From: Eric Messick <eric@syzygy.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Aug 1996 09:08:56 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Stealth Buildings Was Re: "X-Ray Gun" for imperceptible searches
In-Reply-To: <199608150454.VAA12982@toad.com>
Message-ID: <199608172309.QAA10539@syzygy.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


I just happen to have the following article sitting on the desk next
to me:

San Jose Mercury News, Saturday, May 6, 1995, page 7A

Radar gives strip search a new meaning

New York Times

Engineers at a federally financed laboratory are developing a security
device that uses radar to peer through clothing to inspect for hidden
objects.

Working prototypes of these holographic radar scanners already exist,
and engineers at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory in Richland, Wash.,
believe a perceived need by security officials to scan for concealed
weapons and explosives may eclipse issues of cost.

The laboratory [...] has built two versions of its radar skin scanner,
one a walk-in booth that can scan an entire body and the other a
handheld device resembling a camcorder that can be pointed at specific
parts of a body.

The ultra-wind-band radar technology used in these inventions depends
partly on powerful computers, which analyze radar echoes reflected by
a subject's skin to construct visual images of the person's body in a
matter of seconds.

[...]

Representatives of the laboratory acknowledge that the sense of
modesty of some airline passengers, jurors, federal office workers and
others subjected to radar scanning might be offended.

"But the images, although explicit, are not pornographic," [Thomas]
Hall said.  "In any case, we foresee setting up the scanners in pairs
at each entry point - one for males and one for females, with security
officials matched by sex."