A microwave/millimetre radar approach to shoe screening for airline passenger security

Security screening of airline passengers is commonplace and very often requires that, in addition to screening of baggage and body, the passenger's shoes should be examined. The process of shoe screening is currently carried out by use of x-ray imaging, whereby the passenger's shoes are placed into an x-ray machine and inspected by a skilled operator for signs of any concealments, for example explosive materials; weapons or narcotics. Exposure to x-ray radiation is tightly regulated for health and safety reasons and passengers must remove their shoes prior to the screening process and then replace them after; this comes at the cost of reduced passenger throughput and is one of the most cited inconveniences by air passengers. Additionally, screening of 100% of passengers' shoes is not always acceptable with the current x-ray approach and therefore shoe screening is not necessarily encompassing.