Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM
Letter and parcel bombs are a constant hazard of our time. Consequently, there is a demand for improved inspection of postal deliveries, which does not involve breaching the inviolability of the mail. Terahertz letter scanners work with terahertz waves, which are not harmful to humans. Unlike X-ray letter scanners, they can therefore be used in virtually any location – e.g. in mail logistics facilities, in penal institutions, in public authorities and also in the homes of private individuals at risk. Experts in measurement techniques have developed a scanner of this type in cooperation with Hübner GmbH & Co. KG.
Widespread use of terahertz letter scanners in postal logistics means that it is possible to warn persons at risk of letter or parcel bombs in good time. Suspicious postal deliveries can be inspected unopened in situ, and any hazardous contents can undergo chemical analysis and identification. The inviolability of the mail is thus maintained.
In an analogous manner, the mail scanner also allows the detection of drugs in mail items. In this way, mail items in the inbox of correctional facilities can be checked without opening confidential legal mail.
