I believe this is one of the 'backscatter' X-Ray units, where they bounce low intensity x-rays off of your body. The radiation dose is low enough that it does not penetrate your body (in theory, anyway). Joe On 11/19/04 5:11 AM, "Paul Wouters" <paul@xtdnet.nl> wrote:
[ It is a bit off topic, but I am looking for people who have travelled through Heathrow lately with the new x-ray scanner, and nanog people are generally engaged in a lot of traveling ]
I was just pointed out to this article:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/11/18/blunkett_xray_blank/
It says:
"To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what air kerma rate has been used to assess radiation doses associated with the use of the Rapiscan Secure 1000 apparatus." David Blunkett's (yes, him again, sorry about that) response was: "The information sought is not in the public domain."
"This would mean that a security scanner would have to deliver 2,500 scans of an individual annually at 0.1 µSv per scan in order to reach the US administrative control level of 0.25 mSv. For an airport security scanner, even operating at a rather higher level, you'd probably have to be living in it to achieve that kind of level."
I went through Heathrow a few weeks ago, and was luckilly selected as a winner and destined to test these new Rapiscan boxes. I was informed it was an X-ray scanner, but with a very low dosage, the equivalent of being in an airplane for 11 minutes. Ofcourse only later did I realise that if these shots take 0.5 seconds, I was getting a dose 2*11*60= 1330 times the dose of the backgorund radiation of being in a plane. I wouldn't be suprised if those 11 minutes were per shot either. But at the time, I was more curious then worried.
The machine looked like a big wall. I needed to stand in front of it, without jacket, arms and legs spread, torso turned. Two shots were made with me turned in both positions. A third shot was made when I was standing straight, exactly like a criminal. Legs slightly spread, arms up. I then asked to the officer if they were storing these scans, and what they actualy showed. He then offered me a look behind the scene (and screen). A second officer was there, looking at a monitor that still showed my third shot. I saw myself from behind, 'naked'. I was quite suprised that this technology could actually render me naked. I could see where I have body hair and where not. From a technological point of view quite an achievement. (There was a second scanner, but I am not sure if those were run by women, and whether they only picked women or not) The officer further told me this was meant to scan for objects on the body, and that the images were not stored. They did not ask me for my passport, so I don't think this information is cross checked or stored. I also read on an earlier news article that the person seeing the monitor cannot see the person in real life, which is meant to 'reduce' the privacy invasion. The person seeing you 'naked' never sees the real you.
I forgot about the scanner and walked into the secure shopping mall, and checked for books. About five minutes after the scan, while I was not even thinking about the scanner anymore, I suddenly felt very nauseous all over. I then felt a sharp pain in my lower right abdomen which dissipated in the next minute. The nausea passed as well.
I am a bit worried, and I did Google around, but found no other people reporting the same. I did not go back to the scanner, since I couldn't reach the insecure area anymore.
I wondered about the pain. AFAIK there are no vital organs on the right side. The liver, spleen and 'alvleesklier' (?) should be more to the left or lower. The only thing on the right side is the end of your intestines. That made me think that in fact they might have used a higher dose or a more targeted scan to check deeper into my body for hidden drugs or explosives or whatever.
I'd love to hear from anyone else who has gone through this scanner and what their experience was.
Paul
-- Joe McGuckin ViaNet Communications 994 San Antonio Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 Phone: 650-213-1302 Cell: 650-207-0372 Fax: 650-969-2124