U.S. authorities working to close security loopholes exposed by the attempted bombing of a U.S.-bound airliner are sending 150 new full-body scanning machines to airports across the country, officials said Thursday. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) ordered the scanners, which cost $170,000 each, before last Friday's bombing attempt. Plans also are in place to purchase an additional 300 units by 2012, TSA officials said. Currently, 40 full-body scanners are in use at 19 U.S. airports, but use of the technology (considered invasive by privacy advocates) is optional. Passengers can have a security official manually check them instead. There are two types of full-body scanners. One uses “backscatter” technology to produce an X-ray image of a person. The other uses millimeter-wave technology, which shows a detailed photo negative. TSA officials have attempted to address privacy concerns by promising to blur pictures of passengers' faces and delete all images produced.
