A full-body scanner makes its debut at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport today.
Chicago’s imaging device is just one of 150 scanners bought with federal stimulus money for airports around the country. The push for the scanners came after a man attempted to bomb an airplane traveling to Detroit on Christmas Day.
The Transportation Security Administration will use the device to scan through a passengers clothing for any hidden weapons. The images give a detailed look at the body, but obscures the passenger’s face. People are selected at random to go through the machine.
Some critics say the device is a violation of privacy. TSA says if passengers don’t want the scan, they can opt for a pat-down instead. Officials say workers are trained to ensure privacy is protected. TSA will demonstrate the scanner to the media later today.