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

Best air conditioner deals: Portable and window units on sale

The GE 10,000 BTU portable air conditioner cools a living room while a woman reads.

With the rising temperatures of spring and summer can come the frustrations of tossing and turning at night, sweating in the late afternoons, and simply trying to keep cool during the dog days of summer. Both portable air conditioners and windows units are great options if you don’t have central air, and they’re particularly attractive for apartments, dorms, offices, and if you just have a room or two to cool off. Right now you can land some good savings on air conditioners of all kinds from top air conditioner brands like Frigidaire and GE. We’ve rounded up all of the best air conditioner deals currently taking place, so read onward for more details.
Evapolar evaCHILL — $85, was $99

The Evapolar evaCHILL provides personal comfort on a small scale. At just 6.77 x 6.69 x 6.69 inches, it is highly portable and perfect for taking with you on camping trips or other excursions. To use it, just fill up its 800mL tank, which provides about 8 hours of continuous use (though customers report lower times for high-heat scenarios). This makes it perfect for getting to sleep. Plus, since it uses water as a source of chill, it can double as a humidifier. The Evapolar evaCHILL charges via USB cable and consumes less than 10W of power.

Smart Home

The 6 best Herman Miller alternatives in 2024

The Steelcase Leap.

Herman Miller has established itself as one of the preeminent experts on office chairs. Its lineup is filled with premium products like the Aeron and Embody, which offer multiple customization options, heaps of adjustability, and enough cushioning to support your body through even the longest workday.

All those luxurious features don't come cheap, however, and Herman Miller is also known as one of the most expensive brands on the market. That can make it difficult to add one to your home office without stretching your budget. Or, maybe you're currently using a Herman Miller and don't think it lived up to expectations. Whatever the case may be, there are several Herman Miller alternatives for you to consider for your next office chair.

Smart Home

Yale’s newest smart lock is designed for renters

The Yale Approach installed on a door.

Yale -- the company responsible for the well-reviewed Assure Lock 2 -- has just launched its first retrofit smart lock built specifically for renters. The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi is an interior-only smart lock that fits on top of most standard deadbolts, allowing renters to bring a bit of smart functionality to their home without the need to replace the underlying hardware.

Installing the Yale Approach should take just 10 minutes and doesn't require much more than a screwdriver. And since it doesn't require a new set of keys or lock swap, there's a good chance it'll be supported by most landlords. Along with an easy installation process, the Yale Approach uses features like Auto-Lock and Auto-Unlock to let folks easily enter their home and secure it when they leave.