Passport Systems is proud to be included in the February 2018 issue of National Geographic magazine. As part of their cover story on surveillance, Passport’s cutting edge SmartScan 3D™ technologies were selected to represent cargo inspection.
National Geographic writer Robert Draper interviewed Passport CEO Bob Ledoux last September. Our COO, Dr. Steve Korbly, and our VP of Engineering, Dr. Jim Costales, also contributed to the article.
Unlike current cargo inspection systems that rely solely on the operators’ eyes to detect contraband, a SmartScan 3D scanner uses advanced technologies to interrogate cargo based on its material properties. It targets and identifies materials of interest, alerting the operator to the presence of contraband, while supplying a 3-dimensional location—all without opening the container. Not only is the system capable of identifying nuclear material, explosives, narcotics/drugs, nerve agents, and other contraband, it has the sensitivity to differentiate water from alcohol. These technologies far surpass the capabilities of systems currently deployed in ports around the world.
“The National Geographic team went to great lengths to understand the SmartScan 3D technologies, from what’s happening at the atomic level, all the way up to the scanning process and practical applications,” said Dr. Steve Korbly, Passport Systems’ Chief Operating Officer.
In 2006, Congress passed the SAFE Port Act, which commits the United States to partnering with foreign nations to increase the security of US-bound cargo. The legislation was passed with significant bipartisan support as a result of the growing need to protect US ports and enhance national security. With inspiration from the SAFE Port Act, Passport developed the SmartScan 3D scanner.
“For over a century, National Geographic magazine has brought us the best the world has to offer, explaining issues and advanced concepts in simple, down to earth terms,” said Dr. Robert Ledoux, President, CEO, and Director of Passport Systems, Inc. “We are honored to be featured by such an illustrious publication.”
The article appears in the February 2018 issue of National Geographic, on newsstands 30 January.