Bulletproof Glass Pods Add More Security to Airports

Bulletproof Glass Pods Add More Security to Airports

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Dec 02, 2013

Bulletproof Glass Pods Add More Security to Airports

Belts and shoes must be removed; laptops must be taken out of bags and placed into a bin along with carry-on luggage to be shoved through a scanning device to make sure nothing suspicious is hiding within. And, that’s just to get into the airport. Now, after landing, some airports are requiring people to walk through futuristic, bulletproof, glass pods to exit the facility.

Replacing officers at security exits, these unmanned portals act as a barrier to exit for passengers attempting to leave the airport after landing to prevent re-entry into secure areas and to keep others from entering through airport exits. Travelers simply step into one of these elevator-sized cylinders and wait as a door slides closed behind them, fully encasing their body. A couple of seconds later, a different door opens on the front side as a voice instructs people to “please exit.”

(Sounds a little like taking Mario or Luigi through a warp zone in the old Mario Brothers video game to me.)

TSA is preparing to save $88.1 million during 2014 by shifting exit-monitoring duties at airport exit checkpoints, so this technology may be the answer to saving money. However, as with most security, I’m sure it could slow travelers down even though both Syracuse and Atlantic City airports, which are currently using the pods, recently reported that during high-traffic, evening hours there hasn’t been a backup of people. Maybe this is because the whole process, from entering to exiting, takes only approximately 5 seconds or maybe it’s because the pod only acts as a barrier. Whatever the reason, time could become of the essence as it is possible to equip the portals with biometric scanning technology.

I’m not too sure we've done a great job keeping the “bad” people out of airports to begin with, but now we may have to deal with security coming and going!

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.