This was published 12 years ago
New scanners to beef up airport security but preserve dignity
By Nick Ralston
Nothing to declare ... the Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, launches the full body scanner at Sydney Airport.Credit: Ben Rushton
TALL, short, fit or not - everyone will end up looking the same if they volunteer to undergo a full body scan as part of a security trial that begins today at Sydney International Airport.
Amid concerns a scanner could produce ''nude'' images of passengers, the machine being tested by the federal government will display a ''generic outline of passenger'', like a stick figure, on a screen.
''[It] provides for best security scanning available whilst ensuring that any concerns over privacy are addressed,'' the Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, said.
''Any male outline looks like any other male outline and any female outline looks like any other female outline.''
Appearing like an oversized phone booth, a passenger walks into the full body scanner, turns sideways and raises their arms above their head.
Two scanners, one at the front and one at the back, rotate once around and, in a matter of seconds, a generic body outline is displayed on a screen to security.
the full body scanner in action at Sydney Airport.Credit: Ben Rushton
Any abnormalities are pinpointed and highlighted on the body in yellow allowing guards to conduct further inquiries.
The scanner uses low-energy radio waves to detect metal and non-metal objects, along with any shapes that do not accord with the usual contours of the body. The machine can also detect implants and medical devices, such as colostomy bags.
One scan will emit 10,000 times less radio frequency energy than an average mobile phone call.
The $6 million trial, which runs in Sydney until August 19, is voluntary and any passenger not wishing to participate will be processed normally through airport security.
Mr Albanese said the scans would become compulsory if the trial, which will also be undertaken in Melbourne in September, is successful. He envisaged the scanners would operate in tandem with the existing metal detectors.
People that would be compulsorily scanned however would be randomly selected by the technology itself, to prevent ''profiling'' of particular passengers.
''When people see what this technology is they will be very relaxed about it's introduction,'' he said.
The use of full body scanners created controversy in the US because some produced a graphic almost ''naked'' image of a person's body.
Trials have also been undertaken in parts of Europe.
A trial at Germany's Hamburg airport concluded on the weekend and police have criticised the machines, saying they triggered an alarm unnecessarily in seven out of 10 cases.
The scanners, which are produced by the same manufacturer as used in the Australian trial, were reportedly confused by layers of clothing, boots and zips and, in 10 per cent of cases, a passenger's posture set them off.
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