Dubai Airport is Introducing New Security Screening Aquariums With Facial Recognition

Dubai airport has approved a series of new security measures including buying new Chinese-made explosive detection machines that apparently can identify more types of explosive materials.

They’re also introducing new facial recognition technology. You walk through an aquarium and your face is scanned on departure. No more stepping up to a counter and dealing with a person, even though the airport claims their current processing time is 5 seconds per person. This is about preparing for continued growth.

And why an aquarium, why fish? Because that encourages you to look around, which gets them better facial imaging.

The first machine will roll out in terminal 3 this summer and come 2020 they’ll be airport-wide.

Travellers departing from Dubai will no longer need to pass through any sort of security clearance counter or e-gate, they will simply walk through a virtual aquarium tunnel that will scan their face or iris using hidden cameras while they’re in motion.

The tunnel, which will display high-quality images of an aquarium, will be equipped with about 80 cameras set up in every corner …


Dubai Airport

The tunnel doesn’t have to display fish, since it’s all electronic rather than a real aquarium, and can instead be programmed to “offer other natural settings, such as the desert, or even to display adverts.” (Emphasis mine.) Of course advertising in TSA bins in the States isn’t new.

Think of it as a smart e-gate, and one that may eventually pre-sell you duty free.

(HT: Paul H.)

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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