Univ. Developing Prototype Air Passenger Liquid Scanner

(TSA.gov)

A University of California at Davis professor is building a magnetic resonance device that can scan unopened bottles carried on airplanes by passengers. Matthew Augustine, a member of the UC Davis chemistry faculty, originally developed the technology to check the quality of wine.

Augustine began experimenting with the technology some years ago to check sealed bottles of wine for spoilage. The technology is similar to the magnetic resonance imaging machines used in medical scanning. It employs a pulse of radio waves and a strong magnetic field to extract a signal that shows the chemical structure of the sample.

UC Davis patented the technology in 2002 and licensed it to Madison Avenue Management Inc., which set up a subsidiary company, Winescanner Inc., to bring the technology to market. After the thwarted 2006 plot to bring explosive liquids on board multiple commercial aircraft, and the subsequent restrictions on passengers, Augustine began refining the technology for airport inspections.

Augustine was able to develop a magnetic resonance scanner with the ability to scan through metal containers, and distinguish dangerous liquids like gasoline from water and toothpaste. The device is also compact and operates quickly enough to handle the high volumes in airport inspection stations.

Defense Capital Advisers LLC of Denver, Colorado is the prime contractor to the Department of Homeland Security to develop the scanner. Augustine’s lab at UC Davis that is building the prototype serves as a sub-contractor.

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