Richard Kurtz from Advanced Photonix, (API), answers questions about the new anomaly detection device

My Note: With the recent news about the latest Al Qaeda bomb plot, as well as the recent news about  the shipment of the Advanced Photonix anomaly detection beta units to In-Q-Tel, and the Transportation Security Administration, (TSA), http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2012/03/advanced-photonix-anomaly-detection.html, along with Advanced Photonix recent display of it's commercial version, the Saf-T-Chek Anomaly Detection System, at the Great Lakes Security Conference, http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2012/05/gadgets-ideas-abound-at-annual-homeland.html some readers have asked if this device could have likely discovered the Al Qaeda bomb threat. Richard Kurtz, CEO of Advanced Photonix, responded as follows:

Randy, I was asked the other day about the Saf-T-Check anomaly detection systems and its ability to see the non-metallic explosives mention in the latest Homeland security threat.

Here  was my comment:

That is a very loaded question, no pun intended. The explosive material was not specifically disclosed, it was generically referred to as a plastic explosive. These type of plastic explosives could be generic types such as PETN PENT, PENTA, TEN, Semtex.

Our facility is not qualified as a testing facility to house or use “live” explosives.

We have to use a simulate that has the same index of refraction as these type plastic explosives to test our systems and it does a very good job at finding these simulates under cloth.

The question becomes, does it work on the sensitive areas of the body, not just on headgear. Our scope for the contract was just to do headgear. So we have not done that testing internally, that is something our customer wanted to determine independently.

We will continue to work with our partners to improve the system to meet the every growing needs of Homeland Security.

 Thanks Rick and API for helping  address the Al Qaeda threat!