Customer Solutions

LabVIEW-Based System Reduces Time at Security Checks

Author(s):

Paul Reep, View Systems

Industry:

Transportation

Product:

Data Acquisition, LabVIEW, PXI/CompactPCI, Vision

The Challenge:

Building a next-generation weapons detection system that significantly reduces the time needed to pass through security checkpoints.

The Solution:

Using the National Instruments LabVIEW graphical development environment and PCI-based image and data acquisition hardware to inspect people and their luggage simultaneously.

Background

We have built a LabVIEW-based application that cuts in half the time it takes to move people through security checkpoints in some airports, government buildings, and other highly-secure areas around the country. We developed this innovative application and have incorporated it into our SecureScan weapons detection system. SecureScan leverages the tight integration of National Instruments LabVIEW and NI data and image acquisition products to virtually eliminate time-consuming false alarms. It recognizes and purposefully ignores nonthreatening objects, including coins, keys, and laptop computers. The walk-through SecureScan archway avoids false readings common among traditional security systems by using the advanced analysis capabilities of LabVIEW.

Using LabVIEW, SecureScan combines sensor data with visual information acquired through the NI IMAQ vision and image processing tools. As a person walks through a SecureScan arch, an NI image acquisition board acquires a color digital picture of the person. Software developed with LabVIEW uses the image to pinpoint sensor data, resulting in a digital photo showing exactly where a person may carry a metal weapon. SecureScan then logs the image and data for future reference.

Synchronized System Lends Accuracy

Pulling together both visual and sensor data requires highly synchronized timing and triggering between the acquisition of an image and the gathering of sensor data. In our SecureScan system, only 100 nanoseconds pass between the time a person’s photo is taken and the time the system acquires sensor data. Quick reaction time guarantees efficient and accurate operation of the weapons detection system.

Fast Response and Analysis with LabVIEW 6.1

SecureScan’s quick response flows from the clean and tight graphical code written with LabVIEW 6.1. Using this latest version of LabVIEW software, we rebuilt the user interface of SecureScan with the graphical development environment’s event-driven capabilities. SecureScan’s redesigned architecture has reduced demands on the system’s computer processor by more than 75 percent when compared to code written in previous versions of LabVIEW. The new architecture also reduced development time by making changes to the code significantly easier to implement.

The advanced analysis tools of LabVIEW also contribute to SecureScan’s performance. Unlike traditional metal detectors, SecureScan can identify minute amounts of metal. In one case, SecureScan found small knives hidden within plastic disposable lighters. The sensitivity of SecureScan results from LabVIEW digital filters that remove background noise that can mask the signals of small weapons. At the same time, LabVIEW advanced analysis functions not only pinpoint the potential weapon but also purposely ignore known, nonthreatening items such as cell phones, steel-toed shoes, and underwire bras.

Because SecureScan can inspect people and luggage at the same time, it eliminates the need for an X-ray machine and reduces security costs by up to $60,000.

For more information, contact:

Paul Reep

View Systems

Tel: 303-237-8439

Fax: 303-237-8439

E-mail: miletk@ida.net

 

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