http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...-30-xray_N.htm

"Advanced technology X-ray machines photograph bags from two angles instead of one and show the images on side-by-side screens.

The added view could ease the TSA requirement that laptops go through X-ray machines in bins with no other items, said Peter Kant, a vice president at Rapiscan Systems, which makes the machines.

Laptops have been a security concern because their casings and circuitry are dense and could be used to shield weapons from the current X-ray machines, which take a single photograph from underneath an object. The new machines, by taking a second photo from the side, would reveal a weapon on top of a laptop, Kant said."

Right.

Damn. Too bad they spent that money on new uniforms.

Yeah, Because TSA is getting more changed new uniformed coming soon sometimes this fall. I'm sure TSA would be more effect new uniformed.

Ooh, X-rays. How 1960s.

And with 1960's thinking, x-rays can detect explosives in shoes, hence why we remove our shoes for "screening".

Back to the topic... a laptop placed on top of or below a gun will show a very high density area where the gun is located. If the screener was trained well, they'd scan the object again, get a second opinion, and/or have it swabbed for explosives.

Since these x-rays are based on an object's density and its shape is displayed on screen, why bother removing the laptop from the bag? Other countries screening process does not require the removal of the laptop from the bag. Is it because their screeners are better trained than ours? Or is it that we want to make our screeners job as easy as possible so that they can search for other threats like water, pies, or mayonnaise?

Also, why not put the explosives puffer inline with the x-ray machine? This way, all objects that pass through are screened for guns and mayonnaise at the same time? @:-)

What?! TSA isn't already using dual view x-rays like other countries? Why are they calling it new technology?

Why? So they can have more money to waste.

Because it's new to them. It's like a friend telling you they bought a new car and then you find out it's really an '01. Call them on it and they'll say "oh, i never said it was BRAND new."

I know that England does as well.

I wonder too.

This would be a field trial of new CT machines used for carry-on bags.

Just a smaller version of the checked bag machine.

They are installed in Bloomington, IL

I'm pretty sure this was the machine being used in the DFW Terminal D checkpoint I went thru yesterday (signs all over the place about not having to take laptops/liquids/etc., out of the carryon for screening). If this is the same machine, not only does it not 'speed security', it actually slows the process down since it takes so much longer for each bag to be scanned (I thought, anyway). Granted, it was nice not having to pull my laptop out, but the other lane, which had a regular x-ray machine, in that checkpoint definately moved faster than the lane I was in.

There's also, interestingly, a puffer in use in that lane; I thought all of those had been mothballed? The moat dragon & loader said they were having problems w/the puffer all day & had put in a work order for it, but that didn't stop them from pulling my co-worker for puffing

So, the choice is then either leave your laptop & freedom baggie in your carryon, but wait at least twice as long for your belongings on the other end, plus run the risk of being puffed or go thru the other lane & have to pull out laptop & freedom baggie, but no puffing.

Would you like a stick in the eye?

Or would you like a stick in your other eye?

Death or unga-bunga.

"COULD" speed security, but probably won't.

Instead it will be 'enhanced security layer #21'. The thinking? "Hey, we've already gotten them trained to take their laptops out, why make it any easier?"