TPA using new technology to track crowds in real time
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa International Airport is the first airport in the nation to utilize new technology to keep track of crowds.
"Lidar" is something of a radar that keeps track of people. It displays dots in real time on computer screens that airport officials can view at any time.
Whether they are lined up at security, concessions, at a gate or heading towards a shuttle, Lidar, or "light detection and ranging," shows the movement of each person.
"We're expecting record travelers this Thanksgiving," said airport spokesperson Emily Nipps. "There's nothing more important than being able to anticipate or know where we're seeing the biggest crowds."
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With the sensors and system installed by California based, "The Indoor Lab," they can even go 3D.
People, up to five feet tall, are shown in red, then green above that.
Its main use right now is crowd control.
If TSA needs to open another lane, if concession lines need to be sped up, if tram frequencies need to change or if a bathroom needs to be stocked, staffers can be immediately dispatched.
"Every team that is affected by those lines will be able to see that in real time and be able to manage that. It's really pretty incredible," said Nipps.
The good news for privacy watchdogs is the technology doesn't detect faces or read data from cell phones.
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But if someone were to swipe a bag and run, police could cross-reference a fast-moving dot with a camera in the same area.
So far, only ten percent of the airport has Lidar coverage, but TPA is indeed the first in the nation to deploy the technology.
"It's just been really cool to see what this technology can do," said Nipps. "The possibilities are endless. We're not even using it to its full capacity yet. We're just kind of testing it out to see how it's working as far as crowd control and traffic flow perspective."
The technology works both indoors and outdoors, and could be used at any facility where there are people.
TPA says only about ten percent of the airport is covered by Lidar for now, but they expect that to increase.