Balance Board used in experimental airport screening study
by David Hinkle 
{ Oct 9th 2009 at 12:30AM } 
The US has invested a healthy amount of money into combating the terrorist threat -- certainly a bit more than $100. According to a CNN report, one of a few experimental methods being used to identify suspicious dudes at the airport uses Nintendo's Wii Balance Board (sans Wii Fit Plus).Scientists part of the Future Attribute Screening Technology (FAST) program have taken the Wii Fit peripheral and adjusted it to measure how a person shifts their weight. Scientists hope to find "a level of fidgeting that would suggest the need for secondary screening." We're just glad we're not a part of the study, because every time we step on a Balance Board, we can't help but act like we're playing that awesome hula hoop minigame. That's a suspicious amount of fidgeting.
[Via Kotaku]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jawmuncher (PSN & XBL:Jawmuncher) @ Oct 9th 2009 12:31AM
Hula Hoop for the win.
[ArchiGamer] [80% ENTERTAINMENT BY VOLUME] @ Oct 9th 2009 12:39AM
Nintendo Peripherals: More Useful in Science Projects than Actual Gaming!!
SEVENim @ Oct 9th 2009 1:01AM
Confirmed: Fidgety people are terrorists. no exceptions.
Joe H @ Oct 9th 2009 1:52AM
Especially people who are fidgety about flying for the first time.
Saria the Cat @ Oct 9th 2009 1:54AM
Or people with flight phobia and thus intense anxiety before a flight. Like me. :(
cloud858rk @ Oct 9th 2009 3:00AM
Or they might be fidgety because they're nervous about the possibility of getting strip searched, and thus becoming a self-fulling prophecy.
Stevetrop @ Oct 9th 2009 1:11AM
Terrorist hear this now. Be afraid we can incorporate video game technology into our anti-terrorist technology. It won't be long until we can use wii horseback riding patented controller to stop your dastardly deeds.
You have been warned...
lexicon @ Oct 9th 2009 1:17AM
Really?
I love the wii and all, and even believe its use for rehab is worth considering..
But this?!
I never knew excessive fidgeting = terrorist
Talk about looking in the wrong places.. bin laden is laughing
TJFadness @ Oct 9th 2009 2:01AM
If someone is fidgeting and shifting their weight all about, they are probably a little nervous that they are about to board the plane, and ram it into a building. Or that they are being closely watched, and examined for being nervous.
If I was boarding a plane and they told me to stand on a wii-fit board, I would probably be tackled by a security guard for how I stood.
Cyantre @ Oct 9th 2009 1:28AM
So nervous flyers will get screened twice? I do not see how that has any bearing on security other than a colossal waste of money.
SoshiKitai @ Oct 9th 2009 1:49AM
But you see, they get to be screened via hula hoops.
It is extremely accurate in finding dangerous objects.
mynk @ Oct 9th 2009 1:57AM
and that second screening would make nervous flyers twice as nervous.
Blank-Mage @ Oct 9th 2009 1:29AM
Great. I can't wait to get tasered because I'm twitchy. ("Stop moving involuntarily! I said STOP! DOWN ON THE GROUND, MOTHERFUCKER! DOWN ON THE GROUND!")
Saria the Cat @ Oct 9th 2009 1:53AM
Wow, this is majorly lacking in the validity AND reliability department. Someone who believes "fidgety" people tend to be more dangerous or terroristist needs to cite me some empirical research on this. There are many, many problems with this assumption. Shit, I'd get arrested just because I'm nervous before flights (flight phobia) AND clumsy, and I can't imagine how people with ADHD or vertigo or poor balance in general would do on one of these things.
Schmim @ Oct 9th 2009 2:09AM
This is just an indirect way of saying "were banning flying"
INNUENDO 64 @ Oct 9th 2009 1:59AM
yep. terrorists
INNUENDO 64 @ Oct 9th 2009 1:59AM
GOD DAMMIT THE COMMENT SYSTEM
Rosario @ Oct 9th 2009 2:17AM
I think we now know what the Wii vitality sensor is going to be used for.
Balance board + vitality sensor = combating terrorist threat....who knew?
Sam @ Oct 9th 2009 2:18AM
I feel so sorry for all the people who piss their pants because instead of being able to go to the bathroom, their bathroom dance gets them pulled aside for secondary screening.
cloud858rk @ Oct 9th 2009 3:02AM
Either that or the anal cavity search.
mietha CAG @ Oct 9th 2009 2:42AM
Our tax dollars at work...
SoshiKitai @ Oct 9th 2009 3:04AM
help fund Nintendo...
Xero @ Oct 9th 2009 4:33AM
do frequent fliers get their own Mii?
JeezWhiz87 @ Oct 9th 2009 5:39AM
Ok... if they've already come to terms with dying in a fiery inferno from flying a plane into a building, and they're not nervous about THAT, why the hell wouldn't they be calm stepping on a balance board? For some reason that doesn't seem to make much sense to me.
stromm @ Oct 9th 2009 6:41AM
Yep, imagine all the people with medical conditions, on prescriptions, etc. I have the Wii fit and you should see how all over the place I am on it because of my bad back.
Waldo @ Oct 9th 2009 5:16PM
Who knows? It might lead to some great new entries in the TSA manuals, such as...
If the individual triggers greater than 3 on the AUFRS [Attempted Urinary Flow Retainment Scale], the STSO [Screening Officer] must notify an BDO [bathroom directional officer] for resolution….
Screening of the individual may proceed while waiting for a BDO response. If a BDO fails to respond within established airport timeframes, the STSO must allow the individual to proceed to the closest secure gender and access appropriate BFA [Bathroom Facility Area]. To prevent unnecessary accidents, do not attempt to detain or delay the individual from entering the BFA area for the purpose of obtaining BDO clearance….
Magdy @ Oct 9th 2009 11:36PM
One theory is they know very well this system of using a balance board in itself is ineffective. They hope this system correlated with other systems like the machine that sees through clothing will instill fear and anxiety. They hope the fear will be enough of a deterrent to their order. Either that or they don't things through.
edes @ Oct 9th 2009 11:53PM
The wii pulse meter?
Feba @ Oct 10th 2009 4:42AM
It's basically the same theory as lie detector machines, only cheaper technology.
That said, airport security exists to give the illusion of security, not to actually make anyone safer.