Usability assessment of a bottle content tester for use in airports by screeners

Explosives may be concealed as a liquid or slurry in bottles in carry-on or checked baggage. To alleviate the uncertainty associated with screening liquid containers, devices are currently in development to screen bottles. These bottle-screening devices will provide a mechanism for airport security personnel to quickly and precisely examine liquids in bottles. Currently, airport security personnel examine carry-on and checked baggage by X-ray screening and physical search. This baggage may include bottles such as liquor and shampoo bottles that could conceal a hazardous liquid. As part of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) effort to develop technology that facilitates screening for weapons and hazardous materials, bottle-content tester devices are being developed that can analyze the contents of a sealed container. These devices could quickly analyze liquids within glass and plastic containers and identify those that are hazardous. No human performance evaluations have been completed in an airport environment to evaluate those bottle content testers currently available. Liquid threats can be easily disguised as liquids commonly brought on board aircraft (e.g., soft drinks). This possibility has required developing unique technologies for detecting such potential threats. The goal of these efforts is to produce a simple, fast, accurate, and inexpensive instrument to detect the presence of flammable liquids or liquid explosives in self-contained bottles, either carried directly by passengers or removed from baggage.