The project in five facts.
Challenge, approach and results.
Airport security is ** governed** by ** European** and ** Slovenian** ** legislation. Airports are composed of different areas, which include the ** public part of the airport, the ** controlled** part of the airport, ** restricted** ** security areas** and the ** critical** ** part** of restricted security areas. The security process at airports must be ** planned during the construction** of the airport itself, meaning that the aforementioned areas must be determined at that stage. Whilst writing the diploma thesis, he established that it would be ** sensible** to ** introduce** ** body** ** scanners** at Slovenian airports as well, even though no problems with potential terrorists have occurred on their premises to date.
Problem
Airport security is ** governed** by ** European** and ** Slovenian** ** legislation. Airports are composed of different areas, which include the ** public part of the airport, the ** controlled** part of the airport, ** restricted** ** security areas** and the ** critical** ** part** of restricted security areas.
Solution and Method
The security process at airports must be planned during the construction of the airport itself, meaning that the aforementioned areas must be determined at that stage. Crew members and other workers and staff can pass through the secured parts of the airport with ** permits** or ** identification** ** cards**. Permits for passage are granted to individuals on the basis of prior background checks.
Passengers waiting to board an aircraft must undergo ** screening, where security personnel determine whether the person is carrying any prohibited items or substances. In Slovenia, ** passenger ** screening** currently ** takes place only** ** manually, as ** authorisation for X-ray screening of passengers has ** not** yet been ** issued**. The passenger's checked and hand luggage is also examined.
Luggage is examined using X-ray devices that detect prohibited items. X-rays are effective in numerous areas. They can therefore also be used at airports, specifically for detecting prohibited substances and ** elements**.
It is true that the use of body scanners is controversial, as human privacy and the harmfulness of X-rays to people's health are called into question. However, one could argue that the use of scanners for checked and hand luggage can also be controversial and ** infringes on human privacy**. Even with luggage scanning, a person can feel humiliated.
However, one must be aware that in today's times it is necessary to ensure a high level of security at airports, which scanners definitely provide. Modern X-ray devices are so technologically advanced that they ** automatically detect explosives** and ** themselves mark potentially dangerous items** and substances. We can therefore say that the objective of ensuring higher security has been achieved.
Modern scanners operate in such a way that they distinguish metals from organic materials by colour, whilst ** backscatter** technology ensures the recognition of substances with ** low atomic mass** and thus easily identifies ** explosives, prohibited drugs, etc. The aforementioned prohibited substances and elements are ** coloured white, as the substance absorbs most of the rays, whilst ** thicker materials** are ** coloured darker, as they cannot absorb a greater number of rays. ** German international airports (Frankfurt, Schönefeld, München, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Stuttgart) ** already use** this ** method of screening** passengers and their luggage.
In 2014, a further 14 scanners were installed at airports in Düsseldorf and Stuttgart and at Köln/Bonn Airport. In 2015, they intend to install a further 75 scanners at international airports. The use of body scanners is ** voluntary in Germany** and limited only to those passengers travelling to the USA and Israel. Those passengers who do not wish to go through the scanner must be screened manually.
European legislation stipulates that airports in the European Union area may use body scanners, but operators must not force passengers to undergo screening. Some devices still enable X-ray imaging that shows an image as if the screened person were naked. Newer versions, which are also presented in the thesis and of the kind used at German airports, do not display images of the body, but rather mark parts of the body on a pictogram that need to be examined (Dnevnik).
Modern technologies and the latest devices for body scanning ensure ** privacy** for people, as a black-and-white image of a naked body is no longer displayed to the operator on the screen, but rather a schematic image of the body, where those parts that do not represent skin or fabric are marked with coloured circles.
Results
Whilst writing the diploma thesis, he established that it would be sensible to ** introduce** ** body** ** scanners** at Slovenian airports as well, even though no problems with potential terrorists have occurred on their premises to date. These devices are admittedly extremely expensive, and the cost of training operators to use these devices must be added to the acquisition cost, but I believe that this would be a one-off investment that would significantly raise the level of security, whilst simultaneously speeding up passenger screening, as they would no longer need to be screened manually.
When introducing body scanners, training of operators is absolutely necessary, so that they can carry out their work professionally and accurately.
Module, programme and stories.
Your diploma project for a real company.
A diploma thesis at Academia solves a challenge from a company – often the one where you do your 800 hours of placement. Read about the Varovanje module or book a consultation.