Axis-3D is according to makers 3DX-Ray a fundamental shift from conventional baggage scanning equipment as it displays the x-ray image in three dimensions, as opposed to the flat 2D of traditional systems.
This led to its use by the Beijing authorities for use during, and after, the Olympics. The system has now been trialled at airports around the world and was reported by the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) in the United States as offering “significant” improvement over conventional 2D systems. It is based around the company’s stereoscopic x-ray camera which takes two views and displays them to match the requirements of the human eye and brain. This allows staff to see the 3D shape of an object and its relationship to other objects in a package. The product can be used for automatic or manual inspection and can see with an accuracy approaching that of the width of a human hair (100 microns). MD Nick Fox said: “We believe we have the most advanced x-ray technology in the world and it is ideally suited to baggage screening at busy airports as well as mass-screening at public events and high security venues.” The product’s materials differentiation can automatically colour-code objects which contain suspect or “threat” materials – such as organics (plastic explosives) and metal (guns and knives).
