FLINT, Mich. (NewsNation) — As travel restrictions are being lifted, a Michigan airport is taking extra measures to make sure people feel safe flying again.
The Flint Bishop International Airport announced Friday it is the first airport in the U.S. to use smart helmets to detect passengers who may have COVID-19.
Police officers at the airport will be armed with this new layer of protection for it’s passengers and workers.
According to the TSA, it can accurately detect the temperature of multiple people within a 21-foot radius by using thermo scan sensors. An infrared image of a passenger and their temperature reading appears inside the visor.
If a passenger has a temperature above 100.4 degrees, the officers will alert the ticket counter.
It will then be up to the airline whether they can board or not.
Anyone with an elevated temperature that’s not a passenger will be asked to leave the terminal.
If a COVID-19 test result comes back positive, the airport plans to use information recorded in the helmet to help with any potential contact tracing.
Officers can also use the facial recognition feature to help track down wanted criminals, suspects and missing persons.
According to a release from the airport, the helmet was first introduced in Rome, Italy, and has already been successfully deployed in other parts of the world.
