New technology will enhance privacy on body scanners, TSA says
Jul 20, 2011, 10:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 20
New technology will enhance privacy on body scanners, TSA says
Washington (CNN) -- The Transportation Security Administration is taking steps beginning Wednesday to eliminate the image of an actual passenger in the body scanners at airports and is replacing it with a generic outline of a person.
The new software on its millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology machines is designed to enhance privacy but maintain security standards.
It "will auto-detect items that could pose a potential threat using a generic outline of a person for all passengers," according to a statement from the TSA.
"If no potential threats are detected, an 'OK' appears on the monitor with no outline, and the passenger is cleared," the statement said.
Passengers will be able to view the same outline a TSA officer sees, and it will no longer be necessary for a separate TSA officer to view the image in a remotely located viewing room.
Currently, there are nearly 500 imaging technology units at 78 airports in the United States and more units will be deployed this year, the TSA said. Some of the units use the millimeter wave technology, while others use so-called "backscatter" technology.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/07/20...ns/index.html?
The new software on its millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology machines is designed to enhance privacy but maintain security standards.
It "will auto-detect items that could pose a potential threat using a generic outline of a person for all passengers," according to a statement from the TSA.
"If no potential threats are detected, an 'OK' appears on the monitor with no outline, and the passenger is cleared," the statement said.
Passengers will be able to view the same outline a TSA officer sees, and it will no longer be necessary for a separate TSA officer to view the image in a remotely located viewing room.
Currently, there are nearly 500 imaging technology units at 78 airports in the United States and more units will be deployed this year, the TSA said. Some of the units use the millimeter wave technology, while others use so-called "backscatter" technology.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/07/20...ns/index.html?
Jul 20, 2011, 10:45 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Boston
Posts: 821
It "will auto-detect items that could pose a potential threat using a generic outline of a person for all passengers," according to a statement from the TSA.
Jul 20, 2011, 10:57 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 20
I've flown only once since this kabuki theater stuff was instituted, and lucked out on my outbound flight not having to go through the nudie scanners. My destination was a small airport that only had metal detectors, so the flight back I was spared as well.
My question is - if they can do this change now, why didn't they use it from the beginning?
Still have one more flight planned for the end of this month, at which point I expect that my luck at avoiding these things will run out.
My question is - if they can do this change now, why didn't they use it from the beginning?
Still have one more flight planned for the end of this month, at which point I expect that my luck at avoiding these things will run out.
Jul 20, 2011, 11:06 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BOS,PIT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, JetBlue Mosaic, United Silver
Posts: 461
Any bets on whether the media will report that "ALL" scanners will use this new technology despite backscatters still being widely deployed?
So many in the media still perpetuate the myth of the "patdown" OR "scan" when the reality is the choice is "patdown" OR "scan likely followed immediately by patdown, with a chance for a bonus patdown at the gate"
So many in the media still perpetuate the myth of the "patdown" OR "scan" when the reality is the choice is "patdown" OR "scan likely followed immediately by patdown, with a chance for a bonus patdown at the gate"
Jul 20, 2011, 11:12 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: SJC
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 1,628
You know, for random auditing or attractive female passenger purposes?
Jul 20, 2011, 11:15 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: An NPR mind living in a Fox News world
Posts: 14,162
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8830/4.5.0.138 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)
You Communist Islamic Fascist who wants to bring down America! How could you possibly think that???? :-)
Originally Posted by Rondall
Any bets that this is just a PR stunt due to the backlash?
"Oh this machine auto-detects threats." Meanwhile there is still someone in a hidden room getting their jollies looking at your naked image.
"Oh this machine auto-detects threats." Meanwhile there is still someone in a hidden room getting their jollies looking at your naked image.
Jul 20, 2011, 11:18 am
#10
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 642
Washington (CNN) -- The Transportation Security Administration is taking steps beginning Wednesday to eliminate the image of an actual passenger in the body scanners at airports and is replacing it with a generic outline of a person.
The new software on its millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology machines is designed to enhance privacy but maintain security standards.
It "will auto-detect items that could pose a potential threat using a generic outline of a person for all passengers," according to a statement from the TSA.
"If no potential threats are detected, an 'OK' appears on the monitor with no outline, and the passenger is cleared," the statement said.
Passengers will be able to view the same outline a TSA officer sees, and it will no longer be necessary for a separate TSA officer to view the image in a remotely located viewing room.
Currently, there are nearly 500 imaging technology units at 78 airports in the United States and more units will be deployed this year, the TSA said. Some of the units use the millimeter wave technology, while others use so-called "backscatter" technology.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/07/20...ns/index.html?
The new software on its millimeter wave Advanced Imaging Technology machines is designed to enhance privacy but maintain security standards.
It "will auto-detect items that could pose a potential threat using a generic outline of a person for all passengers," according to a statement from the TSA.
"If no potential threats are detected, an 'OK' appears on the monitor with no outline, and the passenger is cleared," the statement said.
Passengers will be able to view the same outline a TSA officer sees, and it will no longer be necessary for a separate TSA officer to view the image in a remotely located viewing room.
Currently, there are nearly 500 imaging technology units at 78 airports in the United States and more units will be deployed this year, the TSA said. Some of the units use the millimeter wave technology, while others use so-called "backscatter" technology.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/07/20...ns/index.html?
Jul 20, 2011, 11:24 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: on the path to perdition
Programs: Delta, United
Posts: 4,782
There are two sides to the technology. As someone who has been involved in digital image processing I find the algorithmic aspects interesting. But that is as far as it goes.
From a deployment side one perhaps two positives. No private rooms for the TSO perps they will now be out in the open. Second perhaps it will now only take two instead of three TSOs to conduct the scoping.
So while the above addresses the privacy issues, it does not address the primary issue efficacy. As such, TSA can invest all they want in processing software and even address the exposure issues. Until they address the efficacy it is more money down a piss hole.
From a deployment side one perhaps two positives. No private rooms for the TSO perps they will now be out in the open. Second perhaps it will now only take two instead of three TSOs to conduct the scoping.
So while the above addresses the privacy issues, it does not address the primary issue efficacy. As such, TSA can invest all they want in processing software and even address the exposure issues. Until they address the efficacy it is more money down a piss hole.
Jul 20, 2011, 11:25 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 175
Thanks flies! I needed the laugh. I am composing a post about a couple phone conversations I had with the CS rep for the TSA and the Airport CS rep both at BUF. Spent over 30 minutes talking to the former, and 15 minutes with the latter. Would tell more, but I don't want to hijack
this thread.
Jul 20, 2011, 11:35 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,082
There are two sides to the technology. As someone who has been involved in digital image processing I find the algorithmic aspects interesting. But that is as far as it goes.
From a deployment side one perhaps two positives. No private rooms for the TSO perps they will now be out in the open. Second perhaps it will now only take two instead of three TSOs to conduct the scoping.
So while the above addresses the privacy issues, it does not address the primary issue efficacy. As such, TSA can invest all they want in processing software and even address the exposure issues. Until they address the efficacy it is more money down a piss hole.
From a deployment side one perhaps two positives. No private rooms for the TSO perps they will now be out in the open. Second perhaps it will now only take two instead of three TSOs to conduct the scoping.
So while the above addresses the privacy issues, it does not address the primary issue efficacy. As such, TSA can invest all they want in processing software and even address the exposure issues. Until they address the efficacy it is more money down a piss hole.
