Airport Security Technology Contest

Clear, the airport security provider, will award a $500,000 prize purse to the first team to deploy faster security lane technology at an airport. Clear has promised that the winning team’s technology will be purchased in bulk, once approved for use by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at airports where Clear operates ‘fast pass’ lanes. Clear will host a half-day symposium for invited parties on February 13 at the Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum at the San Francisco International Airport to present the criteria for entry. A panel, consisting of technologists and airport/airline security directors will select the prize winner. Clear seeks technology that will expedite passage through airport security checkpoints. The firm is looking for both all-encompassing technology to change dramatically the checkpoint process and simple, discrete improvements that apply common sense solutions for easing the security bottleneck. The winning security device must be compact and operated at a cost (including capital costs amortized over five years) of less than 25 cents per passenger screened when working at full capacity. Previous technology purchased by Clear such as General Electric’s shoe scanner and Itemiser are exempt from qualification for the cash award but may be part of a larger team solution. Clear will sign no non-disclosure agreements with everyone who participates – and none of the intellectual property will become Clear’s unless the firm buys it.