The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TSA to try out self-screening prototype
System that will be tested at Las Vegas airport developed by Dutch-owned company in Cobb County.
Some travelers at the Las Vegas airport will try out a new self-service security screening system starting Monday, after years of development of the prototype by a company in Cobb County.
Vanderlande Industries Inc., a Netherlands-based company with its North American headquarters in Marietta, specializes in logistics automation such as baggage handling systems in airports and other systems for warehouses and distribution. In 2021, Vanderlande won a $2.5 million contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop a TSA PreCheck self-screening concept for airports.
The idea is to improve the passenger experience and make the path through the checkpoint more efficient, particularly as travel volumes grow and airports are plagued with long lines and wait times.
Wednesday, TSA showed off the new prototype checkpoint technology to media at what they call their “Innovation Checkpoint” at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The system opens Monday to members of TSA’s Trusted Traveler PreCheck program who opt to go through the new system at the Las Vegas airport during the hours the checkpoint is open.
With the demo, a few dozen passengers passed through the new lanes on a trial basis.
“There were people who said ‘This is really cool. We liked this,’” said John Fortune, Screening at Speed program manager for the DHS’ Science and Technology Directorate. But he acknowledged that “it’s been a little bit of a mixed bag . ... That’s exactly what you’d expect.”
Some passengers were frustrated because they “had challenges with getting through . ... They had to go through the passenger screening process several times,” Fortune said.
“This is really a learning exercise at this point because it’s the first time that real passengers are seeing the self-screening system,” Fortune said. “We’re trying to build the next greatest thing and get it out there and spin the wheels on it.”
The system uses existing TSA security technology to screen bags and people. But the way people go through the checkpoint is a little more like self-checkout at grocery stores.
Here’s how it works: A video monitor gives step-by-step instructions on the screening process, and travelers can tap a help button for a live video chat with a TSA officer. There also are TSA officers
at the checkpoint handling other responsibilities, such as checking IDs and doing secondary inspections of bags.
After putting bags through the X-ray machines, the traveler enters a passenger screening portal. Once they complete screening and are cleared to travel, automated exit doors open for them to proceed on their way.
It’s a self-guided process for travelers to “complete the screening at their own pace,” said a statement from TSA Administrator David Pekoske.
If an item triggers an alarm during the process, passengers receive information that will allow them to resolve the issue themselves to reduce the need for patdowns and secondary screenings, TSA said.
The prototype is expected to be at the checkpoint at the Las Vegas airport for six months, with TSA collecting passenger feedback and data on the system’s performance and other variables
to understand how passengers and TSA officers “interact with the system.”
Then, the agency will weigh the feasibility and viability of the system, along with future design and development, and “explore opportunities to apply parts of the prototype to other airport security checkpoints,” Pekoske said.
Using such a system could alter what work TSA officers do at the checkpoint, reducing the need to do simpler tasks so they can help in other places where they are needed, Fortune said.
“A smart system can potentially free up resources to help deal with an ever-growing number of travelers,” he said.
Vanderlande was one of three companies that won contracts for self-screening concepts. The other two are working on a podbased self-screening system that is a bigger departure from the current process of passing through lanes, and likely will take years longer to develop.
Since its inception 100 years ago, the Spelman College Glee Club has performed all over the world. But the group has never performed inside a tunnel. Until now.
On Thursday afternoon, the historic choir was staged underneath the pillars of both sides of Krog Street Tunnel for a unique performance that highlighted the tunnel’s rich history as a site for artistic expression in the city.
“When we arrived, we took in all the art, we took in what it meant to live down here, we took in the aspects of unhoused individuals who are usually down here,” said Simone Moales, vice president of the glee club.
“We took in the elements of nontraditional art that sometimes we’re not showcasing at Spelman, so to be a part of that, our artistry is going to be forever seeped into these walls.”
Throughout the 45-minute performance, dogs barked and pedestrians walked and biked as Atlantans enjoyed Thursday’s sunshine — a respite from recent rainy weather. Flyers advocating for Palestine and opposing the public safety training center adorned the tunnel.
Etched in graffiti, thought-provoking statements like “Resist” and “When Will You Wake Up?” were pervasive.
Amid the loads of artwork and signage, the resounding vocals of the glee club felt glorious.
The choir, directed by Kevin Johnson, performed a program titled “Resurgens Requiem: History, Heritage, Harmony,” which included songs such as “Wade in the Water,” “Ain’-a That Good News” and “Don’t You Let Nobody Turn You ’Round,” honoring the legacy of Black spiritual traditions. With the performance, the Spelman College Glee Club kicked off its “Road to 100″ tour commemorating the choir’s centennial.
The choral activation is the result of months of community partnerships. South Arts and Creative Placemaking Communities held their annual summit in Atlanta last week. The summit is a gathering of artists and community leaders “exploring models at the intersection of arts, cultural heritage and public policy,” according to the website.
Elycia Woodham, a senior music major, performs a solo during Spelman College’s presentation inside the Krog Street Tunnel.
Davis Butner, an architectural designer, served as creative consultant for the event. He said bringing more awareness to Krog Street Tunnel was the inspiration for the performance.
“I’ve been just amazed at how vibrant this community has become with the Beltline going through it,” Butner said. “Little is known about some of the history of this site, of the disparate neighborhoods in between and how that’s evolved. If we blink, in about five years, this is all going to be different. It dawned on me that this might be the right moment to celebrate what it is now and what it sounds like now.”
Built in 1912, Krog Street Tunnel connects Cabbagetown to Inman Park. Today, the tunnel is known for its masterful graffiti, a place where artists have the freedom to explore the depths of their creativity.
Thursday’s event marked the first time in recent memory a choral activation of that scope took place in the tunnel.
“I left just celebrating culture and the power of voice,” said Lynnette Reid, a Beltline official. “Seeing them here in Krog Tunnel was just pretty powerful. It just shows what public spaces can do and what opportunities it can give voice to.”
When summit organizers approached the Cabbagetown community about the activation, John Dirga, who serves on the neighborhood’s planning unit, said it was crucial for the space to still be open during the performance. He didn’t want the event to disturb those who shelter inside the tunnel: “We told them to leave it like they found it, and they did.”
Dirga became more excited about the event when hearing the news about Spelman College Glee Club’s participation. Dirga, the director of Cabbagetown’s Forward Warrior Mural Project, said the performance echoed what the tunnel means to the community.
“I think the tunnel is a place that’s very important for a lot of people in that they’re free to speak their mind,” he said. “Even unpopular opinions can enter in there, and they don’t last very long. You have this democratic voice where you’re free to be yourself, you can speak your truth and if you’re full of it, it’ll disappear.”
It’s a magnet for the city’s creatives, too. “I think it’s an important place for a lot of artists (because) it’s where they got their start painting on walls,” Dirga said. “And I think it’s important to the neighborhood in kind of representing things that we hold dear, like being welcoming and showing that we’re listening and we aren’t trying to police voices or censor opinions.”
Moales felt the power of the tunnel’s activist spirit while singing. Audience members did, too, as many were seen with tears rolling down their faces throughout the performance. Thursday’s activation felt like more than just a typical choral concert. It was a chance to really feel and hear the images across the tunnel come to life.
Although the singers weren’t sure how they would sound in a tunnel, they credited their sisterhood and trust in their voices with capturing an indelible moment for the community.
“Singing those lyrics, like the ones for ‘Don’t You Let Nobody Turn You ’Round,’ lets me know that, Atlanta, we’re on the right path,” Moales said. “We just have to keep going. No one is going to turn us around. The pandemic couldn’t push us out. Policies can’t push us out. We’re going to keep going.”
No plans have been made for future performances in the tunnel (mainly because of public safety concerns), but Dirga hopes the event becomes a catalyst for more support for public art in the city.
“There’s lots of places where they could use a breath of fresh air that a choir can bring,” Dirga said, “and there’s lots of places that don’t get to hear that kind of music all the time and see those faces singing those notes, and they should.”