TSA to yank controversial ‘naked’ full-body scanners out of airports

By Mike Flacy January 20, 2013

Backscatter Scanner — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Detailed recently by USA Today, the Transportation Security Administration made an official announcement on Friday that the organization will be removing all full-body scanning machines produced by Rapiscan Systems from airports around the United States. The decision to replace the hardware was made after representatives of Rapiscan Systems informed the TSA that the company wouldn’t be able to update the software on the backscatter scanners by a deadline of June 1, 2013. Conceptually, the software update would show potentially dangerous items on an illustration of a body rather than a mostly nude picture of a passenger moving through the security line.

Prior to this point, TSA representatives had defended this type of scanner and indicated that security employees that viewed the image had no form of interaction with the passenger. However, the TSA had quietly started to replace the scanners during late 2012.

Regarding the upgrade deadline, privacy advocates actively campaigned against the use of the scanners and Congress acted accordingly. Government officials ordered that the software used by the machines had to be upgraded by mid-2013 or the TSA simply had to remove the hardware from airports.

After the TSA cancelled the contract with Rapiscan Systems, the organization will have to remove 174 backscatter scanners from thirty airports located in places like Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Diego and Seattle. In addition, the TSA is already holding 76 machines in storage. At a cost of $180,000 per machine, those 250 full-body scanners cost the TSA approximately $45 million. However, the TSA can avoid paying an additional $45 million for the remaining 250 scanners that Rapiscan Systems was producing to fill an entire order of 500 machines.

According to TSA spokesman David Castelveter, the backscatter machines will likely be replaced with traditional metal detectors in the thirty airports. However, the TSA also owns 669 millimeter-wave machines and will be moving some of those machines to those airports. Millimeter-wave machines have been praised for using radio waves to scan a body compared to radiation utilized by a backscatter scanner. In addition, the machines use a cartoon image to point out any areas of concern on a passenger’s body.

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Smart Home

Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam vs. Ring Stick Up Cam Pro: Which is better for your home?

The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam next to a smartphone.

The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam is one of the latest products from Ring. It allows users to control the camera remotely, giving them a simple way to see all corners of their home. It's also much more affordable than the existing Ring Stick Up Cam Pro, which offers plenty of cool features, but can't pan or tilt.

That makes it difficult to determine which is best for your home. Should you opt for the premium Stick Up Cam Pro, or is the Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam a better option due to its cheaper price tag? Here's a look at the two security cameras to help you decide.
Pricing and monthly fees

Smart Home

Blink Mini 2 vs. Wyze Cam v4: Which is the better budget security camera?

The Wyze Cam v4 installed outside.

The Blink Mini 2 and Wyze Cam v4 are two of the most affordable security cameras available in 2024. Both offer a compact footprint and impressive filming resolutions, and both can be used indoors and outdoors. However, there are some major differences between these two budget-minded products -- and while frugal shoppers will find a lot to love about both, one of them is a better product for most homes.

Here's a look at the Blink Mini 2 and Wyze Cam v4 to help you decide which to purchase.
Pricing and monthly fees
The Blink Mini 2 costs $40 and is available in black or white. If you want to use the device outdoors, you'll need to pick up the Weather Resistant Adapter, which bumps the price to $50. You'll also want to spring for the Blink Basic Plan, which costs $3 per month, to access features like cloud history.

Smart Home

Flash deal gets you an Amazon Echo Pop for $20 — that’s 50% off

The Echo Pop sitting on a countertop.

If you've always wanted easy access to Amazon's Alexa across your home but you're not willing to spend hundreds of dollars on Amazon Echo deals to equip several rooms with a smart speaker, then don't miss this chance to get the Amazon Echo Pop for only $20. A limited-time deal from Amazon has slashed the device's price with a $20 discount on its original price of $40, so you'll be able to afford to buy multiple. You're going to have to hurry though, as it may be back to its regular price as soon as tomorrow.

Why you should buy the Amazon Echo Pop
The Amazon Echo Pop isn't going to challenge the performance of the Amazon Echo Studio nor match the 360-degree sound of the Amazon Echo Dot, but it's a great way to access Alexa without spending a lot of money, according to our guide on which Amazon Echo should you buy. It's very compact so you'll be able to easily find a spot for it within any room, and while its front-facing design is a bit limiting, it's a minor trade-off especially if you're planning to place it in a small area.