If you are a frequent flier, the announcement that politicians are pushing for more body scanners at airports is not a welcome sign. Body scanners will add an additional layer of hassle to what many consider a horrible airport experience. Body scanners will also not make the world of air travel any safer than it is now. Many experts have stated that the push for body scanners is a reaction to terrorist threats and not a solution to anticipating one.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration currently has 40 scanners in place at 19 airports around the country. The TSA is planning to spend $25 million for 150 on order and has plans to buy up to 300 more in the coming years. Digital body scanners use radio waves or low level x-rays to create a detailed image of a passengers' body. It should spot weapons or explosives underneath their clothing.
Digital body scanners may deter some terrorist attacks as they are designed to spot plastic weapons or chemical explosives. Unfortunately, the body scanners cannot detect low-density materials, like powders or liquids. The body scanners also cannot detect items that might be hid inside the body as well.
A digital scanner works like this:
Before entering the machine, the passenger is patted down as an initial security screening. The passenger then enters a partially enclosed digital body scanner machine. The passenger than stands still for up to five seconds while the body scanner captures the digital image. That body-scanned image is then sent to a computer at the security checkpoint for analysis. The TSA technician will analyze the body scanner image. Facial and private areas are blurred by the body scanner machine to give the passenger privacy. However, it will reveal any weapons or explosives. The body scanner image is discarded from the PC if the passenger is cleared to proceed. The estimated time elapsed for this additional security screening is 15 to 25 seconds.
Many experts have agreed that you cannot stop terrorism, you can only deter it. Full body scanners will deter terrorists for a time however; terrorists will find a way to work around them. Money spent on full body scanners could be used to strengthen already proven security methods. Those funds could be used for more bomb-sniffing dogs, better management of terrorist watch lists, or even better intelligence