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Automated Prohibited Item Detection (APIDS) for Higher-Throughput CT Screening
Reduce manual image review, increase throughput,
and deliver consistent detection across every shift
AI-Powered Screening for
Every Bag, Every Time
As CT deployment expands across airports and passenger volumes grow, the total image volume requiring human review outpaces what manual screening teams can consistently handle. Screener attention degrades over long shifts. Staffing is expensive and increasingly difficult to sustain. APIDS is the AI software layer that changes that. Every bag is evaluated automatically detection is consistent from the first scan of the day to the last. When a prohibited item is detected, an alarm is raised and that bag goes to a human screener for resolution. A regulator-defined portion of cleared bags passes without manual review, increasing throughput without compromising detection.
AI Screens Every Bag.
Officers Resolve Every Alarm.
With APIDS, every bag is screened by AI before a human sees it and officers focus on alarms. That means higher throughput, consistent detection across every shift, and better use of existing staffing.
Consistent detection on every bag, every time
Every bag that passes through the CT scanner is analyzed by APIDS automatically before a screener sees it. The AI makes the first assessment, every time, on every bag.
The APIDS algorithm analyzes each CT image in real time
Running in parallel to the scanner’s own EDS layer, the APIDS software evaluates the CT image independently. The scanner generates the data. The certified APIDS software interprets it.
Cleared bags flow through without interruption
When neither the APIDS software nor the scanner’s EDS layer detects a threat, a regulator-defined portion of cleared bags passes without manual review keeping passengers and trays moving at the pace the checkpoint was designed for.
Officers focus where it matters most
When the AI detects a prohibited item, the flagged bag goes immediately to a human screener. Working from a significantly reduced image volume, officers arrive at each alarm with sharper focus and make better decisions because of it.
Supported CT Scanners
SeeTrue’s machine-agnostic approach enables seamless connectivity with CT machines, offering APIDS certification across multiple platforms and vendors.
Why do airports choose APIDS?
Increase throughput without adding lanes
APIDS evaluates every CT scan to the same standard — first bag of the day or last, peak hour or quiet period. The system delivers consistent detection so your team doesn’t have to.
Higher throughput without adding lanes or staff
The same infrastructure and the same team handle significantly higher volume — without lane additions, overtime, or additional headcount.
Screeners focused on real threats
Officers work from a smaller, higher-signal image set — the alarms the AI has already identified — so attention is sharper when it counts.
Steadier performance at peak demand
APIDS scales to volume automatically — no slowdown at peak hours, no reinforcement staffing, no fatigue.
Scales with your airport
Designed to extend across terminals and scanner platforms as volumes grow and standards evolve.
ECAC certified for compliant deployment
Independently tested and approved for operational use in ECAC-regulated screening lanes on the Analogic ConneCT and Rapiscan 920CT.
The operational difference:
before and after APIDS
Traditional screening
- The officer reviews every image, clear or not
- Detection quality varies by screener and shift
- Throughput is limited by human review speed
- Peak periods require additional staffing
- Fatigue reduces threat recognition over time
- Consistent detection cannot be guaranteed
With SeeTrue APIDS
- AI screens every bag; officers focus on alarms
- Consistent detection from the first image to the last
- Throughput increases without adding headcount
- Peak demand absorbed by the AI, no bottlenecks
- Officers arrive at each alarm with sharper focus
- Consistent detection performance, every bag, every screener, every shift
APIDS and IOAO: understanding the difference
APIDS and IOAO are often used interchangeably. They should not be.
They describe different automated detection frameworks,
governed by different regulatory bodies, operating in different geographies.
| APIDS | IOAO | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory body | ECAC | TSA |
| Geography | Europe and international | United States |
| Certification standard | ECAC APIDS Standards | APSS Standards |
| Deployment context | Checkpoint CT (EDSCB C3) | Checkpoint CT (CPSS) |
The underlying goal of both frameworks is the same: reduce dependence on manual image review,
improve detection consistency, and make checkpoint operations more efficient.
The standards, regulatory pathways, and compliance requirements differ.
FAQ
APIDS is AI software integrated with a checkpoint CT scanner that evaluates every baggage image automatically and raises an alarm when a prohibited item is detected. Every scan is evaluated to the same detection standard consistent performance from the first bag of the shift to the last.
Manual image review creates a fixed bottleneck throughput is limited by how quickly officers can review images. APIDS removes that constraint. A regulator-defined portion of AI-cleared bags passes without manual review, increasing the rate at which passengers and trays move through the checkpoint without adding lanes or staff.
APIDS software must be certified on the specific CT platform it will be deployed on. Certification on one scanner model does not extend to other manufacturers or models.
Both automate the detection decision at the checkpoint CT lane and share the same operational goals: consistent detection and reduced manual review volume. The difference is regulatory framework and geography. ECAC APIDS applies across European and international markets under ECAC certification standards. TSA’s IOAO program applies in the United States under APSS qualification requirements. Airports operating across both jurisdictions need a vendor certified under both frameworks.
Read the complete
APIDS guide
News and Updates
Ready to evaluate APIDS for your airport?
Whether you’re exploring APIDS for the first time or planning a deployment, we’ll walk you through detection performance, certification documentation, scanner compatibility, and integration planning for your checkpoint.