Advertisement

Los Angeles to become first US city to install body scanners in the subway

Passengers will not need to stop to be screened by the new scanners: AP
Passengers will not need to stop to be screened by the new scanners: AP

Los Angeles is installing high-tech scanners on its subway system to check passengers for bombs and weapons.

The Transportation Security Administration and LA Metro has been testing the portable passenger screening devices, which detect waves from the body, and announced on Tuesday that it will be the first surface transport system in the US to deploy them.

The Thruvision TAC-TS4 portable terahertz millimeter wave scanners are designed to quickly and discreetly screen individuals for concealed threats as they pass through points such as the bottom of the escalators.

The machines, which identify objects that block the naturally-occurring waves produced by a person’s body, can detect both metallic and non-metallic objects.

The scanners do not emit radiation, according to the transport authority (AP)
The scanners do not emit radiation, according to the transport authority (AP)

The software generates generic avatars and creates either a black spot on the area of the body where an item is concealed, or shows the object up in a colour.

No anatomical details are displayed and passengers will not have to stop to be scanned.

David Pekoske, Administrator of the TSA, said the devices were bought to "detect and deter potential acts of terrorism".