Biometric Facial Recognition Security Trial at UK Airports

The UK airport passengers are set to undergo facial scans for the first time from this summer. The government has announced that airports will be undertaking a trial of biometric facial recognition scanning technology, with passengers’ faces being scanned and the image being compared to their biometric passport.

Officials at the Home Office’s UK Border Agency, which is responsible for border control and enforcement of Customs and immigration, said they believed the new technology would help improve security by providing a more effective guard against identity fraud.

They also said the technology would improve passport screening, and help ease congestion – the security checkpoints using the new technology will be unmanned, using automatic gates, so theoretically saving passengers time as they pass through the airport.

The trial is open to UK or EU passengers who hold the biometric passports.

Notes:

biometric facial recognition scanning technology – биометрическая (трёхмерная) система идентификации личности;

to undergo facial scans – производить ‘сканирование’ лица.

Exercise 14. Answer the following questions:

1. What are the advantages of facial scans?

2. What does biometric facial recognition scanning technology include?

3. In what way will this new technology improve passport screening?

4. How can new technologies increase passengers’ safety?

Exercise 15. Make up sentences, putting words in the correct order.

1. technology, be, trial, recognition, undertaking, a, airports, scanning, UK, biometric, the, of, will, facial.

2. guard, help, effective, a, fraud, technology, providing, more, new, against, security, the, will, identity, by, improve.

3. Border, for, enforcement, and, UK, is, control, the, immigration, of, responsible, Agency, border, Customs.

Exercise 16. Read Text 4 to match left and right.

1) a baggage screening system	a) рентгеновский досмотровый сканер
2) a conveyor belt	b) выявление различных угроз и обнаружение контрабанды
3) a baggage X-ray scanner	c) сканирующая досмотровая система для проверки багажа
4) threat & contraband detection	d) ручная кладь
5) carry-on baggage	e) ленточный конвейер

Text 4

Baggage X-ray Scanner

Passengers’ baggage is scanned at the Customs control. The most common device of the baggage screening system is a baggage X-ray scanner. It’s used for inspecting carry-on baggage and freight. It handles heavy items due to low conveyor belt. It was created for checkpoint inspection at airports, border crossings, Customs, – wherever high security, threat and contraband detection is required.

Exercise 17. Comprehension questions.

1. What is a baggage X-ray scanner?

2. Where is it used?

3. Has your baggage ever been examined by the baggage X-ray scanner?

4. Do baggage X-ray scanners make the performance of Customs control more efficient?

Exercise 18.Review the article below in 5-7 sentences.