TSA’s new tech could eliminate the very worst part of airport security | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

There are few things to love about airport security these days. No one enjoys being made to take their shoes off or take out their laptop.

And having to limit the size of your toothpaste and shampoo is honestly a hassle that very few of us want to deal with just to hop on a plane for a visit with friends or family, or a quick stop at a tourist destination.

Yet none of these routine annoyances is that big of an issue, especially if you can sign up for a service like TSA PreCheck that speeds up the process and at least lets you avoid shuffling through the line in your socks.

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There is, however, one part of airport security screening that stands out to just about everyone as the worst.

TSA PreCheck can’t guarantee you will escape it, either, and you have no control over when you find yourself facing the especially unpleasant process.

The good news, however, is that TSA is actually working on some exciting new technology that would make everyone’s least favorite part of airport security at least somewhat more tolerable – and a whole lot less awkward for all parties involved.

Here’s what the TSA is up to.

Will TSA screenings be less unpleasant soon?

Image source&colon; Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The TSA’s exciting new technology would eliminate this unpleasant process

In case you haven’t flown in recent decades, the part of airport security that just about everyone dreads the most is the TSA patdown.

Patdowns don’t happen to everyone, but you could be subject to one if:

The metal detector alarms when you walk through it
The body scanner that you pass through detects something unusual
You choose to opt out of the body scanner screening
TSA flags you for some reason, such as a suspicious recent travel history
You have medical conditions that make standard screening impossible
You are chosen for enhanced screening at random

When they happen, you have rights, including the ability to request a private screening. But you can’t opt out of having the patdown happen in some form. And it is, quite frankly, a rather uncomfortable experience for most.

TSA’s new technology could revolutionize this process, though, and make it a whole lot better. That’s because researchers have now designed virtual reality technology that makes it possible for agents to do a patdown without ever actually having to touch you.

The Department of Homeland Security published information recently about wearable sensors for contactless physical assessment that make use of cameras, touchless sensors, a virtual reality headset, and a haptic feedback pad.

Essentially, the device would work because wearable sensors and cameras could detect the contour of the person being screened at a distance, over clothing, and could transmit the information back to a haptic feedback glove.

This technology would simulate a traditional screening, but no human hand would have to touch a stranger, which would undoubtedly be a huge improvement.

When will this technology be available?

The Department of Homeland Security has already applied to patent its device, and it published a detailed description of the technology at the end of May, touting benefits including increased privacy.

“The subject technology can minimize potential harm when touching unsafe objects, preserve individual privacy during a security screening, or safely provide physical awareness for visually-impaired individuals,” The DHS description states.

It is not clear exactly when the conceptual product will become a reality or if the technology will ever become a widely available alternative at airports across the country.

DHS also did not provide timelines for exactly when the technology would be sufficiently advanced to replace patdowns while still preserving safety.

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Still, promising steps are being taken to develop a better solution, and hopefully one day soon, this technology will make the traditional patdown a thing of the past.