Controversial X-ray will debut at Sky Harbor
by Ginger D. Richardson on Feb. 23, 2007, under LocalA controversial anti-terrorism tool that takes remarkably clear X-ray photos of the human body will finally be up and running at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport this weekend.
The technology, called backscatter, has been likened to a “virtual strip search” by the American Civil Liberties Union and other privacy protection groups.
Sky Harbor will be the first airport in the nation to test the machine as part of a pilot program that will be rolled out by the Transportation Security Administration in the coming months.
The backscatter will be at Terminal 4, security checkpoint B.
TSA spokesman Nico Melendez said Wednesday that his agency has worked hard to address the privacy issues associated with the technology. He said the images have been modified so that they protect passengers while still providing a needed level of security.
“The concern was that the image was too graphic, too invasive,” Melendez said Wednesday. “So we worked with the industry to address that concern.”
Only one screener will be allowed to view the X-ray image, and that person will be located in a closed room more than 50 feet away from the actual checkpoint.
“There is no way for the person who is in that room to see the person that is screened,” Melendez said.
The image that is produced is said to be more like a chalk outline than a photograph that is capable of showing details of the human anatomy.
The TSA said Wednesday that the program will be voluntary, meaning that passengers will be asked to step through the backscatter only if they first fail the primary screening procedures. And even then, they’ll have the option of selecting a traditional pat-down search.
Some frequent fliers have also questioned whether the repeated exposure to the backscatter could pose a health threat.
But the TSA says the machine emits a very low level of radiation, or about the same amount as a passenger would be exposed to during two minutes of airplane flight.
The backscatter was supposed to be operational at Sky Harbor before the holidays, but its launch was delayed while the agency fixed a “technical” glitch associated with the remote viewing room.
The agency was having trouble setting up the equipment so that it would work properly with the airport’s wireless connections, Melendez said.
