The future of airport security could be staring back at you

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Recent changes in TSA screenings raise questions about what the future of airport security will look like.

University of Illinois professor Sheldon Jacobson contributed to the development of the TSA Precheck system we use today. Jacobson believes the future of airport security could be no TSA physical screening.  

"In the future, and this is going 10-15 years in the future, a certain group of passengers using facial recognition, using biometrics may actually not require any physical screening at all," Jacobson said. 

After the Sept. 11 attacks, Jacobson and a team of others founded the term "risk-based security," the idea that all passengers should not be treated the same from a risk perspective. Once the idea was pitched, eight years later, TSA PreCheck was implemented. Security changes, such as the real ID requirement and the no shoe removal requirement, mean the system can handle the changes. 

According to Jacobson, a vast majority of travelers do not pose a risk to the security system. Those who do are called "bad actors." 

"The problem is we don't know who they are necessarily, and that's where risk-based security becomes so important. We're trying to reduce the inconvenience to passengers but maintain the security of the system," Jacobson said. 

Another change in conversation is increasing the liquid limit for TSA screenings. Jacobson does not see that happening anytime soon because not all airports have computed tomography screeners. 

"This is a CT scanner. It's the same kind of scanners that are used when you go to a doctor's office, at times for a scan. And this enables you to get a three-dimensional image of what's in a carry-on bag. With CT scanners, you'd be able to detect the difference between a benign liquid or potentially a liquid explosive," Jacobson said.