New security system to be tested at Toronto Pearson and here's how it works

A HEXWAVE security portal is seen in this undated photograph provided by Liberty Defense.

A new security portal will be tested at Toronto Pearson International Airport that will be able to identify threats without the traveller needing to remove any clothing or empty their pockets.

The portable scanner was developed by Liberty Defense, a security company whose mission is to identify concealed weapons in high-traffic areas.

The technology, called HEXWAVE, uses low frequency radio signals and 3D radar images to scan an individual. Bill Frain, CEO of Liberty Defense, told CTV News Toronto that each scan generates about 400,000 data points.

“What we do is we're able to detect any type of threat,” he said, adding the system is able to detect both metallic and non-metallic threats. “We're really looking at any type of anomaly that shouldn't be on the body … it's really driven by algorithms.”

“We're able to differentiate between you know, those items that are, you know, your cell phone, your wallet, keys and glasses case.”

Threats that can be identified by the portal include plastic explosives, both metallic and 3D-printed guns, knives, and pipe bombs.

There is no need for individuals to remove jackets or empty their pockets when travelling through the portal, Frain said, and the analysis occurs in real time. Individuals passing through the portal will either see a green light and will be allowed to proceed, or a red light will indicate a threat.

“There's no penetration to the body. So we're just taking a reflection of the body,” he said. “There's no safety issues. There's no privacy issues.”

Liberty Defense says Toronto Pearson is the first airport in the world to test the technology.

Sometime in the third quarter of 2022, a single portable HEXWAVE unit will be tested at “select locations across Toronto Pearson,” according to the Greater Toronto Airport Authority.

A spokesperson for the GTAA said the test will not impact existing security measures at Pearson Airport.

HEXWAVE is supposed to act as an added layer of security, to be used in addition with existing protocols. It is also being tested by the Maryland Stadium Authority the University of Wisconsin and a temple outside of Atlanta.

Once the technology has passed its beta testing, Fain hopes to commercialize it and have the portals in place at various institutions, including hotels, casinos, event spaces and schools.