Whether it be the 2015 outbreak of Queensland fruit fly that took 10 months to eradicate, or other quarantine incursions that have damaged the horticultural industry like Psa-V or the tomato potato psyllid, New Zealand growers know the importance of strong biosecurity all too well.

Auckland International Airport is a major frontline for protecting the country's agricultural industry, and a key part of enforcing strict standards is promoting cultural awareness amongst travelers.

As part of this the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is trialing new prototype hologram technology to educate international travelers, giving them a 3D display of biosecurity risk items with explanations as to why they aren't wanted in New Zealand.

"This is an experiment to test if new technology can be used as a communications tool to reach the public more effectively than our current static signage at the airport," says MPI Manager of Detection Technology, Brett Hickman. 

The display will show prohibited items, initially focusing on fruit carried inside luggage. The display then follows a hitchhiking fruit fly and the potential damage that it could do to an orchard and the fruit industry.

"The concept here is to create an eye-catching display that really grabs the attention of arriving passengers," says Hickman.

Hickman says the hologram display will be housed on top of a purpose-built unit that doubles as an amnesty bin for visitors to dispose of any potential biosecurity risk goods they may still be carrying in hand luggage.

"So not only will it be a communications tool, it has a practical use for collecting last minute items that aren't allowed into the country," he says.

The hologram will undergo a six-month trial at the airport in a range of locations within the arrivals area. MPI will monitor how many people stop to look at the display, as well as how much biosecurity material is placed into the unit's amnesty bin to understand the viability of the trial.

This is the first initiative to be launched under MPI's Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Practice.

The RTI Practice has been established by MPI to test emerging technologies. The hologram is the first of several concepts to be taken to prototype stage for testing.

The hologram is developed by Wellington company Point Zero which specializes in holographic display technology.

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