System to pinpoint airline passengers who contaminate cabins

Qingyan Chen describes the workings of his Purdue lab, which recreates the passenger compartment of a commercial airliner, complete with rows of seating. The research aims to develop a system that uses mathematical models and sensors to locate passengers releasing hazardous materials or pathogens inside airline cabins. The technique might enable officials to identify passengers responsible for the unintentional release of germs or the intentional release of pathogens or chemical agents, such as those that could be used in a terrorist attack. Credit: Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger