TSA unveils new body scanner

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - Despite the objections of many passengers, the Transportation Security Administration operates full body scanners at airports across the country. But at Newport News - Williamsburg International Airport , the TSA unveiled a new scanner that protects personal privacy - without compromising airline security.

Some security experts have referred to the old full body scanner as a "physically invasive strip search". But, the device TSA agents demonstrated in Newport News Monday morning uses Advanced Imaging Technology, which bounces electromagnetic waves off the human body to detect concealed items rather than using x-rays.

TSA spokesman Kawika Riley said, "It also has the latest software for privacy protection, known as ATR or automated target recognition."

What that means for passengers is no more revealing pictures being seen by security agents.

Riley explained, "It self-detects whether or not there is a potential threat on a passenger and so there's no image that needs to be viewed or seen."

In fact, if a passenger passes the full body scan, nothing more than a single word text message appears on the screen. Even if the machine identifies a potential threat, agents wouldn't see an x-ray of the passenger's body and the threat.

"There would be a generic outline of the human body. An icon that's identical for every passenger. And the icon would say exactly where the potential threat is," Riley said.

There are more than 300 of the new machines in about 100 airports. The TSA says the technology meets all known national and international health and safety standards. The machine can detect both metallic and non-metallic devices, including explosives.