Anyone who's hopped on a flight at a major airport, or even some land-based transit, knows the agonizing wait that certain agencies demand while they scan for explosives and check boarding passes. Hitachi is working with Nippon Signal and the University of Yamanachi to build a new boarding gate that hopefully kills those two security birds with one stone. As you're swiping your boarding pass (or smartphone), the machine also scans it for particle-sized traces of explosive materials and sends the all-clear or no-go in less than two seconds.
Engadget , Hitachi boarding gate can sniff explosives on passes, keep the transport queues flowing (video), Hitachi boarding gate can sniff explosives on passes, keep the transport queues flowing (video)
