Antinuclear

The local Office of Transport Security has sought to calm health fears by selecting a “millimetre wave” machine (see left) that uses radio waves with an energy level claimed to be comparable to a mobile phone handset held some metres away.

Body scanners can not reliably detect home-made explosives, The Australian, Karen Dearne ,September 13, 2011 TRANSPORT Minister Anthony Albanese was warned by US security advisers that body scanners could not reliably detect home-made explosives before committing to a $28.5 million plan to X-ray international travellers.

With trials of new X-ray imaging technology just concluded at Sydney airport and currently being held in Melbourne, the department says volunteers have been queuing up to undergo a scan.

It says 40 per cent of participants were found to have metallic or non-metallic objects — mostly wallets and jewellery — in or under their clothing.

But a cable from the US embassy in Canberra, leaked by WikiLeaks, reveals that Mr Albanese and local security advisers were told the technology was “not foolproof”…..

The local Office of Transport Security has sought to calm health fears by selecting a “millimetre wave” machine that uses radio waves with an energy level claimed to be comparable to a mobile phone handset held some metres away.

And to quell privacy concerns, it has chosen “automatic threat recognition” software that generates a box on a human outline to indicate areas for investigation, rather than naked images.

Mr Albanese’s spokeswoman told The Australian all the major issues had been covered.

“The image that is generated is the same for all passengers,” she said.

“It appears as a stick figure and the images cannot be stored or shared in any way.”

The department has just released a privacy impact assessment on the implementation of body scanners, with submissions due this month….

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/body-scanners-can-not-reliably-detect-home-made-explosives/story-e6frgakx-1226135199335