Holographic detector sees non-metallic weapons.

• Author: Foster, Sharon
• Position: Tech Talk

The Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, in Richland, Wash., has developed a holographic imaging system to identify weapons, explosives and other contraband--even plastic, ceramic and other non-metallic weapons--hidden beneath clothing.

The system could be used to scan airline passengers as they pass through airport security checkpoints and to identify concealed items that people might try to remove from facilities, ranging from museums to nuclear plants, said Doug McMakin, a PNNL engineer.

Holographic imaging--using millimeter waves to generate holographic images--is distinctly different from current metal detectors or X-rays.

Metal detectors cannot screen for plastic or...