A new technology being developed in the Triangle could soon change how your checked baggage is scanned at the airport.
Quadridox, a Duke University spinout, is creating cutting-edge X-ray scanners designed to make airport security faster, safer, and potentially allow travelers to put more items, like water bottles, through airport security.
Based in a repurposed textile mill in Hillsborough, the startup is led by Founder, President, and CEO Joel Greenberg.
Greenberg said the idea for the company was conceived after a Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology-funded program enabled the exploration of how X-ray components could enhance explosives detection in aviation security.
"There are two kinds of X-ray scanners. For the checked baggage, we've been developing a new kind of system that will allow you to bring more items onto the airplanes and allows TSA to better evaluate the contents of the bag," he said.
Greenberg emphasized that current scanning systems are aging and that upgraded tools are essential for detecting emerging threats.
"The X-ray systems that are currently scanned baggage has been around for almost 20 years now. That technology is aging out," he said. "Our scanners allow us to better evaluate the bag and its contents so the best decision can be made as quickly as possible."
He said the scanners can minimize how many bags opened, help save money and make traveling more efficient in general.
Eventually, Greenberg said, the technology could be deployed at TSA checkpoints, potentially changing the rules about flying with liquids.
Quadridox is still exploring where else its software could be used, and its innovation isn’t limited to travel. In addition to baggage screening, the company is applying its X-ray technology to develop new tools for cancer detection, including utilizing the technology for tissue analysis and creating portable devices to help pathologists more effectively evaluate samples, such as cancer biopsies.
The goal is to begin testing the new scanners in airports starting next year, with a broader rollout expected the following year.