The Kansai Airport (Osaka) has introduced microwave devices to checks plastic bottles that people carry aboard airplanes.

The device emits microwaves into a bottle placed on it and analyzes the reflected waves. It just takes seconds for a red light and alarm to go off if flammable substances are inside, or for a green light to indicate there is no problem.

The aim is to help reduce departure-area congestion as well as address sanitary concerns about the current method, introduced in March last year, in which officers open and sniff the plastic bottles.

Narita International Airport, Tokyo’s Haneda airport and Nagoya airport have all introduced devices that use a different method to check the contents of plastic bottles.

From The Japan Times.