This company (http://www.biosensor.se/) has been producing a similar product for a couple of years now. It's used by the German and Australian customs officials for the detection not only of explosives, but also drugs (oh well). The existing tech as used in US airports has a dismal detection rate and also throws out several false positives. If you're going to have a system, then you might at least have one that works.
I think the main reason they ask that it is plugged in to a landline is so that they can periodically call to ensure that it is in the same place. There was a huge trend at one point for people to subscribe in the UK, tuck the box under their arm and take it to their usual residence in Spain.
Quite why they object to someone using the box abroad when the subscription continues to be paid I don't know, but that's the reason I was given.
Mine is currently unplugged because it went beserk and spent the whole day trying to call the mothership at Sky. Luckily on a toll free number.
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This company (http://www.biosensor.se/) has been producing a similar product for a couple of years now. It's used by the German and Australian customs officials for the detection not only of explosives, but also drugs (oh well). The existing tech as used in US airports has a dismal detection rate and also throws out several false positives. If you're going to have a system, then you might at least have one that works.
I think the main reason they ask that it is plugged in to a landline is so that they can periodically call to ensure that it is in the same place. There was a huge trend at one point for people to subscribe in the UK, tuck the box under their arm and take it to their usual residence in Spain.
Quite why they object to someone using the box abroad when the subscription continues to be paid I don't know, but that's the reason I was given.
Mine is currently unplugged because it went beserk and spent the whole day trying to call the mothership at Sky. Luckily on a toll free number.