Schiphol Project DARTMOUTH

1. The organization

Schiphol Airport is the largest international airport in the Netherlands with 61.9 million travellers in 2023, placing it as the fourth busiest airport in Europe ^[1]. The airport hosts 97 airlines with just 1 terminal divided into 3 departure halls and 7 piers ^[2]. With 305 destinations in 5 continents, many measures need to be taken in order to handle the volume of travellers and flights while maintaining safety, security, and reliability. One aspect that is necessary before boarding an aircraft is airport security, where passengers are required to place their luggage through a scanner and subject themselves to a body scan - a process that has been emphasized following the aftermath of the September 11 attacks ^[3]. This process will be the main focus of this report.

2. The AI technologies employed

For context, airport security typically employs various methods to scan passengers and luggage entering an aircraft. The most common scanning method for passengers is a metal detector, which uses pulse induction to detect whether there is any metal on the person. This is done by sending bursts of current through the wires in the metal detector, creating a magnetic field, and opposing the magnetic field that is projected should there be a metal object on the person ^[4]. This was the only airport security procedure in place before the 9/11 attacks ^[3:1]. Following 9/11, luggage is also examined in an X-ray machine through a conveyor belt. These electromagnetic waves have enough energy to pass through many different materials that then signal two detectors, one of which has a filter to block X-rays with lower energy. The delta of these two detectors determine differences in types of objects that are present in the luggage, such as organic and inorganic items ^[5]. To increase security, passengers are required to store all liquids in containers not exceeding 100 milliliters should they be carrying liquids in hand baggage, and certain items are prohibited on any aircraft, such as explosive objects or toxic substances. They are also required to remove belts, shoes, and coats before entering the body scanner.

While neither of these methods contain AI by default, Schiphol is currently working with Pangiam on Project DARTMOUTH, a computer vision intelligence system that would better detect prohibited items in luggage. This project is supported by AI and machine learning developed by Google, and it is implemented in the airport security screening process to support security officers and pivot their focus to the riskiest items. Schiphol is the first major European airport to collaborate on this project, and while the technology is still in its trial phase, it is already being tested on a small subset of items passing through security ^[6]. However, firsts are not new for Schiphol, as it became the first airport in the world to implement body scanners, doing so in 2007 ^[7].

See more here: body scan tech.

3. Ethical concerns

Because the technologies in question are still in their testing phase, very limited information is available about them. However, we can base our ethical concerns on the current airport security screening protocols at Schiphol Airport and tie it to the potential risks that come from including AI in these processes.

Freedom of movement

The right to freedom of movement is disproportionate to airport security checks, as failing a check restricts a person from boarding the aircraft and thus leaving the area by air. Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that "everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country" ^[7:1]. Even as this right is applied to all member nations of the United Nations (UN), these security measures can prevent a person from moving freely between countries, especially when no other mode of transport is possible.

It's illogical to allow a person that poses a potential risk to the public to board an aircraft, but there can be alternatives in place for someone that is not willing to pass their items and/or themselves through the security scanners. This was not possible for John Tyner at San Diego Airport in 2010, where he received a $10,000 fine for violating the regulations set in place by airport security by refusing to comply with using the technologies implemented in the security process ^[8]. AI was not implemented in the security process back then, but this issue may become more complex when it is. Those like Tyner may not fully understand what the technologies are doing and therefore may not trust them. However, these technologies are well-researched and understood, while AI is largely experimental and contained within a black box. Thus, AI models are less explainable and therefore pose a higher risk of causing harm in comparison to technologies already used in airport security. A person's freedom of movement has an increased risk of impact if their trust decreases from the use of AI in the security process.

transparency

A passenger must consent to a security check to be able to proceed to their flight, which examines their physical being and their belongings. But if they are less likely to trust airport security due to the use of AI, then transparency in the screening process is required in order for passengers to understand how and why the AI is being used. transparency is important for passengers to be able to trust the security procedures and the staff operating them so that all passengers are able to go through security smoothly and efficiently.

privacy

Say a person has a prosthetic arm and does not want to reveal this as they do not want special treatment - they want to be treated like everyone that has the two arms they were born with. A prosthetic arm provides mobility to someone that is otherwise limited in their activities, like putting their luggage on the conveyor belt. But when a prosthetic passes through a security scanner, it may trigger the alarm, because there can be metal contained in it. This singles out the person, causes bystanders to stop and stare, and discloses their personal information - they are missing an arm. This is an invasion of privacy of the person, which violates Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, stating "no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation" ^[7:2]. This can also be the case with luggage. If the machine detects something suspicious or unusual via its AI, the owner may be instructed to open their luggage for further inspection, giving away the privacy of the belongings they are carrying. While there must be a balance between privacy and security, ensuring that a passenger is comfortable passing through security is of utmost importance for privacy issues to be reduced for the passenger themselves as well as all other passengers.

• Joel 2024-07-02: disparate impact on those using prostheses is a theme in disability studies

4. Recommendations

Schiphol Airport has already taken measures towards these ethical concerns with the current technologies in place. Nowadays, instead of using X-ray machines, Schiphol uses body scanners instead, which use millimeter waves that reflect off of human skin and other materials but pass through clothing ^[8:1]. Specifically, the body scanners used at Schiphol only show a silhouette of a person with no distinguishing characteristics. If a person triggers the scanner, the alarming spot on the person would light up as a yellow patch ^[9]. This ensures the right of privacy. Schiphol also offers manual searches for those who are not willing to use the body scanner ^[9:1].

One thing that Schiphol can do is make this information more transparent - at the risk of information overload, there should be a sign for passengers that would like to know more information about the technologies behind the security procedures employed at Schiphol. This can especially be the case with the new AI technologies involved, as the implications behind the buzzword can cause panic and/or confusion in someone. Next to this, requesting this information should not have an influence in a security check.

Since body scanners are becoming smarter and more efficient while ensuring privacy, another recommendation that Schiphol could look into is a scanner that does not require the person to stand still. Standing still leads to more wait time, albeit an insignificant amount, for other people waiting for their turn in the scanner. This little bit of wait time while the scanner determines if the passenger could potentially be carrying something forbidden can instill a fear of being a false positive. In Mironenko (2011), it is reported that companies were testing out this method as an alternative to the body scanners that exist today ^[8:2]. This new technology can also contribute to someone's freedom of movement, where less procedures are required to go through security.

5. References