Ben Gurion - WeCu!

I love the Tel Aviv Airport and the large bust of Ben Gurion as you enter the duty free. Do you think they named the airport after him because the sides of his hair look like wings on a plane? Yuval, my husband thinks it might be more likely that it was named after him since he was the first Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Who knows?

I love flying, especially from Ben Gurion. The duty free is so spacious and comfortable and has one of my favorite coffee shops - Arcaffe. I thought I would take the time to share the moment with the blogger world (strawberry smoothy in hand!)

I shared before about the great free wireless in Israel. And it's free here. I wouldn't be blogging if it weren't! I am pretty cheap about those things! But I have to share with you something that I recently learned about Israeli technology and airports that freaks me out just a little, which has me even more worried at the moment - which you will understand as I explain.

There is this new innovation called "WeCu." Doesn't the name psych you out just a little! Well that is kind of what it is supposed to do. You see it is a screening technique that is creating a rather big stir in Airport Security circles here in Israel and around the world - more particularly the US where I am from. In truth,  it will probably be in every airport in the near future.

It uses flashing images to screen for suspected terrorists. Compiled in the mixture are some trigger photos (such as the picture of a family member of a suspected terrorist, or the leader of a cell, or who knows what else). Then somehow, they don't say how, they measure the biometrics of everyone in the area (at least heart rate and temperature). The creator of the technology, an Israeli, Ehud Givon, says that people connected with photos will have an involuntary response that is measurable. Those with elevated biometric readings would then be pulled aside for additional questions and possible searches.

The system has a success rate of 95%, which is far better than the security screening in airports at the moment. The whole process is done without passengers even knowing and in under one minute. It could take place at the ticket counter, or the security check or even possibly in places where I am sitting right now!

The US is considering putting the system in all of it's airports, which makes me think it must already be in Ben Gurion. Now you might understand why I am feeling just a little freaked out! You see, just because I know about the technology out there, I might be looking for something strange and if something seems strange I just might have an elevated heart-beat or temperature! I have the peresonality that makes me feel guilty just becuse someone might think I am (It must be my protestant, Evangelical upbrining).  And now that could put in line next to suspected....ter.... I don't to even type the word. Maybe it will raise my heart rate or body temp!

Ok, I know I am being a little bit dramatic for some laughs, but as a student of history and human nature, it feels a little Orwellian to me! Maybe monitoring everyone's body functions is just a little too intrusive. But it could save lives and since I am about to board a flight, that seems like a pretty good aim. Israeli's are known throughout the world for the best security ever! And somehow they manage to ballance that with personal freedom.

I read that it could in fact be less intrusive because they do not store the readings and it would be completely neutral. The technology doesn't care who you are, where you are from, where you are going, what you believe or what you look like. It just reads reactions to specific stimuli.

Did you know Israelis have more patents per capita than any other nation? And they are only second to the US in actual patents filed. It is amazing the innovation coming out of this country. But what do you guys think of this one?

Ok...gotta check my email while I still have free wifi!