New technology was unveiled at the Paris Air Show this year, with a proposal that robots could replace human immigration officials at airports.
The French electrical systems company Thales introduced a machine that scans boarding passes, passports, and other low level security procedures, but also is able to scan faces and take iris scans. It then shares that information across a worldwide network.
According to Thales, the capabilities of the machines could mean that only one human official would be needed for each bank of machines, severely cutting down on the need for human officers.
“These systems can free up staff for the police and create more space in the airport,” Thales representative Pascal Zenoni said on Friday.
The company is the maker of biometric passports and ID cards for 25 countries around the world.
The Paris Air Show is being held until June 21 and features 120 of the most innovative civil and military aircraft and aircraft manufacturers in the world.
Some sources are already noting that sales at the Paris aeronautic extravaganza are “less than spectacular.”
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