that protect our nation’s travelers.
The millimeter-wave shoe scanner. PNNL and DHS S&T developed the millimeter-wave shoe scanner that can scan under a person’s feet with no need to remove the shoes.